Lower back pain

[heitclone]

This is exactly my issue...too much time in a chair so my hamstrings and hip flexors get tight and pull my back out of wack. I went to the chiro lots of times over 2 months but it wasn't improving. I then read an article about cubical life and what it does to your shoulders, hips, and hammies if you don't stretch every day. Now I stretch every day and am able to run and do whatever I want pain free without going to the chiro in the past year. Also, a heat pad helps me but ice makes my pain worse.

great info, stretching is so important and so easy to do its funny how few people really do it properly. Taking 3-4 minutes a couple times a day to stretch works wonders. I had chronic back, shoulder, and rib pain, I had a couple visits to the Chiro and stretch a couple times a day and I am pain free. Stretching helps with strength and body maintainance, and will have a much bigger impact in the long run than traditional workouts.

 

[deadeyededric]

Train your core and do a lot of stretches.

 

[mkadl]

I'm almost 30 and have some of the same issues with running. I've recently started working in some core exercises, and I feel like it's made a difference. I still get some soreness, but it is certainly less than before. Try some of these, a couple times a week: Core Strength : Men's Health

THIS

 

[CyPride]

So i'm 32, stopped smoking about 4 months ago and i've been working out now for about 2-3 months i think. Anyway, i'm mostly just doing a lot of cardio stuff like the elliptical and bikes and then some ab excersises and some light lifting for toning purposes.

i've tried to run outside but usually about 3/4 a mile my lower back hurts so bad that i just can't run. i used to be in cross country and track in high school and never had lower back pain. I'll usually have some pain in my back for most the day, regardless if i worked out or not that day. i don't think it's my shoes or my form. I've tried a few kinds of shoes, right now i love my Nike Free Runs and i run on my toes.

anyway, the trainer that we have at work here said i just need to sretch out my hamstrings more and the pain should stop. so far it hasn't seemed to help much at all. Should i see my normal doctor or a chiropractor?

run from chiro. someone said go to chiro but don't make a habit out of it. a chiro will try his darndest to not let that happen.

I bet you have a disc issue going on. see a regular dr. just to make sure it might not be something really bad, and then see a physical therapist if it is indeed a disc related issue.

if it is a minor disc issue, i.e. bulge, those can be corrected by strengthening your core, and better habits when lifting, getting out of bed, getting up from back, sitting, etc. there are also many good stretching exercises a p.t. can instruct you on that are good for long-term back health.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

is it sciatica? if so you are screwed. i have it bad and i'll be cursed with it the rest of my life. some days it's in my back, other days my legs, and some days i get real lucky and it's both-but it's never nothing.

what kind of pain is it?

Not so BET. Had it bad last May, have been seeing a chiro since and my back has not felt better. No signs of burning at all. In fact, back hasn't felt this good since...? Not an issue at all in any way shape or form. And mine was so bad down my left leg I couldn't walk, eat, sleep...you name it, proper. Most back problems start well before the severe pain begins. Need to go start getting it adjusted so your muscles can start to get use to having things aligned properly. It takes time, as more than likely so did your problem. But trust me...sciatica is NOT something you have live with the rest of your life.

 

[Clone1450]

So i'm 32, stopped smoking about 4 months ago and i've been working out now for about 2-3 months i think. Anyway, i'm mostly just doing a lot of cardio stuff like the elliptical and bikes and then some ab excersises and some light lifting for toning purposes.

i've tried to run outside but usually about 3/4 a mile my lower back hurts so bad that i just can't run. i used to be in cross country and track in high school and never had lower back pain. I'll usually have some pain in my back for most the day, regardless if i worked out or not that day. i don't think it's my shoes or my form. I've tried a few kinds of shoes, right now i love my Nike Free Runs and i run on my toes.

anyway, the trainer that we have at work here said i just need to sretch out my hamstrings more and the pain should stop. so far it hasn't seemed to help much at all. Should i see my normal doctor or a chiropractor?

Are there certain positions you are using more frequently during your night time extracurricular activities? I find that If I do too much Propeller I get some lower back pain. Try switching to the Drill for a bit, it is comparable but less straining on the lower back.

 

[isuman]

If you have pain running down your leg go have it checked out by a doctor. A herniated disk is nothing to mess around with. 2 1/2 years ago I herniated 2 discs in my lower back (L4/L5, L5,S1) and went to Dr. Sarkis Kasper who is an Orthipedic Surgen at McFarland in Ames who specalizes in spinal injuries and back problems. I couldn't walk more than a couple hunderd feet or sit in certain positions without severe pain. It became so bad in the final weeks leading up to surgery that I would lie on the living room floor crying myself to sleep because I couldn't get comfortable.After 6 months of physical therapy I gave in and decided to have surgery.

All of this because I tried to lift 2 bags of quickcrete at once. One thing that the doctor told me that stuck with me was if left untreated (surgery is not the only option) that a herniated disc can cause permanent nerver injury that can't be reversed.

Maybe you don't have anything wrong but in my opinion it's not worth leaving unchecked. It could possibly get worse.

 

[mkadl]

If you have pain running down your leg go have it checked out by a doctor. A herniated disk is nothing to mess around with. 2 1/2 years ago I herniated 2 discs in my lower back (L4/L5, L5,S1) and went to Dr. Sarkis Kasper who is an Orthipedic Surgen at McFarland in Ames who specalizes in spinal injuries and back problems. I couldn't walk more than a couple hunderd feet or sit in certain positions without severe pain. It became so bad in the final weeks leading up to surgery that I would lie on the living room floor crying myself to sleep because I couldn't get comfortable.After 6 months of physical therapy I gave in and decided to have surgery.

All of this because I tried to lift 2 bags of quickcrete at once. One thing that the doctor told me that stuck with me was if left untreated (surgery is not the only option) that a herniated disc can cause permanent nerver injury that can't be reversed.

Maybe you don't have anything wrong but in my opinion it's not worth leaving unchecked. It could possibly get worse.

My wife had an MRI last week and is going to the Dr. today for surgery consultation. Extruded, herniated disc. Golfing. Your symptoms sound so familiar.

 

[JonDMiller]

wait you serious? i got sciatica now but i was told it only lasts for a couple months if u treat it correctly.

Probably something that will hamper you on an off forever.

Three years ago, at 36, I tweaked my back..couldnt walk for a day...went to a chiropractor (Steve Koester in Urbandale across street from Supertarget) for a year or two and it really helped out..

Then I joined Farrell's and began to strengthen my ab muscles. I think that helped as much as getting my back back in proper alignment.

I have some dull back pain every day of some sort now, and probably always will..but not debilitating any more...that comes and goes. The shooting sciatic pains are very infrequent now.

 

[CYVADER]

Probably something that will hamper you on an off forever.

Three years ago, at 36, I tweaked my back..couldnt walk for a day...went to a chiropractor (Steve Koester in Urbandale across street from Supertarget) for a year or two and it really helped out..

Then I joined Farrell's and began to strengthen my ab muscles. I think that helped as much as getting my back back in proper alignment.

I have some dull back pain every day of some sort now, and probably always will..but not debilitating any more...that comes and goes. The shooting sciatic pains are very infrequent now.

so the ab workouts helped with the sciatica or just the back tweak? i seriously feel like i have a permanently cramped right hamstring-all day long from when i wake up till i fall asleep. it sucks. the dr just told me to stretch and take ibuprofrin. i did that for about a month to no avail, so i just said screw it all together i'll just have to live with it.

 

[LikeACyclone]

It is pry best to get checked out by someone whom specializes in back pain/injuries. There could be a wide variety of issues that could be causing your pain and at least this way you can either find out or rule out major issues. It can be very frustrating sometimes when you they don't find anything and you feel like you wasted your money, and I've been there. That's why it's so important to find someone specialized in that field.

I am only in my mid 20's and have experienced lower back pain for a couple of years and I wasted a lot of time and money trying to get some answers. I finally saw a decent specialist and discovered I have hyperlordosis which is an overly curved lower back. I did some PT and stretching and that seems to help some. I haven't felt like have rid myself of the problem but at least I know what's going on and am on the right track. Some of these issues develop over a long period of time so you can expect the recovery to be the same way in certain cases.

Moral of the story: find the best help you can off the bat and discover the issue as best you can. There are just too many different possibilities out there.

 

[isubeatle]

It is pry best to get checked out by someone whom specializes in back pain/injuries. There could be a wide variety of issues that could be causing your pain and at least this way you can either find out or rule out major issues. It can be very frustrating sometimes when you they don't find anything and you feel like you wasted your money, and I've been there. That's why it's so important to find someone specialized in that field.

I am only in my mid 20's and have experienced lower back pain for a couple of years and I wasted a lot of time and money trying to get some answers. I finally saw a decent specialist and discovered I have hyperlordosis which is an overly curved lower back. I did some PT and stretching and that seems to help some. I haven't felt like have rid myself of the problem but at least I know what's going on and am on the right track. Some of these issues develop over a long period of time so you can expect the recovery to be the same way in certain cases.

Moral of the story: find the best help you can off the bat and discover the issue as best you can. There are just too many different possibilities out there.

what kind of specialist did you see? i've always kind of thought that my lower back curved maybe a bit too much.

anyway, lastnight i used a heating pad on my back for about an hour and then stretched before i went to bed. I'm still a bit sore this morning, but i think it really helped.

 

[isubeatle]

ok, so after doing some googling, it looks like hyperlordosis is mainly found in dancers? is that right? i'm not really a dancer lol

 

[LikeACyclone]

I went to a place called the Nebraska Spine Center in Omaha, NE. It is a practice that solely focuses on back/neck/spine injuries. I would suggest trying to find a place like this. These types of places have doctors knowledable on the subject and can usually take care of alot of tests in one visit with no waiting to hear back.

Hyperlordosis is something that can happen to anyone. I guess there is a high rate of this condition in dancers but is certainly not a dancer only problem. My issue is that with the curve my spine doesn't sit at a proper angle in relation to my sacrum. Many people live with the condition with no pain but it affects others greatly.

 

[Bobber]

At about your age, I did the same thing, but it was my knees that started bothering me. I went to a doctor at the time and he recommended stretching more and that the Ham's are usually what cause a lot of the back and knee problems when people start exercising hard after a period of relative inactivity.

I'm 43 now and started running back in April and darned if I didn't strain my Achilles Tendon becasue I was pushing myself too hard. Doctor told me the same thing...He said I could still exercise if it didn't hurt, so I switched to riding a bike which is probably better for my joints anyway. On my off days, I've been doing an elliptic machine and lifting weights as well as stretching and no pain in my joints or back.

It's important to start slow, because it takes a while to get your body back in shape. You push it too hard and these aches and pains tend to happen.

 

[jaws90us]

At about your age, I did the same thing, but it was my knees that started bothering me. I went to a doctor at the time and he recommended stretching more and that the Ham's are usually what cause a lot of the back and knee problems when people start exercising hard after a period of relative inactivity.

I'm 43 now and started running back in April and darned if I didn't strain my Achilles Tendon becasue I was pushing myself too hard. Doctor told me the same thing...He said I could still exercise if it didn't hurt, so I switched to riding a bike which is probably better for my joints anyway. On my off days, I've been doing an elliptic machine and lifting weights as well as stretching and no pain in my joints or back.

It's important to start slow, because it takes a while to get your body back in shape. You push it too hard and these aches and pains tend to happen.