my back hurts all the dang time now

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MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
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eating ibuprofen and hoping it goes away.
Clearly that is not working. Got a plan B?

Chiropractor?
Osteopath?

A chiropractor relieved my constant back pain that had me hobbling like an old man (I was in my 30's at the time) to completely pain free in about 3 weeks, with visits 2x/week.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
136
Clearly that is not working. Got a plan B?

Chiropractor?
Osteopath?

A chiropractor relieved my constant back pain that had me hobbling like an old man (I was in my 30's at the time) to completely pain free in about 3 weeks, with visits 2x/week.

did you every have to go back to the chiro after that?

i dunno what i'm going to do, i was thinking of talking to my regular doctor about it when i visit in a few months

the back was actually feeling somewhat better until yesterday when i had to lunge to stop my niece from faceplanting on the ground

at that point i pretty much decided i'm too old to have kids haha
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
did you every have to go back to the chiro after that?

i dunno what i'm going to do, i was thinking of talking to my regular doctor about it when i visit in a few months

the back was actually feeling somewhat better until yesterday when i had to lunge to stop my niece from faceplanting on the ground

at that point i pretty much decided i'm too old to have kids haha
I went every couple of weeks for maybe 3 - 4 months.
 

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,936
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L5 is a slight hemivertebrae. Easy enough to see on an x-ray. Like said, pt, core strength and don't pick up heavy stuff.

Good luck. When mine went on vacation, it was debilitating.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
136
The best doctor I know recommends this book to everyone who comes in with back pain:
McKenzie's Treat your own back
I haven't had any chronic back pain, luckily, but if I did I would buy that book and follow it. I just googled the title, didn't look for deals.

so my back started to feel better over the summer. it rarely aches in the morning now, and is fine after that. no pain pills needed.

maybe i got used to the bed?

or perhaps just knowing that i'm going to the doctor takes away my problems. i should do that more often!

he did say i should work on my core strength though, so i might pick up that book.
 

repoman0

Diamond Member
Jun 17, 2010
4,701
3,727
136
Simple core strength PT exercises and stretching will go a long way. The easiest thing to do is just get a referral for an actual PT and go regularly for a few months. Sure you can teach yourself on YouTube and with books but an actual professional will be far more effective, motivating, and should be covered by your health insurance. I was skeptical myself but finally went after I hurt my back squatting and it wouldn’t go away after a few months .. literally changed my life in the sense that I’m back to lifting with better form than ever and have the tools to maintain core strength and flexibility without having to visit a PT again.

I don’t do most of the easier exercises anymore but still do bicycle crunches to warm up for lifting days, side and regular planks along with some hamstring and erector spinae stretches most days, and foam rolling pretty much every day. Oh and I still get to be a side sleeper without any discomfort … stomach and back sleeping sucks, just can’t do it.
 
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otho11

Member
Feb 16, 2011
117
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which videos specifically fixxed your back problem?

(They have a zillion videos for their 3 week program)

The ones starting with foundation week 1, then week 2 and 3. About 30 minutes per day.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
38,409
8,699
136
I have had almost no back problems since taking up regular gym work. I do a fair amount of core exercises in the gym, was going 3x/week before pandemic. I won't go back to the gym until maybe next year when covid calms down some more (Dr. recommended that when I saw him for first time since before pandemic, saw him a week ago). I took up daily quad skating on a smooth street a few months after pandemic started, at first 5 miles/day, worked up to 10 miles/day starting this last August. The skating, which I work at pretty hard, is keeping my core strong and I have basically no back issues now.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
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When I was running and weighed less, I had fewer issues with back pain.

My back pain is almost always lower back pain...like L0-L2 vertebrae pain....typically on the left side. The supporting muscles around those vertebrae just see very little action when sitting or sleeping. I started thinking about how to work out muscles around there and started doing things like high stepping...bringing my knees up high while walking. Motions like that made a difference in working muscles normal movements don't touch. Otherwise, core muscle work outs always help....a strong core helps support your back.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
136
When I was running and weighed less, I had fewer issues with back pain.

My back pain is almost always lower back pain...like L0-L2 vertebrae pain....typically on the left side. The supporting muscles around those vertebrae just see very little action when sitting or sleeping. I started thinking about how to work out muscles around there and started doing things like high stepping...bringing my knees up high while walking. Motions like that made a difference in working muscles normal movements don't touch. Otherwise, core muscle work outs always help....a strong core helps support your back.

interesting, i'm going to try that high stepping because it sounds fun!

i did start doing one of the introductory exercises from "treat your own back", putting my hands on my sides and then bending backwards. after a few days that really did seem to help. the pain doesn't happen now unless i drive for a couple hours.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,239
13,840
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he did say i should work on my core strength though, so i might pick up that book.
Planks, man, planks. I'm coming up on 3 years of doing them every workday, all I wanted was a simple, low-impact exercise to build muscle, in order to help burn fat more easily. Feels good, looking good, figure at this point I'll be doing them until I'm too old to do them.
 
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deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,622
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interesting, i'm going to try that high stepping because it sounds fun!

i did start doing one of the introductory exercises from "treat your own back", putting my hands on my sides and then bending backwards. after a few days that really did seem to help. the pain doesn't happen now unless i drive for a couple hours.
There are some really good ones that are tied to fixing lateral hip shifts that I like for every day stuff. Look for one called doorway hip stretch (this helps stretch out your QL and lumbar muscles), I'd try doing couch stretches (a lot of back pain is caused by your hip flexors), doing cat/camel stretches and bird dogs.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
38,409
8,699
136
There are some really good ones that are tied to fixing lateral hip shifts that I like for every day stuff. Look for one called doorway hip stretch (this helps stretch out your QL and lumbar muscles), I'd try doing couch stretches (a lot of back pain is caused by your hip flexors), doing cat/camel stretches and bird dogs.
Investigate yoga and do it. You don't have to do downward dog, I don't, my shoulders won't tolerate it, but there's tons of stuff you can do that will really help. The exercises and stretches of yoga are just a part of a yoga lifestyle. Yoga's about unity all in all, being at peace and one with the cosmos. That might sound high falutin' but it's actually completely down to earth.
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,736
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Planks, man, planks. I'm coming up on 3 years of doing them every workday, all I wanted was a simple, low-impact exercise to build muscle, in order to help burn fat more easily. Feels good, looking good, figure at this point I'll be doing them until I'm too old to do them.
unfortunately, i have a shoulder injury.

interesting, i'm going to try that high stepping because it sounds fun!

i did start doing one of the introductory exercises from "treat your own back", putting my hands on my sides and then bending backwards. after a few days that really did seem to help. the pain doesn't happen now unless i drive for a couple hours.
just bending backwards helped with your lower back pain?
i just tried it.
how does the muscle mechanics of doing that help?
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,897
2,716
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unfortunately, i have a shoulder injury.


just bending backwards helped with your lower back pain?
i just tried it.
how does the muscle mechanics of doing that help?
Hip flexors often are a hidden source of problems all over the body. Bending backwards is the opposite position of sitting.

 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,622
720
126
unfortunately, i have a shoulder injury.


just bending backwards helped with your lower back pain?
i just tried it.
how does the muscle mechanics of doing that help?
Torn Mind basically got it. Bending backwards or arching backwards helps stretch your hip flexors. It probably also can take some pressure off your lumbar discs if you're basically pushing your hips down and away but I'm not real sure of the mechanics there.

Planks you can do on your forearms or in a push up position. There should be no reason why you have shoulder pain in either of those unless you're very inwardly rotated and your cuff is completely shot.

An alternative to planks is doing what's called a Hollow hold. Lay on your back and drive your low back into the floor, bring your feet off the ground and shoulders off the ground so your body is a crescent shape. Arms go outstretched above your head but if that's too hard just keep them to your side
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
38,201
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hopefully i dont have to be that ripped in order to do it
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His channel is pretty good. He has some great posture exercises that may help with your back pain as well.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
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The best doctor I know recommends this book to everyone who comes in with back pain:
McKenzie's Treat your own back

well after a couple months of doing a few of the introductory "treat your own back" exercises, the pain is completely gone!

before i couldn't drive for more than 30 minutes without a ton of pain - now i can go 3 hours without any problem. and it never hurts when i sleep.

i'm still not sure if it was an injury that took 6 months to heal, or if the stretches helped. maybe a bit of both.

anyways, thank you for the suggestion!
 

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,936
6,310
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well after a couple months of doing a few of the introductory "treat your own back" exercises, the pain is completely gone!

before i couldn't drive for more than 30 minutes without a ton of pain - now i can go 3 hours without any problem. and it never hurts when i sleep.

i'm still not sure if it was an injury that took 6 months to heal, or if the stretches helped. maybe a bit of both.

anyways, thank you for the suggestion!
Muscle imbalance is an issue too.
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,736
126
well after a couple months of doing a few of the introductory "treat your own back" exercises, the pain is completely gone!

before i couldn't drive for more than 30 minutes without a ton of pain - now i can go 3 hours without any problem. and it never hurts when i sleep.

i'm still not sure if it was an injury that took 6 months to heal, or if the stretches helped. maybe a bit of both.

anyways, thank you for the suggestion!
link to these exercises?
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,622
720
126
well after a couple months of doing a few of the introductory "treat your own back" exercises, the pain is completely gone!

before i couldn't drive for more than 30 minutes without a ton of pain - now i can go 3 hours without any problem. and it never hurts when i sleep.

i'm still not sure if it was an injury that took 6 months to heal, or if the stretches helped. maybe a bit of both.

anyways, thank you for the suggestion!
Yep, these exercises should honestly be a part of every single person's routine with how much we sit in our lives these days.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
136
also i learned in the book that sneezing while leaning forward puts a lot of strain on your back, so it's better to lean backwards slightly or stay straight up when you gotta sneeze