Reply With QuoteSince it sounds like your back might be prone to injury, if you don't have one, it might be a good idea to get one of those back support belts.
I got laid off about 6 weeks ago, and just lately have been picking up a bit of work cleaning and doing manual labor. Yay earning money being physical!
Then yesterday I hurt mah back. I didn't do any stretching before I started cleaning out this woman's garage, and now it's a little tweaked. Wouldn't you know it, my money-earner got a kink in it! Gol durn!
It's happened to me before: last summer I was on it for two straight days after playing frisbee and football (!) too vigorously. This time is a lot better, but it's still tweaked, and I was hoping y'all would share any tips you have for tweaked backs.
It's my lower back, right in the middle, and it's a twinging pain and soreness. I got a heating pad to lie on and that helps, as does doing my yoga stretching exercises. Very. Slowly.
Also, any stories ABOUT hurting your back will be welcome, as they might make me feel better.
Since it sounds like your back might be prone to injury, if you don't have one, it might be a good idea to get one of those back support belts.
A few years ago at Costco, I picked up some 2L bottles of Mott's Clamato with an outstretched arm from an odd angle. It took me three months to fully recover from the pain, though it still comes back to visit a couple of times a year. The worst part? I DON'T EVEN LIKE CLAMATO!
Like at Walgreens? That kind of thing?Originally Posted by CLWheeljack
How about strengthening? Other than stretches, what kind of support exercises can I do to strengthen the area?
Don't just use heat. Alternate between heat and cold. Fifteen to twenty minutes of each.
Apart from that, just lay on your back with your feet propped up - and do some stretches where you pull your knees up to your chest.
Strength isn't quite as important as flexibility - that's what's causing the problem. You need to stretch your hamstrings and lower back more. Men have this particularly bad.
Several years ago I did a cross country move where we moved and packed everything from two different high rises and then drove them cross country, then moved everything in, all in one day. I know, but we were young and fearless and strong!
It actually went pretty well until the next day and I was in a conference room with some high level clients at a meeting. We were all sitting around and I lean down a bit in my chair when my back starts spasming. I start jerking around a bit and going "ohhhhhhh" and everyone looks at me. I tell them about the move and they start chuckling.
Ah, youth!
I've been told by my chiro and GP to alternate heat/cold 48 hours after injury. Ice and ibuprofen only for the first 48 hours.
Also, Biofreeze is amazing shit. It's like icy hot x1000000 and it doesn't smell gross.
I once threw my back out vomiting. I woke up really sick to my stomach and while doing the buisness it went out. I had to crawl to the phone and get someone to take me to the Dr. After some x-rays it was determined that I have some mild arthritis in my lower back. She (the Doc.) says it's really really common. I have a lot of episodes of back pain these days. Today actually after digging up my garden for the last three days, I'm really stiff and sore. I find that advil is handy though doesn't help with spasms. I try and stretch a lot when it gets this way and really is the best way to deal with it. Keep it moving as much as you can. Under extreem circumstances the Doc will give me a mild muscle relaxer and that really helps with spasms. Usually if I take one of those before bed, the spasms will go away in one or two days. Oh and one other peice of advice, my Mom, who is a massage therapist, says to alternate heat and cold on it. about 20 mins with the heating pad and 20 with a bag of ice. It works pretty well for me along with the streaching. Hope you feel better soon.
I am just now starting to deal with periodic sharp joint pain and I blame it on lack of exercise. I used to lift weights lightly but I haven't done so in a year. Your core back muscles and abs are what your body uses to keep your spine aligned, and I'm pretty sure strengthening them would help.
Stretching helps a lot for general soreness though. Like said above, it is usually hamstrings or glutes or hip adductors that are tight and pulling on your back, so to speak. Only need a couple of stretches to help with that.
Caveat: I'm not a doctor or personal trainer or anything.
My Dad always had one of these hanging in the garage for wood splitting season, but it looks like something with shoulder straps is more modern, and probably better for you. I don't know much about specific features or models though. Some place like walgreens or Home Depot would probably have it.
There are some exercises that will help strengthen your back in general, but probably won't help much with recovery. it's a pretty common problem (I remember reading somewhere that over 60% of men have lower back problems at some point in their lives) so a google search should turn up some stuff. You mentioned yoga stretches, so that's probably good. There's the standard "superman" stretch, which most people know, although I've heard that the hyperextension can be bad (bending farther backwards than natural). If you have access to a gym, Roman Chair exercises are ideal, because there's a better range of movement, but they require the special equipment.
Edit: because it's so common, sources like Men's Health do features pretty frequently. This was the first thing I found when i googled it.
They just happen to be the most tedious and annoying of all - for some reason.
Yeah dude stretch, and do exercises to strengthen your back if you're really serious. Squats done with proper form are great, as are deadlifts. If you do either with bad form though you'll just hurt yourself more, (possibly badly!) so really find someone who knows how and have them show you.
I hurt my knee once and had to go to PT, and the trainer there told me when doing squats keep your knees lined up with your toes, feet shoulder width, and the knee should never extend over the tips of your toes. But don't take my word for it, find someone qualified to show you how.
And stretch!
Wow, you guys are amazing. I'm going to look into that weight belt (Walgreens across the street w00t!) and start doing Supermans (Supermens?) when I'm not in pain any more.
Luckily after morning stiffness has gone away I'm feeling damn good. I think I'll be back up to snuff tomorrow and ready to move on Sunday. Yep, I'm moving to a new apartment on Sunday. I HOPE this doesn't last long!
And Enduro Man and Icehole: The first time I hurt my back was 5 years ago while waiting tables. I'd just set two heavy pitchers of water down on the table, and delivered the first of 10 empty glasses I had on a tray in my other hand when my back went *sproing!* and I was fucked for a week. I was like, "Really, Universe? Water glasses? EMPTY ones? Really?"
I don't find them to be tedious. Here's the article I've always loved; not sure if it's actually any good or not but for me it helps with any kind of aches. I need something to deal with joint inflammation though.
A year ago I saw this guy lifting very heavy things at Lowes. He was straining quite hard and I asked him why he wasn't wearing his support belt. He said that in the end those belts do more harm than good since they make those muscles lazy and you end up with greater risks of herniation in the long run.
Since then I've noticed a lot of people don't wear them that it seems like they should. Have any of you heard of this, or is that myth?
Something about the hamstrings and lower back always give me this awful shocking pang that radiates both ways. Every other stretch feels pretty good to me.
Same with sit-ups - it's the only muscle group whose exertion I find unpleasant.
I'll check out that article, thanks.
Hmm..No idea. I'd say that it's probably true that for somebody who lifts heavy stuff on a consistent basis (like as part of their job), it's better to strengthen the body. But for somebody who's doing it more rarely (moving, splitting wood once a year, etc), it's probably worth the extra protection since building up the proper muscles isn't really an option. I don't know where DoomMunky falls on this spectrum, but it sounds like he's doing manual labor on a pretty limited basis, so I'd probably recommend the brace.
Even if you're planning on going belt-free, It's probably also worthwhile to wear the belt while doing other exercises to strengthen the muscles, so you don't hurt yourself while getting to where you're going.
It's been too long since I've read about them, but those belts are actually to help support the muscles that keep your spine aligned from the front, not your back. My guess is that in heavy lifting situations your abs and such may not be able to get as strong as your back so it requires some assistance. Can't comment on the long-term effects for some random Lowes employee though.
I have been having some odd back pain lately. When I do have back pain (rarely) it is in my lower back. I actually threw out my back this last fall to the point of not being able to sleep due to the pain.
Right now I get pain in my upper back between the shoulder blades. It is really weird.
Do squats with low weight. It took ten years off of my back in a few weeks, doing just 100lbs or so, 3x10, 3 times a week.
H.
Put 3 or 4 tennis balls in a long tube sock. Lie on the floor with the balls under your back (across your spine horizontally). Stretch and roll back and forth a bit like this. It's like a do-it-yourself massage for your lower back.
Yeah, this is basically what my doctor father-in-law says whenever I throw my back out, though he thinks the heat is mostly useless and ice+advil is the real key.
Early on, heat feels good but doesn't do jack shit for the swelling, which is what's really the problem. Ice and anti-inflammatories are the key there.
+1 on the squats. I was in agony 24/7 with a lower back injury until I took up weightlifting. Two weeks of doing squats and other exercises totally cured the problem. I'm fine now, and continue to lift to keep myself from getting hurt again.
Be careful doing supermans. I hurt myself on those, and at least one back specialist I know of is against them for that very reason.
It pissed me off, the fix was so easy and quick. My back steadily grew worse as I aged and sat in a chair, at least five years of pain/discomfort. Two weeks of squats and I felt great.
H.
Sleep on the floor, on your back, for a few days in a sleeping bag or something. The rest of you will be sore but your back will be fantastic.
Squats act like a stretch as well so you get some benefit from that too. Well, if you do them right.
Links, please!
Oh there's no secret, it's just that some people like to cheat on the technique and not get the full range of motion. If you're actually serious about weight lifting with free weights, you'll need to get the technique book from McRobert or Rippetoe or something. If you're just doing free squats then I don't know. Gyms don't typically do squats and big free weight stuff from what I've seen, or have staff that really know what they're talking about. I'm not sure of other machine exercises that might help.
I love stumptuous.com, which is geared towards women but has good general advice too. The author, Krista, has a bunch of stuff on back pain. Here's her series on it: parts one, two, and three.
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