severe back pain

[JamesM]

Lower back... in my experience, my issues have always been SI (sacroilliac joint which is a float bone on either side of your side in your lower back). If it's only on one side of your back, try a series of stretches and this may give you more direction:
1) Stretch your hamstring
2) stretch your quad
3) Stretch your hip flexors
4) Try and stretch your glutes

Personally for me it's like it comes and goes. If I maintain my body fat ratio and keep fit it never bothers me. If I forget and loose myself for only one day. It kicks my ass. But when it's good for so long, you completely forget about your issue.

Like Praktik said, back problems are an obscenely personal issue, and it's different for everyone. No truer words have ever been spoken.

You just can't say. Get a Chiro! Stat! It's more lifestyle.

 

[basketballjones]

never take anything to mask back pain since you wont know the damage you are doing to it til the meds wear off

 

[JamesM]

well. that's where you have to be carefull. Most farmers injuries heal like farmers.. 1 step back, 2 steps forward.

Just got to be smart about it. Been there, done that.

 

[JamesM]

or five steps forward, 3 steps back, 2 to the right, 5 to the left. Then head forwards.

Just try to remember not to fuck that shit up again.

 

[djfear]

I have a very weak lower back and I'm not that flexible. It has to do with sitting around in front of the computer all these years. Sitting is really the biggest culprit here, and as other people have suggested, yoga, core strengthening, and stretching is the best way to maintain a healthy back. Yes, there are other spinal issues like scoliosis that can't be fixed by those alone, but they do help.

Ensure that your back is very strong by exercising & stretching it DAILY, keeping a healthy weight, and don't sit down for hours on end. Take a short walk or rest every 20 minutes, even if it's to just go to the kitchen/servery or whatever.

I've had lower back muscle spasms that were debilitating enough that I would be popping naproxen + T3s and I would be lying in bed for the entire week. Here were my causes: (1) playing basketball in grade 9, (2) tying my shoes, (3) stepping out of the shower. I could have had a 4th one but by then I was working it out a lot and the cramp went away within the same day.

I definitely agree that back issues are crippling and no matter how strong or tough you are, you're essentially helpless once you get an injury like that.

 

[lucky1]

I think the first time you hurt your back there is usually some type of accident, over use, or something you can really understand why you hurt your back.

After that, your back is sensitive to re-injury from the smallest, dumbest things. for me I have thrown my back out by making an omlette, hanging my coat on a hook above my head, using on of those massage chairs at the nail spa and other dumb stuff!

 

[JamesM]

I think the first time you hurt your back there is usually some type of accident, over use, or something you can really understand why you hurt your back.

Raving for 8 hours at a time, all the time. = bad back.

I know this is what caused it. It's payback!

 

[basketballjones]

i build custom homes for a living so i kind of need my back

first time i hurt it i was standing on top of a 2x6 wall tossing joists with a co-worker, i reached for it and it felt like someone took a shotgun to my back and let loose. how i didnt fall off the 5.5 inch perch i was on is beyond me but i literally couldnt move. i couldnt even speak i was in so much pain. the other guys figured out something was wrong and rushed to get ladders to either side of me before i fell either 9 feet onto the floor or backwards 15 to the ground. they carried me down and laid me on the floor and i lay there immobile for 4 hours before i felt i could drive home. once home i lay in bed for 4 days and smoked hash luckily i dont sit in a chair all day so im always stretching it by just doing my job and have only hurt it once after that i viewed as quite minor and only took one day off to let it get its act together. if i took meds i could have kept going back to work and royally messed it up and not known.

 

[Aaron Bradley]

If you can read x-rays you'll see that I have (or had) a lot of gas when the x-ray was taken. You'll also see that I have the final stage of DDD between the first disc L5 and my sacral tilt line. This is the root of my pain or when I had pain. If I sneezed (compression), it felt like some pinched every nerve from my ass to my shoulders. sitting wrong or standing felt like someone was holding a curling iron on my back. Legs fell asleep while standing in line. Sometimes couldn't move my foot to put it on the brake when driving.

Now I still have the condition, but the pain is almost completely gone. New x-rays coming will probably show that these 2 (where the DDD is in final stage 4) are now fused together.

at least no scoliosis and no bulging discs

 

[praktik]

I think the first time you hurt your back there is usually some type of accident, over use, or something you can really understand why you hurt your back.

After that, your back is sensitive to re-injury from the smallest, dumbest things. for me I have thrown my back out by making an omlette, hanging my coat on a hook above my head, using on of those massage chairs at the nail spa and other dumb stuff!

A bad cough or sneeze can do it too if you have been slacking and are tight!

 

[praktik]

at least no scoliosis and no bulging discs

Thats me: bulging in L3 L4 L5 with some osteo arthiritic changes...

When it first happened 12 years ago came with long lasting sciatica... Thankfully never had that happen again til a relapse in 2010 (took about 6 months to get over that particular bout of sciatic pain)

 

[Aaron Bradley]

Well hopefully we can all do the right things and get through these conditions with a good quality of life.

 

[praktik]

Getting there - got an Inversion table just before leaving for korea and looking forwars to stretching and cool strengthening for my core on it!

I have normal life but looking for ways to reduce my maintenance time...

Dancing and raving has been my consistent godsend: floating on the dancefloor has been the time i can forget im so impaired...

 

[ravinjunkie]

Korea to Toronto sounds super long.

 

[praktik]

One hour shorter than on the way to korea from toronto: 13 hour flight!

Def have not been able to do my routine as much so will be tight for the flight. Biggest worry is tight calves actually from hiking around Seoul and its mountains this week....


Wish me luck i am boarding in a few hours!

 

[danielablau]

Online forum isn't the best place to get recommendations. Your doctor should've recommended someone to go to for a diagnosis. But since I like playing couch doctor I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Low back spasms can have lots of origins but a common one is anterior pelvic tilt also referred to as lower cross syndrome. This is caused by muscle imbalances which are as a result of weak glutes, weak abs, tight low back and tight hip flexors.

When people sit too many hours a day it keeps their glutes in a stretched position. When we stand we stand and the glutes shorten they "forget" to fire to help keep the body upright and causes our low backs to fire to compensate. Weak abs and tight flexors make matters worse.

If you wear a belt and you find that when looking from the side when you stand that the belt tilts down from back to front, this may be what's causing your back issues.

Then again, without seeing you and asking more qeustions, I may be totally off.

 

[JamesM]

A rather quick recovery. 3 days in bed, then stayed off it for a week. Was able to play tonight at soccer. Put one in the back of the net.

Wasn't doing any power shots, though. That was a record for recovery. But trying to keep it down, and conservatively approaching it this time.

 

[praktik]

Did ok on the Korea trip!

Got off a 14 hour flight on the way in and proceeded to drink for my bro's stag all night - no stretching til a 5 min session late-night and some the next day.

Didnt have time for full routine all week - was getting tight but able to get by with morning sessions only.

Flew back on a 13 hour flight - was certainly tighter than normal past few days but none the worse for wear. Didn't have to go crazy to recover or anything!

Definitely feeling benefits of more time strengthening on a regular basis - other trips last year didn't end up setting me back as far as I expected. Feeling stronger all the time!

 

[praktik]

Teeter Hang Ups EP-950 Inversion Table

Gonna get fancy with upside down core work on this baby!

 

[djfear]

Online forum isn't the best place to get recommendations. Your doctor should've recommended someone to go to for a diagnosis. But since I like playing couch doctor I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Low back spasms can have lots of origins but a common one is anterior pelvic tilt also referred to as lower cross syndrome. This is caused by muscle imbalances which are as a result of weak glutes, weak abs, tight low back and tight hip flexors.

When people sit too many hours a day it keeps their glutes in a stretched position. When we stand we stand and the glutes shorten they "forget" to fire to help keep the body upright and causes our low backs to fire to compensate. Weak abs and tight flexors make matters worse.

If you wear a belt and you find that when looking from the side when you stand that the belt tilts down from back to front, this may be what's causing your back issues.

Then again, without seeing you and asking more qeustions, I may be totally off.

I recall seeing a video on how a lot of people get this from incorrect ab work outs and just doing sit ups and stuff. It's so important to do proper work outs especially if you work out year in year out. Sitting is probably the biggest issue and having a desk job makes this a very common thing.

 

[ravinjunkie]

Did ok on the Korea trip!

Is it a direct flight? I ask, because from yyz to dxb it's 13 hours each way.

 

[ravinjunkie]

I don't like medical doctors, because they don't look at you overall, only focus on where your pain is the most. Painkillers did aid me in feeling better, but I prefer to not rely on them as it has bad side effects if used long term.

Bowen did end up working for me, I had to be patient about it. I do also have to correct my posture, stop crossing my legs at the computer e.t.c.

I do highly recommend doing RESTORATIVE YOGA . I am not allowed to do Shiastu, because it counteracts with bowen.

I did my first session today, I feel so much better. I would do shiatsu in a heart beat.

When I initially posted this thread, I was lying on my back in a hotel room in a ridiculous amount of pain. Almost went to sauna, instead I harden the fuck up and went to paint the town red.

 

[praktik]

Ya was direct - i think two things elongate the ride there from the ride back:

- once you get to NA on the way back the winds helped a lot, surface speed increased a few hundred K vs speed we were at going over NA on the way out (its why flying from winnipeg or western destinations always faster than flying TO them)
- a little dogleg around NK on the way in. Plane drops down from the arctic, then juts out to the west and goes to Incheon from the ocean. Probably added 15-20 mins just to avoid any NK airspace. On the way back you go straight east over SK and then up so you don't have any avoiding NK to do...

Net of this is about a 1 hour shorter flight on way home...

 

[danielablau]

I don't like medical doctors, because they don't look at you overall, only focus on where your pain is the most. Painkillers did aid me in feeling better, but I prefer to not rely on them as it has bad side effects if used long term.

Bowen did end up working for me, I had to be patient about it. I do also have to correct my posture, stop crossing my legs at the computer e.t.c.

I do highly recommend doing RESTORATIVE YOGA . I am not allowed to do Shiastu, because it counteracts with bowen.

I did my first session today, I feel so much better. I would do shiatsu in a heart beat.

When I initially posted this thread, I was lying on my back in a hotel room in a ridiculous amount of pain. Almost went to sauna, instead I harden the fuck up and went to paint the town red.

The problem with going to a class to address your back issues is that the class is designed without knowledge to your specific issues. Restorative can cause further issues to your back. It promotes flexability and mobility rather than stability.

I really suggest you speak to a physio who can assess then give you over to a trainer/kin or someone to design you a program based on his diagnosis. Or have the physio design you one (I don't know if you ahve benefits or the cash to pay for a physio for multiple sessions)

 

[Balzz]

I recall seeing a video on how a lot of people get this from incorrect ab work outs and just doing sit ups and stuff. It's so important to do proper work outs especially if you work out year in year out. Sitting is probably the biggest issue and having a desk job makes this a very common thing.

Posterior chain is king - glute ham raises, hip thrusts help get the glutes firing again. Most people should get rid of situps and crunches and work on resisting flexion and rotation instead - dragon flags, levers, woodchops, paloff presses.