Had to replace the syphon on a back-to-the-wall toilet on Saturday which involved kneeling and reaching/twisting at a funny angle to tighten up the coupling bolts.

I wasn’t straining or lifting, just holding myself at an awkward angle, and I felt a “pop” in my lower/left back.

It was pretty painful but not paralising, and I’m left with a very stiff/painful back. Walking around is fine, sitting or lying is fine, but the transition between is quite painful.

Any back-pain aficionados who can offer me any words of sympathy?

To make matters worse, we have a baby due tomorrow, so as you can imagine, I’m not Mrs Council’s favourite person right now! 😯

Walking around is fine, sitting or lying is fine, but the transition between is quite painful.

Don’t sit down. You won’t be sitting down much for the next few weeks anyhow, so what’s the problem? 🙂

I’ve found that hanging from a pull up bar / tree branch / whatever helps stretch my back out when it seizes up*

*not a medical professional, no liability etc etc

Just fill your boots with the gas and air in the delivery suite. You won’t even notice the back pain.

Oh… and stay up the dry end.

Cheers Joey, I’ll give that a try… I had a similar but worse back injury in my late 20s – doing a low-row machine in the gym.

Physio at the time recommended doing a sort of press-up with my hips on the floor to hyper-extend my spine and line things up, so I’m going to give that a try too…

Great timing eh? 🙁

As someone whose back is made of fine bone china, I can tell you that ibuprofen + heating pad (when resting) + doing what joeydeacon suggested, above, all help.

I actually bought myself a set of crutches at Boots with a view to using them around the house just to keep me standing up straight and allowing me to stretch my back without twisting.

Well worth it.

if you want to go down the non drugs route for pain relief see if you can borrow a TENS machine (it may be your Mrs has one to help during childbirth already). It’s what I use when my back goes pop and it’s a small battery operated box of miracles in my opinion.

Stay up the top end.. don’t look under any circumstances!

Co codamol and ibuprofen should see you through..

Physio at the time recommended doing a sort of press-up with my hips on the floor to hyper-extend my spine and line things up, so I’m going to give that a try too…

This worked well for me. Breath out as well at the end.

Some good advice, for both “predicaments”! Thanks guys… Whilst I had been hoping junior would get a move on, I’m now hoping he/she makes us wait another week or so to give me time to recover…

If not, gas-and-air it is!

Hanging from things helps but the best thing is walking. If your back muscles are in spasm it may be worth a visit to the physio otherwise just keep mobile.

Whilst you partner is in labour, be sure to regularly tell her how much pain you’re in.

Women giving birth love that. It makes them feel as if you’re really involved in the whole process.

One possible cause (I would say very likely based on how it happened and the symptoms, but I am not a doctor!) is a herniated/prolapsed disc, what used to be known as a slipped disc.

I did mine when bending and twisting as well, no load, just picking up a rubber band off the floor!

It sounds serious, but a prolapsed or bulged disc can sort itself reasonably well (mine have, numerous long days on the bike and multi-day backpacking trips since I hurt mine). Most of the pain you’re feeling is probably the spasmed muscles, which spasm to protect the injured disc. Heat, and gentle mobilising will help them, I got over my last one in a few days by this method.

Lying down to ‘heal’ doesn’t really help, as the muscles just stiffen up. Avoiding sitting is a good idea, I got a standing desk at work for that reason, when the disc is freshly ‘bulged’ the last thing you want is to be putting even more weight through it by sitting all day.

I personally found physio tape on my lower back helped slightly by loosening the muscles off, but lots of people will say it’s just expensive snake oil (two strips, following the two main muscles either side of the spine, apply tape unstretched when you’re flexed forward as much as you can bear).

Good luck.

Edit, oh, and 😀 Perchypanther

See your GP and hope you get well soon!

I have a really rubbish back and have had every variation of pain throughout my adult life, from back being fine (as it is now) to thinking that I would actually die, and then worrying that I wouldn’t..

Drugs always help, but only with the symptoms, and not the cause. A decent physiotherapist though could rapidly become your most favorite person in the world. Don’t bother waiting for an NHS referral, spend a few quid and get along to a local private one, preferable one that does sports injuries. You’ll be bent back into shape quicker than you would even be seen if going down the NHS route. They will also let you know if they think it is more serious and justifies a scan or further investigation.

Tell us where you are and I am sure you will soon get a recommendation from someone on here.

Seriously though, with a kid on the way you want to get this sorted before it becomes a bigger thing. The reason I struggle so much now is because I did not seek treatment when I first hurt it 20 years ago. Instead my body just isolated the damaged part, stiffened up around it and overcompensated elsewhere.

Whilst you partner is in labour, be sure to regularly tell her how much pain you’re in.

I tried this already… We went for a walk yesterday and I told her that not only would she have to tie her own boots (I’ve had to do hers since the second trimester), but she’d have to tie mine too…

I’ve also tried to point out that my injury is a direct result of her incessant “nesting”, making me redecorate, move furniture, repair toilets etc, etc, etc…

I’m sure she’ll come round to my way of thinking eventually… 😉

+Ice. 10 mins on 20mins off whenever possible.
Once its settled (5-10 days?) sort your posture out and get someone who knows how to do kettlebell swings to teach you them (activates posterior chain muscles, mostly hamstrings, so your back isn’t over compensating all the time and (re)creating an injury time bomb.)

This has worked for me, have avoided spasm episodes for last 2 years.

Stay up the top end.. don’t look under any circumstances!

it was like watching my favourite pub burn down

+Ice. 10 mins on 20mins off whenever possible.

Hmm, might have to respectfully disagree with that. I’m sticking with my wholey unprofessional diagnosis of a muscle spasm as a result of wonky discs.

Everything I’ve been told/read would suggest NO ICE for muscle spasms, they’re not inflamed, they’re all bunched up and contracted. When my back went the first time I spent a lot of time lying down with ice packs, and the pain/discomfort lasted for ages, literally months.

When I’ve used heat/mobilisation, I’ve got over (lesser) episodes in days.

Of course, if it’s actually a sprained or torn muscle, ice is probably the best solution! Maybe get a proper diagnosis ASAP 8)

I think I’m inclines to agree with you 13thfloormonk, I’ve been using a microwavable wheat-bag the last few days at work and a hot bottle for an hour in the evening – it definitely helps ‘loosen’ things, but walking has been the best remedy.

By serendipitous coincidence, Mrs Council, who is now 24hrs overdue, has been wanting to go for regular gentle walks, so we’ve been going out for a hobble together and making the most of these last few autumnal evenings before our lives change forever!

The back is definitely improving – if Junior hangs on a few more days there will be no complaints from me!

And moving forward, I think I need to concentrate on a few more back/core exercise. 🙂

Have you considered a chiropractor? I avoided one for years thinking it would be a snake oil merchant. Until I climbed of my bike one day and couldn’t straighten up. 15 minutes with chiropractor (manipulation and tens machine). I actually felt things slot into place. It takes a couple of days of recovery as the back muscles are very tired, from being in a fixed position, due to the injury. Overall it was the best £20 I ever spent. I now go back once or twice a year depending on injuries. Ask around for local recommendations. Got to worth a try for a quick fix.

+ 1 to getting to a local physio asap. You’ll get a proper diagnosis and if there is a spasm that need manipulating then that will be done then. You will then have specific stretching and strengthening exercises to do. The danger of doing nothing is that it is likely to happen again, and become a chronic problem. You’ll get plenty of recommendations for physios here as most of us have been through this at some point.

after a few years of episodes like this and chiropractic work over a couple of years, I went to a osteopathic physio. They gave me strengthening exercises, stretches and emergency tips. They also found a slight difference in leg length, which is probably the root cause of the issue. She was also stunning and asked me to take most of my clothes off so she could get holistic look at me – happy days. 😀

I still get issues from time to time, but can manage them so they don’t become a major issue.

Yetidave, can you send me a phone number, she sounds like just what I need right now! 😀

Ibuprofen.
And lay on a floor on your back and relax. That works for me when I have a twinge.
When standing, make sure you’re leaning slightly forward, not back.