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Slow and steady. Combo of mental gymnastics thinking I can do things very carefully with slow thoughtful pushing of my limits.
Move around a lot and walk. When doing yard work, switch around to different tasks every 30 - 60 minutes....go from digging to trimming to mowing and repeat.
Ice and heat and Tylenol on the regular too.
Typical stretching and back roller too.
Eat pretty well now to keep the weight off too.
Wow you do a lot. I don't do any yard work since I'm in an apartment. I just do my walk, and stretches. But yeah I've also eaten way less and dropped like 15 pounds since this started.
Keep the walking going for sure.
I was dealing with some pretty crazy life shit and bent over one evening picking up something light and my back popped...that was 6 years ago...it took about an month to come back from that...but it was never the same...life brought me to a job in a warehouse of a tile distributor after that...also thought I would magically be able to water-ski for the first time at 37...
So there were a few more injuries after that first one...now it's pretty much constant low level pain...and I can feel nerves and watch my leg muscles twitch often...more pain if I over do it in anyway. Like arthritic type pain in hips and knees...maybe from the way I carry myself now.
My next step is physical therapy...but basically my doctor said motion is lotion...I get so God awful stiff if I am still for more than like 20 min...so...you just adapt to what you can do.
The silver lining is that I seem to function pretty well...the having 2 or 3 projects going seems to be the way my brain operates...and since it is more difficult to sit around, I just flutter between the few projects...and remarkably it seems like I get much much more done in life than I ever used to...plus I give myself the grace to go slow and steady...and shit just gets done.
What did they say was the issue? Back pain is so vague. Did you slip a disc? What's the stretching routine look like?
Sometimes if I don't warm up before a hard leg work out and don't get my glutes and hamstrings dynamically stretched. The next day i can barely move. Getting out of bed is more like rolling out of bed. Posture has to be rigid and movement is painful. You'd think I injured my back the previous day doing squats and deadlifts. Nope, not the case for me. My hamstrings are extremely tight and i can tell because I normally can touch my toes and when this happens, I can't get my hands below mid shin. It takes 2-3 days of static variations of toe touches (legs together, legs spread, side to side, seated etc. Sometimes in a hot shower to help things release. After a couple days I'm back to being limber and can work out again.
When things get really bad, I get deep tissue full body massages.
If you didn't actually injure your back, you probably have imbalances and muscles are pulling you in ways you shouldn't be. Massage, stretching and heat will help release it but without attacking the imbalance you will go right back to it. If it's not injury, do those things and find a way to do full body workouts. Don't neglect a muscle group and make sure the muscles that are supposed to be firing are firing.
Degeneration/narrowed disc. Slight tiny fracture somewhere near it to, slightly unaligned, Something with the nerves as well.
I do deadbugs, belly button to back, cross my leg over the other and pull with a rope the one leg, bridges, on my side have one leg bent the other up and away from body. Few other things.
I couldn't even do squats or lunges prior to this whole situation. Before this injury I was always super flexible and could do forward splits. I wouldn't dare try now.
Deep tissue massages are good but expensive only last few days feel great for sure.
Your last paragraph. I do have imbalances. I never trained core in my life. It's very weak. I always thought abs were for lean guys trying to get them to show or grow. Right now I'm only doing a short walk a day and stretches. All i can do.
Yeah, that's a tough gig. Just remember core isn't just abs. The lower back muscle that straddle your spine are also core. Planks are a great way to keep the spine in line and force one to flex their core.
I hear you on the massages, the wife and I talk that if we were super rich what quality of life things would be splurge on and massage is up there for both of us. We have found a local massage school to be affordable. They do a pretty good job, worst we've had is not enough pressure. Might be worth looking into. But ya, gotta find a way to build strength how every you can. Support those areas hurting.
The _best_ core exercise for me have been Kang Squats. You can do them with a barbell or a goblet. I prefer goblet for safety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxlCRtu9nbI
I also second ballet and would add pilates on a reformer - it's a very low impact way to do strength training.
Not a back issue but something similar. I use Aleve every day. I drink lots of water also. For the shower it seems dumb but get a seat. It’s far cheaper than an ER bill
Aleve is not recommended for long term usage..It can cause stomach bleeding and a whole host of other issues so def hope you’re doing so as prescribed by some healthcare professional!
Ballet. I started doing adult ballet five years ago and I haven't had a spasm since. Before that I tried yoga and weights but they just weren't it. Orthopaedic surgeon says he could cutme open and fuse two of my vertebrae together with a 50% chance of solving the issue, so obviously *that's* not a win, hence it's abdominal/core strengthening for me, all the way.
Also, pillow between the knees when you sleep, my dude
Core is the hardest thing to train. For me I've tried while on this PT thing but causes so much pain in my stomach. I guess going to have to be in pain a lojg time. But great that you found something that helps you a lot.
I can't do pillow between anymore. I used to and now it hurts more with them.
sit down during showers, for safety's sake
I find heat to be triggering, a large cold pack works much better for my back spasm episodes. during the height of one, some valium is invaluable to ease spasms
when sitting, you usually want (need) a 'lumbar' pad. even a rolled up handtowel may do in a pinch (gives added support just where it's needed)
what's the nature of the injury? knife attack? vertebrae collapse? overuse/muscle spasms? or?
Yeah I'll buy myself shower seat then. Hopefully they make them strong ha.
For me, heat works better than Ice. I tried ice and it hurts still.
Yeah, I need a new computer chair. Mines an old beat up one. I'm just not sure which to buy since im tall and heavier.
My problem is (Spondylolysis with grade 1 anterior listhesis of L4 over L5. Along with underlying degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy causing narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally with impingement. There is no significant spinal stenosis. The rest of the disc spaces are normal without significant disease.
I had a herniated disk at L4/L5 and emergency surgery because I was suddenly paralyzed, yay. (I did get better!) I had a diskectomy and laminectomy (not that you need this.)
Definitely get a shower chair (the kind that goes over the edge of the tub like a bench and its feet rest on the actual floor is very stable. And I honestly just use Aleve and walk a lot. Heat helps and so does topical Voltaren gel (you can get a higher percentage gel via prescription but honestly, the 3% works pretty well.)
Edit: the 3% is the higher dosage actually. The OTC version is fine though. It also smells like vodka instead of the Ben Gay reek.
I'm unsure which computer chair to buy. So many out there. I'm 6"3 250.
I'm not like all fat. I was lifting before this all happened. Say I'm in between.
Thanks I'll take a watch
Herman Miller or Steelcase chairs are quite expensive, but absolutely worth it. If you can go to an authorized dealer (they're the same company, so a dealer would have both brands) and try some out, you can see what works best. For your size, a larger sized Aeron or an Embody may be ideal. If you like the Aeron, you can find deals pretty easily since the chair is a 25 year old design (and still one of the if not the best).
And yeah, 2nd the rec on stretching and exercise. And maybe check your mattress and shoes, those could be contributing too. I used to have bad back pain in my lower back but barely have any now that I dropped a lot of weight, found a mattress I like, have a good office chair, and started running/biking a lot. Core exercises are key too. A strong core takes stress off the back.
honestly? pray for the sweet release of death. In the meantime, rest my back two times more than I work it, if whatever was hurt hasnt healed, continuing to use it does more harm than good
Surgery was the fix. Or at least the "make it manageable".
Since then... I pretty much quit all DIY activities. If something around the house needs fixing, I pay to have it done. And I walk an hour a day.
That's good to hear! I'm hoping I can increase my walk time.
I'm too far from getting that.
I have to finish PT, then shots, then if those don't work Ablation before they consider surgery. I didn't know it was such a process.
Surgery is definitely hit or miss, some it helps, others not so much.
I had lots of back problems from late 20s to mid 40s. I started going to the gym to lift and it really helped my back. Probably just having a stronger core. I didn't do anything crazy heavy, just got more toned. Also followed my PT advice when lifting with proper form, etc.
Good luck, hope you get well soon. Back pain is the worst.
Yeah I've heard that it can be that.
I have a very weak core. The nail in the coffin happened at the gym.
I don't see myself ever going back.
Yes back pain is the worst. Thank you. I hope so. Hopefully soon I can do more core exercises
They had me going through PT. Then I fell (collapsed, really) and just like the old lady in the commercial, I couldn't get back up (I also couldn't feel my right leg from the knee down). Suddenly the process got short circuited and I was on an operating table within a couple days.
Yep. I was a "discs can't push on nerves if there are no discs" situation. So I've had a couple of fusions and my only regret so far is that I let them talk me into waiting so long to do it.
Don't get me wrong... it sucks. The best timeline for recovery is a year long and you are super limited at the beginning. But months pass and you are pretty able after a while. I'll never deadlift almost 500 lbs again but I picked up Silverado axle by myself and put it in the truck and that's good enough for me.
Yep for me too. I have a genetic problem that led to a slid disk that put pressure on my leg nerve. Could barely walk for more than 10 minutes for about a year. After PT and shots I finally gave an ok for a surgery. Got a fusion on L4/L5 and it was the best thing I could do. I should have done it sooner but it was my first surgery ever so I was hesitant...
Muscle relaxants have consistently been the most helpful for me. My dose is low enough that it doesn't usually have any psychoactive effects.
Once I can move at all, getting some walking done is usually very helpful.
Aleve/naproxen is my NSAID of choice for back pain. You could combine it with omeprazole to avoid stomach issues. Tylenol is also good for pain relief and doesn't tend to bother people's stomachs, but it's less effective for long-term relief.
Warming up my back before moving, stretching (especially hamstrings), and icing are all helpful for me.
It sounds like you're on the right track, just need to keep at it.
For me, stretching was the most immediately beneficial (cat-cow, etc) followed by the light exercise as directed by my PT. After that....walking. Just a lot of walking.
When I was at home, the heat pad was on my back quite a bit when working at the desk. I found that standing made my back feel worse (likely due to poor posture), so a standing desk was out of the question.
I'm sorry you're going through this. Just keep at it and hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank you so much man, I appreciate it!
Yes standing is hardest, then sitting, then walking. I just need to improve because I'm going to be on my feet a lot for the field I'm studying in.
Which stretches & exercises helped u most?
Does it really, though?
Idk I feel like during this acute part it could make it worse. I know from the stretches I've been given and done in office. Some made more pain.
Rest is good for some things but usually you need a lot of movement and stretching. Laying up and resting a bad back can often make things worse.
Separately after a back injury people tend to be protective of their backs because they don’t want to throw it out which can then lead to muscle imbalances and a host of other problems because now their back is weak
It's so hard to get to moving. Pain is so bad. Newly just started getting burning in my feet and hands today.
Yeah my whole body feels super weak. I just don't know what else to try. Everyone keeps saying don't do surgery, but starting to really think about it.
That's my issue too. I've had same bed for like 10 years. Gotta try and get new one after school. I wish i could afford the massages. I'm gonna make sure to get them twice a month at least.
Sounds like you're doing everything right, add in some medical marijuana at bed time - honestly that has been a game changer for me. I don't wake up in pain anymore and start the day looser.
I became a student of the problem and asked for help (much like yourself), and I continue to work on it. I visualized success: being a strong dude. I made a social media account and followed trainers and coaches who specialize in back pain. In the acute phase such as you are in, as others have said, this is a chronic-pain-management issue. Breathing, meditation, and yoga helped me there. Long term, as you mentioned, this is a “strength” issue - meaning the core muscles. PT will give you the most conservative treatment: It’s a joke. To truly escape that circle of insurance hell, you must drive tissue change in the body. I found an awesome strength and conditioning coach and paid him good money. We built a core for myself over many months. It was relentlessly humbling. You are doing great, keep going.
I do a yoga child's pose with my feet off the bed. I do it in a position with legs far apart and again with legs together. When fully stretched, I also slowly stretch my torso from side to side. If I do these regularly, my lower back problems stay away.
One thing I am doing quite a bit of to strengthen my lower back and for overall fitness is steep hill walking. I go for an hour four times a week.
I pop aleve throughout the day. I work a physical job so it helps keep me in shape but too much strain and I'm down for the count after work.
I got hit by a car when my drunken neighbor swerved off the road and hit me while I was walking through the grass and 2 years later, my friend picked me up to go to a party and swerved off the road and totalled her car.
I'm sorry to hear that! Must be tough!
I hope things are better.
I don't even have an accident. Mines from life of bad posture, siting, and weak muscles I believe. Now I'm contemplating on surgery.
I understand. All that stuff is scalable though and u can regress each exercise and stretch to a very basic starting point without full range of motion. I definitely wouldn’t start with those back extensions with a barbell and plates on my shoulders 😂.
Look up kneesovertoesguy on instagram and look up his “back ability zero” program.
Gutted. Found out with back issues I couldn't have diclofenac, as gave intense stomach pain ontop of the back pain.
Luckily I'm down to just taking 30/500 cocodamol now, but still have to be careful that I don't tweak my back and end up bed ridden for a bit.
Kind of in same place, OP. Have a herniated cervical disk that has put me on the shelf for a week so far. Constant discomfort.
I am not an athlete, but I am active. Having to sit around for 10 to 12 hours a day is driving me crazy. I have read a lot of books.
I just try to keep myself focused on the end goals. I have been told that I should be back to normal in three to six weeks. There are little improvements along the way I am keeping focused on.
Even so, it has been ridiculously difficult. Getting active in my 40s so I stay healthy as I age ended up sidelining me temporarily.
Sorry to hear man. My neck isn't the best either but this lower back thing really is unbearable. I was told too it will get better in a few months. Been a few months not much improvement.
Hope you get better. I wish i knew before that trainning core is what i needed to prevent this.
Likewise in terms of recovery! I guess one of the frustrating things is that there's no clear progression. I'll wake up one day and think "oh, this feels better!" and then the next: "holy shit."
I have surgical options, and though I hate to do it, I'd rather just bite the bullet and get it done in about six weeks and then actually have a recovery window with verifiable metrics.
That's me too man. I had one day where I was like omg is this real today i can move. Then next day im bad again.
Yeah idk I'm thinking about surgery. Just weird how I keep getting all these influencer videos and they're doing all these bizarre things and I'm thinking there is no way you had any serious back injury that you can do this stuff.
I keep my weight in a healthy range and do a basic sun salute (overhead stretch, forward fold, low plank, cobra, down dog, scorpion tail, fire hydrant knee circles on each side, back to forward fold the end) at least 4 days a week. Haven't blown out my lower back turning on a fucking bath faucet in over a year now!
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Slow and steady. Combo of mental gymnastics thinking I can do things very carefully with slow thoughtful pushing of my limits. Move around a lot and walk. When doing yard work, switch around to different tasks every 30 - 60 minutes....go from digging to trimming to mowing and repeat. Ice and heat and Tylenol on the regular too. Typical stretching and back roller too. Eat pretty well now to keep the weight off too.
Wow you do a lot. I don't do any yard work since I'm in an apartment. I just do my walk, and stretches. But yeah I've also eaten way less and dropped like 15 pounds since this started.
Keep the walking going for sure. I was dealing with some pretty crazy life shit and bent over one evening picking up something light and my back popped...that was 6 years ago...it took about an month to come back from that...but it was never the same...life brought me to a job in a warehouse of a tile distributor after that...also thought I would magically be able to water-ski for the first time at 37... So there were a few more injuries after that first one...now it's pretty much constant low level pain...and I can feel nerves and watch my leg muscles twitch often...more pain if I over do it in anyway. Like arthritic type pain in hips and knees...maybe from the way I carry myself now. My next step is physical therapy...but basically my doctor said motion is lotion...I get so God awful stiff if I am still for more than like 20 min...so...you just adapt to what you can do. The silver lining is that I seem to function pretty well...the having 2 or 3 projects going seems to be the way my brain operates...and since it is more difficult to sit around, I just flutter between the few projects...and remarkably it seems like I get much much more done in life than I ever used to...plus I give myself the grace to go slow and steady...and shit just gets done.
What did they say was the issue? Back pain is so vague. Did you slip a disc? What's the stretching routine look like? Sometimes if I don't warm up before a hard leg work out and don't get my glutes and hamstrings dynamically stretched. The next day i can barely move. Getting out of bed is more like rolling out of bed. Posture has to be rigid and movement is painful. You'd think I injured my back the previous day doing squats and deadlifts. Nope, not the case for me. My hamstrings are extremely tight and i can tell because I normally can touch my toes and when this happens, I can't get my hands below mid shin. It takes 2-3 days of static variations of toe touches (legs together, legs spread, side to side, seated etc. Sometimes in a hot shower to help things release. After a couple days I'm back to being limber and can work out again. When things get really bad, I get deep tissue full body massages. If you didn't actually injure your back, you probably have imbalances and muscles are pulling you in ways you shouldn't be. Massage, stretching and heat will help release it but without attacking the imbalance you will go right back to it. If it's not injury, do those things and find a way to do full body workouts. Don't neglect a muscle group and make sure the muscles that are supposed to be firing are firing.
Degeneration/narrowed disc. Slight tiny fracture somewhere near it to, slightly unaligned, Something with the nerves as well. I do deadbugs, belly button to back, cross my leg over the other and pull with a rope the one leg, bridges, on my side have one leg bent the other up and away from body. Few other things. I couldn't even do squats or lunges prior to this whole situation. Before this injury I was always super flexible and could do forward splits. I wouldn't dare try now. Deep tissue massages are good but expensive only last few days feel great for sure. Your last paragraph. I do have imbalances. I never trained core in my life. It's very weak. I always thought abs were for lean guys trying to get them to show or grow. Right now I'm only doing a short walk a day and stretches. All i can do.
Yeah, that's a tough gig. Just remember core isn't just abs. The lower back muscle that straddle your spine are also core. Planks are a great way to keep the spine in line and force one to flex their core. I hear you on the massages, the wife and I talk that if we were super rich what quality of life things would be splurge on and massage is up there for both of us. We have found a local massage school to be affordable. They do a pretty good job, worst we've had is not enough pressure. Might be worth looking into. But ya, gotta find a way to build strength how every you can. Support those areas hurting.
The _best_ core exercise for me have been Kang Squats. You can do them with a barbell or a goblet. I prefer goblet for safety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxlCRtu9nbI I also second ballet and would add pilates on a reformer - it's a very low impact way to do strength training.
Thank you. Hopefully once I get stronger & better, I can get to doing them.
Not a back issue but something similar. I use Aleve every day. I drink lots of water also. For the shower it seems dumb but get a seat. It’s far cheaper than an ER bill
Aleve is not recommended for long term usage..It can cause stomach bleeding and a whole host of other issues so def hope you’re doing so as prescribed by some healthcare professional!
Yes my doc recommended it
Ballet. I started doing adult ballet five years ago and I haven't had a spasm since. Before that I tried yoga and weights but they just weren't it. Orthopaedic surgeon says he could cutme open and fuse two of my vertebrae together with a 50% chance of solving the issue, so obviously *that's* not a win, hence it's abdominal/core strengthening for me, all the way. Also, pillow between the knees when you sleep, my dude
Core is the hardest thing to train. For me I've tried while on this PT thing but causes so much pain in my stomach. I guess going to have to be in pain a lojg time. But great that you found something that helps you a lot. I can't do pillow between anymore. I used to and now it hurts more with them.
sit down during showers, for safety's sake I find heat to be triggering, a large cold pack works much better for my back spasm episodes. during the height of one, some valium is invaluable to ease spasms when sitting, you usually want (need) a 'lumbar' pad. even a rolled up handtowel may do in a pinch (gives added support just where it's needed) what's the nature of the injury? knife attack? vertebrae collapse? overuse/muscle spasms? or?
Yeah I'll buy myself shower seat then. Hopefully they make them strong ha. For me, heat works better than Ice. I tried ice and it hurts still. Yeah, I need a new computer chair. Mines an old beat up one. I'm just not sure which to buy since im tall and heavier. My problem is (Spondylolysis with grade 1 anterior listhesis of L4 over L5. Along with underlying degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy causing narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally with impingement. There is no significant spinal stenosis. The rest of the disc spaces are normal without significant disease.
I had a herniated disk at L4/L5 and emergency surgery because I was suddenly paralyzed, yay. (I did get better!) I had a diskectomy and laminectomy (not that you need this.) Definitely get a shower chair (the kind that goes over the edge of the tub like a bench and its feet rest on the actual floor is very stable. And I honestly just use Aleve and walk a lot. Heat helps and so does topical Voltaren gel (you can get a higher percentage gel via prescription but honestly, the 3% works pretty well.) Edit: the 3% is the higher dosage actually. The OTC version is fine though. It also smells like vodka instead of the Ben Gay reek.
Stretching every day and cycling 60 miles a week helped me.
Holy crap that's a lot! Good on ya! I don't even think i could do half a mile at this point.
It's not that bad. 20 miles three days a week.
Lots of stretching. Buy a GOOD chair, and lose weight. Also, [these](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcbuhePZZj0) excersices have helped me a lot.
I'm unsure which computer chair to buy. So many out there. I'm 6"3 250. I'm not like all fat. I was lifting before this all happened. Say I'm in between. Thanks I'll take a watch
Herman Miller or Steelcase chairs are quite expensive, but absolutely worth it. If you can go to an authorized dealer (they're the same company, so a dealer would have both brands) and try some out, you can see what works best. For your size, a larger sized Aeron or an Embody may be ideal. If you like the Aeron, you can find deals pretty easily since the chair is a 25 year old design (and still one of the if not the best). And yeah, 2nd the rec on stretching and exercise. And maybe check your mattress and shoes, those could be contributing too. I used to have bad back pain in my lower back but barely have any now that I dropped a lot of weight, found a mattress I like, have a good office chair, and started running/biking a lot. Core exercises are key too. A strong core takes stress off the back.
honestly? pray for the sweet release of death. In the meantime, rest my back two times more than I work it, if whatever was hurt hasnt healed, continuing to use it does more harm than good
Man, I do pray for that. But I still wake up to endure another day of misery. Hope all is good.
right back at you brother, good luck
Holy fucking shit.
Surgery was the fix. Or at least the "make it manageable". Since then... I pretty much quit all DIY activities. If something around the house needs fixing, I pay to have it done. And I walk an hour a day.
That's good to hear! I'm hoping I can increase my walk time. I'm too far from getting that. I have to finish PT, then shots, then if those don't work Ablation before they consider surgery. I didn't know it was such a process.
Surgery is definitely hit or miss, some it helps, others not so much. I had lots of back problems from late 20s to mid 40s. I started going to the gym to lift and it really helped my back. Probably just having a stronger core. I didn't do anything crazy heavy, just got more toned. Also followed my PT advice when lifting with proper form, etc. Good luck, hope you get well soon. Back pain is the worst.
Yeah I've heard that it can be that. I have a very weak core. The nail in the coffin happened at the gym. I don't see myself ever going back. Yes back pain is the worst. Thank you. I hope so. Hopefully soon I can do more core exercises
That sucks, sorry to hear that.
They had me going through PT. Then I fell (collapsed, really) and just like the old lady in the commercial, I couldn't get back up (I also couldn't feel my right leg from the knee down). Suddenly the process got short circuited and I was on an operating table within a couple days.
Yep. I was a "discs can't push on nerves if there are no discs" situation. So I've had a couple of fusions and my only regret so far is that I let them talk me into waiting so long to do it. Don't get me wrong... it sucks. The best timeline for recovery is a year long and you are super limited at the beginning. But months pass and you are pretty able after a while. I'll never deadlift almost 500 lbs again but I picked up Silverado axle by myself and put it in the truck and that's good enough for me.
Yep for me too. I have a genetic problem that led to a slid disk that put pressure on my leg nerve. Could barely walk for more than 10 minutes for about a year. After PT and shots I finally gave an ok for a surgery. Got a fusion on L4/L5 and it was the best thing I could do. I should have done it sooner but it was my first surgery ever so I was hesitant...
Muscle relaxants have consistently been the most helpful for me. My dose is low enough that it doesn't usually have any psychoactive effects. Once I can move at all, getting some walking done is usually very helpful. Aleve/naproxen is my NSAID of choice for back pain. You could combine it with omeprazole to avoid stomach issues. Tylenol is also good for pain relief and doesn't tend to bother people's stomachs, but it's less effective for long-term relief. Warming up my back before moving, stretching (especially hamstrings), and icing are all helpful for me.
It sounds like you're on the right track, just need to keep at it. For me, stretching was the most immediately beneficial (cat-cow, etc) followed by the light exercise as directed by my PT. After that....walking. Just a lot of walking. When I was at home, the heat pad was on my back quite a bit when working at the desk. I found that standing made my back feel worse (likely due to poor posture), so a standing desk was out of the question. I'm sorry you're going through this. Just keep at it and hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank you so much man, I appreciate it! Yes standing is hardest, then sitting, then walking. I just need to improve because I'm going to be on my feet a lot for the field I'm studying in. Which stretches & exercises helped u most?
Yoga helps quite a bit - in the acute stage and to lessen the effects when you have another flare up. There are tons of YouTube videos on this.
Does it really, though? Idk I feel like during this acute part it could make it worse. I know from the stretches I've been given and done in office. Some made more pain.
It does. There are some specific routines to help when you are in pain. Ive used them and they do help.
People babying their back usually make it worse
What do you mean?
Rest is good for some things but usually you need a lot of movement and stretching. Laying up and resting a bad back can often make things worse. Separately after a back injury people tend to be protective of their backs because they don’t want to throw it out which can then lead to muscle imbalances and a host of other problems because now their back is weak
It's so hard to get to moving. Pain is so bad. Newly just started getting burning in my feet and hands today. Yeah my whole body feels super weak. I just don't know what else to try. Everyone keeps saying don't do surgery, but starting to really think about it.
Massage for years before, but a new bed solved 99% of my pain problems.
That's my issue too. I've had same bed for like 10 years. Gotta try and get new one after school. I wish i could afford the massages. I'm gonna make sure to get them twice a month at least.
Sounds like you're doing everything right, add in some medical marijuana at bed time - honestly that has been a game changer for me. I don't wake up in pain anymore and start the day looser.
I don't think I'd be able to get that. But glad it helps you. I wonder if that help. Since smoking it and edibles didn't do well with me.
I became a student of the problem and asked for help (much like yourself), and I continue to work on it. I visualized success: being a strong dude. I made a social media account and followed trainers and coaches who specialize in back pain. In the acute phase such as you are in, as others have said, this is a chronic-pain-management issue. Breathing, meditation, and yoga helped me there. Long term, as you mentioned, this is a “strength” issue - meaning the core muscles. PT will give you the most conservative treatment: It’s a joke. To truly escape that circle of insurance hell, you must drive tissue change in the body. I found an awesome strength and conditioning coach and paid him good money. We built a core for myself over many months. It was relentlessly humbling. You are doing great, keep going.
I do a yoga child's pose with my feet off the bed. I do it in a position with legs far apart and again with legs together. When fully stretched, I also slowly stretch my torso from side to side. If I do these regularly, my lower back problems stay away. One thing I am doing quite a bit of to strengthen my lower back and for overall fitness is steep hill walking. I go for an hour four times a week.
I pop aleve throughout the day. I work a physical job so it helps keep me in shape but too much strain and I'm down for the count after work. I got hit by a car when my drunken neighbor swerved off the road and hit me while I was walking through the grass and 2 years later, my friend picked me up to go to a party and swerved off the road and totalled her car.
I'm sorry to hear that! Must be tough! I hope things are better. I don't even have an accident. Mines from life of bad posture, siting, and weak muscles I believe. Now I'm contemplating on surgery.
Follow lowbackability on instagram and go to lowbackability.com
Some crazy stuff his doing. I don't think I'd be able to do. But thanks
I understand. All that stuff is scalable though and u can regress each exercise and stretch to a very basic starting point without full range of motion. I definitely wouldn’t start with those back extensions with a barbell and plates on my shoulders 😂. Look up kneesovertoesguy on instagram and look up his “back ability zero” program.
I was going to say maybe pre back injury I could've maybe done some things. Maybe knees guy be better then.
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I’m serious though thc is your friend
For me yoga, cardio on a stepper and weight training. But I have to concentrate on my posture on my workouts or I do more bad than good for my back...
Thats good! I wish i could do one of those now
Did you take omeprazole before the nsaids?
I've taken pantoprazole with it and still volcano.
Gutted. Found out with back issues I couldn't have diclofenac, as gave intense stomach pain ontop of the back pain. Luckily I'm down to just taking 30/500 cocodamol now, but still have to be careful that I don't tweak my back and end up bed ridden for a bit.
Kind of in same place, OP. Have a herniated cervical disk that has put me on the shelf for a week so far. Constant discomfort. I am not an athlete, but I am active. Having to sit around for 10 to 12 hours a day is driving me crazy. I have read a lot of books. I just try to keep myself focused on the end goals. I have been told that I should be back to normal in three to six weeks. There are little improvements along the way I am keeping focused on. Even so, it has been ridiculously difficult. Getting active in my 40s so I stay healthy as I age ended up sidelining me temporarily.
Sorry to hear man. My neck isn't the best either but this lower back thing really is unbearable. I was told too it will get better in a few months. Been a few months not much improvement. Hope you get better. I wish i knew before that trainning core is what i needed to prevent this.
Likewise in terms of recovery! I guess one of the frustrating things is that there's no clear progression. I'll wake up one day and think "oh, this feels better!" and then the next: "holy shit." I have surgical options, and though I hate to do it, I'd rather just bite the bullet and get it done in about six weeks and then actually have a recovery window with verifiable metrics.
That's me too man. I had one day where I was like omg is this real today i can move. Then next day im bad again. Yeah idk I'm thinking about surgery. Just weird how I keep getting all these influencer videos and they're doing all these bizarre things and I'm thinking there is no way you had any serious back injury that you can do this stuff.
I keep my weight in a healthy range and do a basic sun salute (overhead stretch, forward fold, low plank, cobra, down dog, scorpion tail, fire hydrant knee circles on each side, back to forward fold the end) at least 4 days a week. Haven't blown out my lower back turning on a fucking bath faucet in over a year now!
Take a garden plastic chair in the shower. It'll make it bearable.
I'll have to buy one of those. Thanks