From time to time, all animals who walk upright get lower back pain/stiffness, including moi. What are your remedies for it? I use ice a lot and it helps but only temporarily. My doc does NOT want me to become dependent on Aleve, Tylenol, Advil, etc. They can have some nastly side effects if taken too much.
It's at its worst when I get out of bed in the AM. I've been tested for arthritis and fortunately, I don't have it. I am not overweight and work out 4-5 times a week (I'm a runner). I stretch (but I could probably do more).
It's a mystery, that's what it is.
So all remedies are welcome. Thanks in advance!
Allegedly, the stronger your abdominal muscles are - the less your back will hurt. So, although you run and stretch, is it possible that your belly is being neglected? Google for a couple of abdominal core strengthening exercises, and try them for a month.
If it hurts in the morning when you get out of bed, then it could be the way you're sleeping and/or your mattress. If your mattress is more than three or four years old, you should probably replace it anyway.
But for temporary, do this -- sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. A pillow thick enough that your thigh bones will be parallel to each other as you lay on your side. This can give you TREMENDOUS relief!
Get a flexaball. Use it for your computer chair. Use it for situps and backbends at odd times. And I second the pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side. Also, has your mattress lost oomph?
Thanks, guys, these are all good suggestions.
Our mattress is about a year-old, so I don't think that's the problem. We ARE considering purchasing one of those Sleep Number beds. They're expensive as hell but it might be worth it if it will ensure sleeping through the night without tossing and turning and waking up pain-free. What I like about them is that if your partner gets up, you don't feel it. My fiance is a restless sleeper.
I'm gonna try the pillow between the knees. I've heard people talk about that before.
I think my back is sore due to all the work I've been doing outside in the garden lately. I love working in the garden but I always feel stiff the day after from all the bending down.
I'm not 21 anymore.
Here lies my youth!
KMarta
I work out with barbells and dumbells three days a week. I've done it for many years. There had been times when I would get lower back pain and it would come by surprise.
There was a time when I was much younger, I would not use anything for my back while I worked out. After having back pains that would sideline me for a week or two, I finally smartened up and got myself a waistband. It worked out well since I did it, even though it is hard to have my workout shorts over it.
Last week I had back pain during the workout, even though I had a waistband. But the waistband was old and not on very tightly, so I got a new one. Now it works like a champ!
The one I would recommend is BODYFIT by Sports Authority. I don't know if there's a Sports Authority in the area where you live. If not, I'm sure there's something else that's just a good.
I'm getting steroid injections for it. They supposedly help in most cases, but considering that every other treatment I've had has failed, I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm having the first one for my low back in two weeks. I can update then to let you know how it turns out.
I've also had physical therapy, but that relief is only temporary (usually only lasts the day I have it and maybe the next day if I'm lucky).
Working out makes it MUCH worse and can leave me pretty much bedridden for days. I worked out last week and paid dearly for it. That could be the problem.
Really, the only things that help me are laying down and narcotic painkillers (I can't take any other kinds because of my ulcerative colitis and seizures). And you know how willing doctors are to prescribe those. =/
I get a lot of lower back soreness/stiffness when I'm at the computer for too long. Are there any stretches that can help? I do the usual: stand up and reach for the sky then bend over - side to side. But is there anything that really works a treat to stretch out that lower back/hip area? I must be getting old
LOL
I find the best stretch for sitting is to stretch downward (touch your toes). Stretch as far as you can, and get to the point where you are incredibly limber in that respect (I won't say "able to touch your nose to your legs" because I'm too overweight to do that, but I can "crawl" my hands between my legs).
I agree with others who have said it's equally important to just have strength in that area. Abdominal strength helps, but you need back strength as well. When I was a teen, and diagnosed with very mild scoliosis, the doc gave us exercises to strengthen the muscles around the spine, to prevent further slippage. Here it is -- stand against a wall with your hips and heels flat against the wall. Keeping your back straight, bend at the waist and make a circle (you know, lean left, circle forward, circle to the right, and back to a straightened position -- then switch so you start by leaning right to make your circle).
You will find when you start that you can't move more than a few inches away from the wall. That's okay. Definitely don't strain yourself by forcing yourself further from the wall than you feel comfortable with. The idea is to strengthen your back so you CAN move further from the wall. Keep heels and hips to the wall, do it twice a day, every day, and you will gradually notice that you gain strength.
BTW, I did these exercises religiously in my teen years, and my spine never bent further than the original diagnosis (2% deviation) and actually reduced (1.5%, if I recall correctly), so it did strengthen my spine. I should probably practice what I preach, and get back to it, for my moderate, occasional pain.
Yoga is really good for getting that all-over stretch. Pilates will help with core muscles.
Do you sit at a computer for lengthy periods of time? May I recommend one of those
kneeler chairs. I got one at work a couple of months ago, and I LOVE it. Just adore it. Supposedly your back is supposed to make a natural arc (look at pictures of a skeleton and how the tailbone and bottom part of the spine gently curves out) and then picture yourself sitting in a regular chair. It forces the disks to squish in your lower back, and it's unnatural for lengths of time. Check in the pictures in that link... you can see how kneeler chairs kind of force your butt out and make for a more natural 'seated' position.
Good luck!
I had physical therapy which helped some, but I didn't continue to do the exercises at home.
I've heard yoga can work wonders. There are often free yoga shows on tv or online you can watch and try to find the right one.
They've all sort of annoyed me, but my hairdresser told me she hates watching the shows but actually tried a yoga class then doing the workout on a program called "Inhale" and it worked wonders. The stretching and motions really helped her lower back.
Well, I had my first ESI on Monday. This one was in my neck, but my low back pain has gotten MUCH better! I get another injection next week for my low back. I'm feeling pretty optimistic right now! I hope this works and I can stop taking pain meds and live a halfway normal life!
I go to physical therapy for the neck issues, but she treats my lower back too, since it's all connected.
She has been doing some massage on the back and it's helped a great deal. If you can afford a good massage by an experienced practitioner, try that.
I had my first ESI for my low back yesterday, and I'm considerably less optimistic now. I don't want any more of them. I had a kinda scary experience during the procedure when my already low blood pressure and my heart rate crashed, my head was soaked in cold sweat, I felt sick, and I got very frightened for no apparent reason.
Plus, the relief from the one in my neck wore off after two or three days and I was right back where I started. I have a follow-up appointment next week, and we'll see where we go from here.
This sucks.
That Kneeler Chair looks neat, though! But I'd be afraid of falling off it.
