DDR Back Pains and Stamina loss

[dahrkdaiz]

I've been playing DDR for about 10 months now and throughout my time playing, I've gained more and more stamina. On a good day, I can play constant 9 footers for 3 or 4 hours straight. However, it seems that sometimes, I'll play one game and I'll be left completely exhausted, or I'll play 2 or 3 games and I begin to get a dull pain at the base of my back, making it very hard to play.

What it seems is that on days that I work and go play DDR immediately afterwards, I do my best and can play for a long while, however, if I'm at home or it's my day off and I play, I quickly get the back pain and loss of stamina. I do stretches and drink plenty of water before playing, but I can't seem to aleviate the problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent such problems?

[nonskanse]

3-4 hours?
That seems a little excessive all at once. You might want to ask a doctor about how much you should do. I would guess your body is trying to tell you to lay off... but...

The back pain could be from not-great posture when you aren't working, or even when you are. If you have bad posture when you're not working, your back could hurt later that day from activity. If you have bad posture when you are working, then sitting correctly on a non-work day could stress your back in ways its not used to being stressed.
It could also be you're playing on too hard of a surface, or if you play with shoes you may need better ones.

As for the exhaustion, it could be your body telling you that it needs a break. If you just work, play, and sleep for the most part you aren't giving yourself time to just rest and relax, and so on the days that you do get that time your body starts to recharge and is unwilling to stop recharging.

Sleep isn't the only kind of rest you need.
See a doctor about your back though... there are too many factors to know for sure.

[Kicker]

Another reason COULD be that you aren't stretching. I've noticed that when I play in the morning after sleeping 5-10 hours the night before, my back is like.. tight.. I need to be fully stretched, and ready. You may be stretching at work, and that's why you feel better playing when you get home, whereas if you stay home, and remain relatively inactive, then your back may be tight still, thus making you feel bad when you play.. and this may be the cause of stamina loss as well..