MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
My back's locked up again - I'm currently walking like I've been rogered by Dirk Digler. It's lower back, pretty much the small of it, and it's probably a combination of running at the weekend plus hefting a big laptop around for a couple of days. I've had it in the past, but it's eased off.
Does anyone have any particular stretches or exercises that help loosen everything up in the short term so I can avoid awkward questions in client meetings? Longer term I need to get onto doing plank and suchlike, obviously....
Cheers
Use Ibuprofen to help kill the pain / loosen the muscles
Then do a google on "yoga lower back pain" plenty of vid's there
also look here at [url= http://www.mckenziemdt.org/approach.cfm?section=int ]Dr Robin Mckenzie's site[/url]
i use a combination of ibuprofen and a pain killer like paracetomol, sometimes anti-inflmaitaries alone are not enough. Heat is also very good, a hot water bottle for an hour or so in the right spot.
I stretch fairly un-scientifically, after years and years of back problems i know which bits to stretch and generally feel the bits that are tight and find a stretch that helps.
I have excellent core strength but sadly this doesn't help a lot as my stomach muscles just spasm to compensate.
If it's around the sacrum then just rotating your hips (ie lifting one side) may help, sometimes i do this and get a satisfying 'click' and a release of pressure
If the spasms are really bad then get a short term prescription of diazepam and some codeine phosphate. Then properly investigate the causes.
diclofenac is what I was prescribed, but would only take enough to release spasm, then just got used to taking them when I felt a spasm coming on. So that depends on wether it is a recurring problem. Luckily for me cycling seems to help.
Sounds similar to what I get. This is what I do..
Lie on your back with one leg bent with the foot flat on the floor. Cross your other leg across the first so that the ankle crosses just below the knee (of the first leg). You should feel it in your lower back and you can increase or decrease the effect by what angle you have you bent leg.
Hold it for 30 seconds and then repeat the opposite way round..
I tried to draw a diagram, but it just looked like a stick-man after a car crash..
http://www.bikejames.com/mobility-training/low-back-pain-solution/
Most lower back pain is caused my poor hip mobility (mine certainly is) due to spending too much time sitting down. There's loads of stuff on this guys site and all of it will directly or indirectly help. I've been a believer for ages and now only get back pain when I'm really lazy with my stretching. Once a week is enough to keep it a bay, but 2 or 3 times is better.
When I've had that in the past only rest helped.
+1 for Molgrips, once into the massive pain stage only rest helps. I used to suffer from this a lot and have found the following have helped prevent reoccurence:
try to keep mobile if you can (walk around at work every hour or so if you have a seated job, go to talk to colleagues instead of email/phone, volunteer for non-seated tasks)
running. sounds counter-intuitive but apparently one of the few exercises that gently moves the sacro joint and associated muscles.
Do this stretch! I do it every day. Mr LadyAlex thinks I'm bonkers
[/url]
Thanks all, I'll give those a shot!
Camphor oil, absolutely the best muscle relaxant / pain relief out there (rub it in ... don't drink it !)
i feel you should get the problem found and fixed at the source by a physio, as your back could be slightly twisted. i had this problem a few years ago, i started pilates classes, which works your core muscles. you should be strong from the inside out. it strenghtens your back also. An added bonus is you develop a lovely six pack along the way. my teacher was a medical coach at the wakefield Wildcats rugby, and explained that cyclists and runners can develop tight hip flexor mucles. So regular stretching is advised. hop this helps.
