Hurt My Back Again

[benkei]

While doing weights today, my back went... Again! It happened last about 3 months ago, where I was left crippled for about 3 days. Luckily it was a weekend and my girlfriend was able to help me and look after me. I had a couple of weeks off training to let it heal up, then started again gently, working on my core to start with to build up some core strength, and then taking extra care when my back was involved. Since then it's been fine, I've had no problems with it. Then yesterday when I woke up, I must have been sleeping funny, because it 'twinged' a bit when I got up. It was Tuesday, which is leg day, so I thought, to be on the safe side, I'd give the workout a miss until tomorrow (today) as I didn't want it letting go! I woke up today and my back was fine, so I proceeded with my workout. Managed my squats fine, lunges went without a hitch, but on the second set of the straight back - straight leg deadlifts, it went. A shock went through my back and I had to drop the weight on the floor. Exactly the same spot as last time - left side of my lower back. To say I'm gutted, annoyed, depressed is an understatement. I feel so worthless. Just as I'm starting to get somewhere and make noticable improvements I have to stop and lose ground, again!

 

The first time I hurt my back was when I was about 16 and working for Staples. We were unloading the lorry, moving box after box. They were all about the same size, but the content varies quite a lot! some had what seemed like a couple of pens in, while some were full with paper. As I'd just left school, and no one had shown us how to lift properly and safely, I tried to pick up a box which I thought was light, but was VERY heavy! I had never known pain like it! I never played on it because I didn't want to seem like a wuss, so I just let it heal up and carried on. It was a few years before it started showing it's ugly painful head again, by which time it was too late to try and get any compensation out of it. So now I have to live with the constant fear of my back giving up everytime something is required of it!

 

I've just had a protien shake and a soak in the bath, which seems to have helped a little, but I still can't move very well.

 

Can anyone here offer some good advice, on how to help speed up recovery on my back, or any excercises I can do to strengthen it up so this doesn't happen again?

 

Anyone else suffer from back problems? Is it worth me seeing a specialist?

[Geo]

Yup, im going in for Surgery for my 2 lower disks, im getting them fused together with metal plates and screws.

 

Best advice would be to get in seen to ASAP, i.e Xray, and or MRI to see if there is any damage done, better safe than sorry. This way you can tell if its a muscle or something else?? Then get it treated accordingly

 

Iv worked out my recovery plan as i'll be out for 6 months from training, it will be loads core work, hydro physio and hamstring workouts. Thats after doing nothing for 1 month.

 

Hope you get it sored dude, as i know how bad a Injury to your back makes you feel.

[AndyT]

Yes it is worth seeing a specialist.

Chiropracter

Osteopath

Physio

Acupuncturist

Take your pick mate.

There are a couple of good folks here. Gazeves is helping Havard.

Hope you get it sorted mate.

[Supra Size Me]

You're not the only one with a bad back ! coincidentally I've just got back from having an MRI scan on my lower back after putting mine out raking the garden of all the stupid things I've had 3 weeks of pain and can't sit down for longer than about 30 mins :S

 

I can stand up for longer (1 hr or so) but then have to lie flat again, depending on what you've done to your back is what is important here as you don't really want to aggravate any damage caused if it isn't muscular, your GP should be able to explain better/refer you to a specialist and guide you on this and will probably give you a set of back exercises to do ( get on the codeines ! )

 

If the "shock" in your back was like a lightning bolt of pain that went up your spine and you find yourself unable to walk for a couple of weeks (or sit for that matter ) get yourself a specialist pronto :S

[benkei]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've booked an appointment to see my GP tomorrow morning, so will see what he has to say. My back is a bit stiffer this morning, it's uncomfortable to sit, walk, bend, and basically move! It's so annoying, my grandad is more mobile than me!

 

Geo - hope your op goes well! When is it? And do you know the cause of your injury?

 

Andy - Are those things you are best to be reffered to? Are they coverde on NHS or do you have to go private?

 

SSM - gardening has always been a hazzard! lol, but it just goes to show that even the simplest of things can throw your back out. And you're right, best to get it looked at ASAP and avoid damaging it further.

[Geo]

No idea whats caused it bud, going to ask the Doc this Fri when im getting xrayed, see what he thinks??

 

Im looking at going in pretty soon either that or Jan as i dont wana leave my boss loads of work to do, but if the Doc says i need to go in now, then i'll take his advice

[AlexM]

I went to an Osteopath when I hurt mine, helped tremendously. I also took up Pilates on my Osteopath's recommendation, which did seem to help. It's not cheap, but you only have one body - don't leave it any longer.

[b_have]

Worst thing for muscular back injury (so my Chiropracter told me) is hot baths, use ice over the effected area.

[Axle]

Worst thing for muscular back injury (so my Chiropracter told me) is hot baths' date=' use ice over the effected area.[/quote']

 

Next time you see them, tell them they do not know what they are talking about.

 

Truth is, hot or cold is merely a stimulus to the central nervous system. Neither is a miracle to muscular healing. However - When taking a hot bath, it increases circulation, which in addition provides some relaxation from the pain. This should not be confused with healing of the injury.

 

Again, using heat should not be confused with local healing such as using a hot towel to the area. This is not as effective as having a hot bath. Due to various reasons, specifically our body’s ability to effectively expel heat from our system when using a localized method.

[benkei]

After an examination, my doctor tells me that the injury is mechanical - mucsular, and my spine is not damaged and there are no trapped nerves or anything like that. He gave me some excercises to do (pulling my knees up to my chest, bending side to side and reaching over with my arm, etc.) This should help to keep my back from siezing up, which it tends to do if I sit down for too long. I also found that twisting gently from side to side (top half only) helps loosen my back.

He's also sending me to see a physio, which I think he said would take about 4 weeks? But since then my back seems to be on the mend. I can move around now quite freely, and my back only hurts when I bend a little too far (putting too much strain on the muscle) or have my back in awkward possitions. It's hard to sit on my bed or on the sofa still, as there isn't much back support.

I will start doing gentle excercises (emphasis on gentle!) and controlled movements just to try and build up some core strength to help support my back and take some of the strain away from it.

 

Can anyone recomment some good core excercises which are not strenuous?

I was going to do some gentle sit-ups to see if it's comfortable enough to do, also some gentle back-raises, then a few sets of press-ups. Then see how that goes. If it hurts or is uncomfortable, then I will stop, if not, I will make a short routine to do daily.

[sdistc]

Next time you see them, tell them they do not know what they are talking about.

 

Truth is, hot or cold is merely a stimulus to the central nervous system. Neither is a miracle to muscular healing. However - When taking a hot bath, it increases circulation, which in addition provides some relaxation from the pain. This should not be confused with healing of the injury.

 

Again, using heat should not be confused with local healing such as using a hot towel to the area. This is not as effective as having a hot bath. Due to various reasons, specifically our body’s ability to effectively expel heat from our system when using a localized method.

 

There's a lot of good general advice in this thread, but for the above statement, respectfully, I disagree.

 

If you've just kicked a football and strained (say) your rectus femoris, the single best thing you can do is ice it. Cooling the tissue has a number of benefits:

- stimulation via the autonomic nervous system to reduce blood flow (you have already stated this, I know - but it is very important in the acute state post-injury namely

1) minimising swelling, therefore minimising muscle inhibition and subsequent atrophy

2) minimising inflammatory infiltration, reducing cellular damage caused by the inflammatory cascade AND release of pain causing chemicals such as substance P

- physically reducing the cellular metabolic activity

- physically reducing pain fibre conduction velocity (i.e. less pain transmission)

 

Of course, in the sub-acute phase, reducing these processes are less important - so heat therapy is more effective.

[sdistc]

After an examination, my doctor tells me that the injury is mechanical - mucsular, and my spine is not damaged and there are no trapped nerves or anything like that. He gave me some excercises to do (pulling my knees up to my chest, bending side to side and reaching over with my arm, etc.) This should help to keep my back from siezing up, which it tends to do if I sit down for too long. I also found that twisting gently from side to side (top half only) helps loosen my back.

He's also sending me to see a physio, which I think he said would take about 4 weeks? But since then my back seems to be on the mend. I can move around now quite freely, and my back only hurts when I bend a little too far (putting too much strain on the muscle) or have my back in awkward possitions. It's hard to sit on my bed or on the sofa still, as there isn't much back support.

I will start doing gentle excercises (emphasis on gentle!) and controlled movements just to try and build up some core strength to help support my back and take some of the strain away from it.

 

Can anyone recomment some good core excercises which are not strenuous?

I was going to do some gentle sit-ups to see if it's comfortable enough to do, also some gentle back-raises, then a few sets of press-ups. Then see how that goes. If it hurts or is uncomfortable, then I will stop, if not, I will make a short routine to do daily.

 

Try to avoid any sit-ups until you can properly activating your core (very subtle and small muscles *underneath* the 6 pack abs) and can keep them held on when you move. One way to properly learn to control them is by practising using the "stopping weeing" muscle (preferably NOT while actually *going* ) - this is your pelvic floor, and is a synergist for the "core" muscles transversus abdominis and multifidis. Try to hold for a few seconds at a 15% maximal level, and try to keep breathing at the same time.

[sdistc]

After an examination, my doctor tells me that the injury is mechanical - mucsular, and my spine is not damaged and there are no trapped nerves or anything like that. He gave me some excercises to do (pulling my knees up to my chest, bending side to side and reaching over with my arm, etc.) This should help to keep my back from siezing up, which it tends to do if I sit down for too long. I also found that twisting gently from side to side (top half only) helps loosen my back.

He's also sending me to see a physio, which I think he said would take about 4 weeks? But since then my back seems to be on the mend. I can move around now quite freely, and my back only hurts when I bend a little too far (putting too much strain on the muscle) or have my back in awkward possitions. It's hard to sit on my bed or on the sofa still, as there isn't much back support.

I will start doing gentle excercises (emphasis on gentle!) and controlled movements just to try and build up some core strength to help support my back and take some of the strain away from it.

 

Oh, and it's often quite difficult to diagnose 100% accurately to exclude discal pathology - so unless the pain is palpably isolated to somewhere other than the spine, then there is a possibility an MRI might be warranted. I'd wait until your physio (or osteo or chiro etc) examines you further. They should also be able to tape your back to give you some support in the short term.

 

Generally, if things haven't significantly improved within a few weeks of beginning treatment, returning to your doc for referral for further scans is a good idea.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

[benkei]

thanks for the info sdistc

 

Is there are recommended amount of reps/sets for the pelvic floor muscles?

[sdistc]

thanks for the info sdistc

 

Is there are recommended amount of reps/sets for the pelvic floor muscles?

 

the ideal "rule of thumb" to work the PF until you feel like you can't isolate it without using other muscles (i.e. muscular fatigue), then rest and repeat when refreshed - just like any muscle at the gym. However, as these muscles are small and subtly activated, it's often difficult for newcomers to *feel* this - so I tell my patients to do 3 sets of 15 x 5 second holds, with 5 seconds rest between them (i.e. 45 x 5 sec holds), a few times a day. The more you practice using this muscle, the better the "mind-muscle" connection gets and the more automatic the activation becomes (your brain prioritises high frequency motor patterns ). Plus the core is designed for endurance - so the more you practice, the better it is.

 

Of course, this whole rehabilitation caper can be quite complicated - so we tailor exercises dependent on your goals.

[benkei]

Ahh, I see, I'll try that then.

And the pelvic floor helps with core strength?

[sdistc]

It does - the three muscles (transversus, multifidus and pubococcygeus/"pelvic floor") are activated synergistically. You *can* isolate one, but generally they all activate simultaneously. Have a chat to your therapist about it but as a few have suggested, Pilates is quite good for targetting core strength.