IWB carry and pain.

[OneFreeTexan]

Suspenders

Pelican and one other agreed. If you haven't tried them, you should. Perry makes good ones...I have worn them for years, no back pain, gun is always where I want it. they also work just fine with shoulder holsters too.
Don't knock suspenders if you haven't tried them.

 

[keithdog]

I really appreciate all the replies to my post, and there are MANY great suggestions here to mull over and look into. Thank you to all who replied.

 

[baddarryl]

When I was younger I used suspenders to support my tool belt when framing houses. It made a huge difference, but limited mobility somewhat as far as climbing are the trusses etc. I had forgot about those. I would think for daily activity it might be just the ticket for a heavy rig.

I highly recommend yoga for a variety of ailments. I see everyone in there from young and fit to older, injured and people in various stages of physical recovery.

An unbiased assessment.
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/yoga-workouts

 

[gbclarkson]

Not gun related but... I recently started taking fish oil capsules and I have noticed a huge alleviation from my arthritis discomfort.

 

[Andy Blozinski]

I have a shoulder holster that I wear backwards from how the manufacturer intended. I do it as outside the waistband, but you could probably work something similar with the right manufacturer combo for inside the waistband.
The important thing for you is that the pain causing weight on your belt becomes a non-issue.

 

[keithdog]

Ok, one of the things I am also going to try is suspenders. I work for a fire equipment company and we supply fire departments everything they need. We have heavy duty suspenders. That just might help. My main issue from my back according to two doctors is my repetitive motion and lifting at work. So I am taking notice of exactly how I perform my duties and trying to change it up a bit. Also going to start taking fish oil suppliiments as was suggested. I have other health related issues those can help with. Going to purchase a quality gun belt as well. Loose some weight and exercises for the back, and have a new mattress on the way. AND, for those of you who are saying that you are no doctor but....just remember, sometimes common sense and real life experience does far more than a fancy degree hung in a frame.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

Fish oil isn't a terrible idea but you might also want to get your vitamin D level checked. Lots of people in the "developed world" are actually deficient in it. Long-term deficiency in vitamin D can contribute to all sorts of problems and the science is only just starting to catch up. It is an easy thing to have checked. If deficient, it's just a matter of finding the right form of vitamin D and maybe taking a co-supplement like vitamin K2.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

Some people just HATE being advised to exercise. First off, exercise is not "medical advice." It's self preservation. It's more likely to save your life than carrying a gun. Exercise is a big deal. There's an inherent flaw in the mindset that your life is too valuable and therefore you must carry for protection, yet it's not valuable enough to stay in shape so that your body doesn't wither and die. If you aren't getting exercise but you want to have a good quality of life, you'd better start. Exercise fights depression, helps with aging, strong muscles support joints to prevent joint pain, it even exercises your brain... Physical fitness is the number one self preservation skill. Tools like firearms come secondary.

 

[Jacket67]

I'm just a young college kid, but I feel I have something to offer here.

I highly recommend a PT over a chiropractor. PT's focus on the anatomy and physiology of all muscles and joints whereas chiropractors are mainly specialized in the spine and nervous system. A PT would be able to provide an exercise plan in a clinic and for you to do at home, and work with you specifically on your back and hip pain. Yes general exercise is greatly important for your overall health, strength, etc., but in order to deal with your specific problem, supervised exercise with a specific focus is the way to go. If you do go the PT route, ask about aquatic therapy. It has a lot of benefits and it's a lot more fun than going into a clinic for everything.

Yoga stretches for the back and hips could be great as well. Don't worry, not all poses are trying to turn you into a human pretzel. A simple youtube search on beginner hip/back yoga would give you some good routines to follow at home.

As others have stated, choosing a new carry position would probably help until you've dealt with the pain.

For what it's worth, I'm a senior biology major studying to be a PT and have worked in a clinic as a tech for almost 2 years. I have also been a chiropractic patient in high school and wish I would have known about PT more back then. Would have opted for that route.

Good luck.