Lower left back pain! need help!
- Thread starter SSteezle
- Start date
1 - GET GOOD SHOES. SO much back pain is from wearing shitty shoes. Your skate/stylish shoes suck, I don't care what the company says. Get some really nice running shoes and wear them all the time no matter how bad you look. If you refuse, you can try getting some really nice insoles for your current shoes.
2 - Sleep on your side with 4 pillows. Put one under your head, one between your elbows, one between your knees and one between your ankles. This will force your spine to align and relax overnight. If you like sleeping on your back, put 2 pillows stacked up under your knees, it will tilt your pelvis slightly backward and allow your lower back to rest.
3 - Do stomach/back exercises every day. Your stomach muscles will help stabalize everything, and these are easy. Situps, crunches, whatever. For back exercises, lie flat on your stomach. Raise your left hand and right foot and hold them there for 15 seconds. Let them down, then do the Right hand/left foot. Do this 5-10 times and 2-3 sets of each every day.
4 - If you exercise, stop running and ride your bike or go swimming. If you're in spasam and your back is killing, give it a rest, running is very high impact.
5 - Find a hot bitch to give you a massage. Face it, its fun, and asking your buddy or your mom for a massage is weird.
6 - Go get physio. If all else fails, go to a good physiotherapist, one that specialises in sports. Pay the money, go a few times a week and do everything they say... they'll fix you up just dandy!
My mom used to have this whole thing about your "back" account... thinking of it like a bank account. It actually works really well if you don't mind being dorky about it. So for me (and I've had horrible back problems at times in my life) if I want to go out one night partying and wear my really cool-looking shoes that I know will hurt me it's like making a withdrawl. 2 nights in the shoes and my account is out of money, and I'm beginning to be in pain. 3 nights and I'm in major pain and my account is in the negatives... long weekend ends and I go back to taking care of myself, its time to make deposits! Sleep well one night, one deposit... back to zero. Exercises plus another good nights sleep and wearing running shoes for a day, 3 deposits... now I'm rolling and I can wear my shitty shoes again!
Sounds stupid but it really works.
2 - Sleep on your side with 4 pillows. Put one under your head, one between your elbows, one between your knees and one between your ankles. This will force your spine to align and relax overnight. If you like sleeping on your back, put 2 pillows stacked up under your knees, it will tilt your pelvis slightly backward and allow your lower back to rest.
3 - Do stomach/back exercises every day. Your stomach muscles will help stabalize everything, and these are easy. Situps, crunches, whatever. For back exercises, lie flat on your stomach. Raise your left hand and right foot and hold them there for 15 seconds. Let them down, then do the Right hand/left foot. Do this 5-10 times and 2-3 sets of each every day.
4 - If you exercise, stop running and ride your bike or go swimming. If you're in spasam and your back is killing, give it a rest, running is very high impact.
5 - Find a hot bitch to give you a massage. Face it, its fun, and asking your buddy or your mom for a massage is weird.
6 - Go get physio. If all else fails, go to a good physiotherapist, one that specialises in sports. Pay the money, go a few times a week and do everything they say... they'll fix you up just dandy!
My mom used to have this whole thing about your "back" account... thinking of it like a bank account. It actually works really well if you don't mind being dorky about it. So for me (and I've had horrible back problems at times in my life) if I want to go out one night partying and wear my really cool-looking shoes that I know will hurt me it's like making a withdrawl. 2 nights in the shoes and my account is out of money, and I'm beginning to be in pain. 3 nights and I'm in major pain and my account is in the negatives... long weekend ends and I go back to taking care of myself, its time to make deposits! Sleep well one night, one deposit... back to zero. Exercises plus another good nights sleep and wearing running shoes for a day, 3 deposits... now I'm rolling and I can wear my shitty shoes again!
Sounds stupid but it really works.
everythin he said ^^, also to help strech it out. here are some excersises.
Iron cross " "- Lay on you back with your arms out. Make sure your but is on the ground, bring you right leg across your body to the left side, and then bring you left lerg across your body to the right side and repeat, it will strech out your back and feel good.
Cobra " "- lay on your stomach, same posoition as iron cross but on stomach, spread arms and legs. Bing your right leg to you left hand that is spred out as much as you can and do the same thing the other way.
hope you get what i was explaining haha.
Iron cross " "- Lay on you back with your arms out. Make sure your but is on the ground, bring you right leg across your body to the left side, and then bring you left lerg across your body to the right side and repeat, it will strech out your back and feel good.
Cobra " "- lay on your stomach, same posoition as iron cross but on stomach, spread arms and legs. Bing your right leg to you left hand that is spred out as much as you can and do the same thing the other way.
hope you get what i was explaining haha.
Damn Bishop, that was some good info.
As far as what's actually wrong, you're going to need to go to a specialist o find out the answer. Lower back pain is really undiagnosable at this point, theres just too much stuff around there that could be pushing on the nerve next to your spine, and we cant test every possible source. Most MRI's and other scans are inconclusive as well. I WISH we had the diagnostic device I'm working on approved by the FDA, but we still have a year or two of testing before we get it into a preliminary clinic study. Go to a specialist if you want to try to get this permanently fixed, but more than likely you're just going to have to deal with it and do the exercises and practices Doug suggested.
As far as what's actually wrong, you're going to need to go to a specialist o find out the answer. Lower back pain is really undiagnosable at this point, theres just too much stuff around there that could be pushing on the nerve next to your spine, and we cant test every possible source. Most MRI's and other scans are inconclusive as well. I WISH we had the diagnostic device I'm working on approved by the FDA, but we still have a year or two of testing before we get it into a preliminary clinic study. Go to a specialist if you want to try to get this permanently fixed, but more than likely you're just going to have to deal with it and do the exercises and practices Doug suggested.
Yeah Physio is for sure the way to go. Then you can even get that cool electric machine thing... I love that shit where they hook you up to the electrodes and you just shock that shit. Apparently the guy was blown away at how high I cranked it up to... your muscles are so relaxed after it though because they just don't have any fight left in them. 
Alkyy
Active member
I had crazy bad back pain for the last two years and now its just starting to be occational spazams of pain. I would just tense everything up in my back and the two mussels on either side of my spine were always locked tight. I went to physical therapy and they did electro shock and posture threrapy which helped alot.
When i was going they also found that i was so unflexable that it was probably causing a lot of problems. So ontop of the other posts i would say two more very important things to correct are
1. POSTURE- I use to slouch so badly but after working at it for a while i sit up straight and my back pain is almost completly gone
2. STREACH- Easy enough to understand. Everything in your body is connected, if your hamstrings are super tight then they are pulling down on your back. Streach out for as long as you can every night. I try to streach when im reading in bed every night just doing the basic soccer warm up streaches and it helps.
I hope that helped some if you have any other questions pm me
When i was going they also found that i was so unflexable that it was probably causing a lot of problems. So ontop of the other posts i would say two more very important things to correct are
1. POSTURE- I use to slouch so badly but after working at it for a while i sit up straight and my back pain is almost completly gone
2. STREACH- Easy enough to understand. Everything in your body is connected, if your hamstrings are super tight then they are pulling down on your back. Streach out for as long as you can every night. I try to streach when im reading in bed every night just doing the basic soccer warm up streaches and it helps.
I hope that helped some if you have any other questions pm me
eeeeeeek.. Mr.Bishop well prescribes things that can be done - should be -could be done all the time as part of a routine regardless of your specific problem. However, fIrst and foremost, go see a doctor. You don't say how old you are, nor whether you had any previous injuries or problems or if there are any other symptons. My back is f'd - between cracking my T4 and 5, bulging discs, ciatic nerve problems and kidney stones, my advice is to get a proper diagnosis and then a prescription for physical therapy specific to your problem.
skiminnesota
Active member
that feels so good on your back
and the guy said the same thing to me he was like " are you sure thats not to high of a setting"
but it does feel amazing and i would highly recommend it
and the guy said the same thing to me he was like " are you sure thats not to high of a setting"
but it does feel amazing and i would highly recommend it
dave44
Active member
Also, about what Mr. Bishop said about footwear... proper footwear is essential.
I had bad knees, and occasionally bad back and heels after running. I went and invested in some custom orthotics, and damn, they did a world of wonder. If your arches are collapsed, your ankle bends inwards, which causes inwards pressure on the knees, bad hip joints, and can affect your whole body. It's amazing how fine tuned your body really is.
Go do something about it. Don't sit around and let it get worse.
I had bad knees, and occasionally bad back and heels after running. I went and invested in some custom orthotics, and damn, they did a world of wonder. If your arches are collapsed, your ankle bends inwards, which causes inwards pressure on the knees, bad hip joints, and can affect your whole body. It's amazing how fine tuned your body really is.
Go do something about it. Don't sit around and let it get worse.
VTtreeskier
Active member
I have pinched nerves through my lower back an iv thrown out vertabre a few times, really bad back contusion from skiing too, thing that helps me is a chiropractor
amo
Active member
2 herniated disks in the lower back = hell after a weekend of spins and attempted switch ups. i fucking hate my back. i was called hunchback by TWO PEOPLE as i limped down the hallway today. and yes i know this thread is form 07, but i didnt want to make another back pain thread
Deletedtoday
Active member
this was acually a solid bump lots of good info here
B.Aussie
Active member
Another good one is the child or baby pose. You lay on your back with your legs bent and it flattens out your spine. And it sounds stupid but just laying flat on your back on the ground is really good for your back. Also stretching and core bend your legs up to 90 degrees and controlled drop your legs from side to side. That's what I got prescribed when I stuffed up my back + what bishop said. Orthodics in your shows will really help.
Download-My-Apps
Active member
do you know which discs herniated? Is your legs or arms sore? Just checking if there is nerve damage.
A few years back I ruptured two of my lumbar discs and pinched my sciatic nerve, so painful could hardly walk.
Lots of what bishop said is relevant to this injury too. Work on your core strength so there will be less tension on your spine and it doesnt have to carry such a large amount of force. Basically, your discs are shocks for your body, and like a jelly donut yours has exploded.
If it is a lumbar most physios will tell you to back extensions, lie stomach on the floor, and arch back up supporting your body with your arms. This causes the intraspinal fluid to go pack into place in vertebrae and eventually your intraspinal membrane will form and repair.
Some physios will put you on a traction machine, the results from this are questionable. Same idea, extending spine for fluid to enter.
I also found seeing a chiropractor helpful as it improve my stance and distributed my weight more evenly.
Be patient, and avoid impact activities for the time being, swimming and biking are good choices. Best of luck.
A few years back I ruptured two of my lumbar discs and pinched my sciatic nerve, so painful could hardly walk.
Lots of what bishop said is relevant to this injury too. Work on your core strength so there will be less tension on your spine and it doesnt have to carry such a large amount of force. Basically, your discs are shocks for your body, and like a jelly donut yours has exploded.
If it is a lumbar most physios will tell you to back extensions, lie stomach on the floor, and arch back up supporting your body with your arms. This causes the intraspinal fluid to go pack into place in vertebrae and eventually your intraspinal membrane will form and repair.
Some physios will put you on a traction machine, the results from this are questionable. Same idea, extending spine for fluid to enter.
I also found seeing a chiropractor helpful as it improve my stance and distributed my weight more evenly.
Be patient, and avoid impact activities for the time being, swimming and biking are good choices. Best of luck.
Download-My-Apps
Active member
geh pics didnt work, try #2
do you know which discs herniated? Is your legs or arms sore? Just checking if there is nerve damage.
A few years back I ruptured two of my lumbar discs and pinched my sciatic nerve, so painful could hardly walk.
Lots of what bishop said is relevant to this injury too. Work on your
core strength so there will be less tension on your spine and it doesnt
have to carry such a large amount of force. Basically, your discs are
shocks for your body, and like a jelly donut yours has exploded.
If it is a lumbar most physios will tell you to back extensions, lie
stomach on the floor, and arch back up supporting your body with your
arms. This causes the intraspinal fluid to go pack into place in
vertebrae and eventually your intraspinal membrane will form and repair.
Some physios will put you on a traction machine, the results from this
are questionable. Same idea, extending spine for fluid to enter.
I also found seeing a chiropractor helpful as it improve my stance and distributed my weight more evenly.
Be patient, and avoid impact activities for the time being, swimming and biking are good choices. Best of luck.
do you know which discs herniated? Is your legs or arms sore? Just checking if there is nerve damage.
A few years back I ruptured two of my lumbar discs and pinched my sciatic nerve, so painful could hardly walk.
Lots of what bishop said is relevant to this injury too. Work on your
core strength so there will be less tension on your spine and it doesnt
have to carry such a large amount of force. Basically, your discs are
shocks for your body, and like a jelly donut yours has exploded.
If it is a lumbar most physios will tell you to back extensions, lie
stomach on the floor, and arch back up supporting your body with your
arms. This causes the intraspinal fluid to go pack into place in
vertebrae and eventually your intraspinal membrane will form and repair.
Some physios will put you on a traction machine, the results from this
are questionable. Same idea, extending spine for fluid to enter.
I also found seeing a chiropractor helpful as it improve my stance and distributed my weight more evenly.
Be patient, and avoid impact activities for the time being, swimming and biking are good choices. Best of luck.
amo
Active member
It was either the L4 L5 disks or L5 S1. No arm soreness, very rarely I'll get pain down my leg. I go to a chiro 2x a week, was seeing a acupuncturist for a while, and did 3 months of physical therapy with no improvement. Those back bends in the picture you posted, they fucking kill when I'm on my stomach. And if I were to ever try a back bend standing up, i think my spine would probably fold in half. I'm getting a cortisone shot under x-ray on thursday (this will be my 4th one) so hopefully that will do something.
tommyp1ckles
Active member
do some stretches/ smoke some dank
Mr.Huck
Active member
I made this in my garage. Works great and I'm pretty sure that no one on NS has a more messed up back than mine. Scoliosis combined with years of pounding from landing too flat left me dealing with chronic back pain. Sometimes my back would go out when I lifted something wrong or just moved a certain way. When that happened I usually couldn't walk without crutches. My ab muscles would spasm so hard that I had a hard time breathing. Since I have been using this, I have had fewer times when my back has gone out, and when it does, I can fix it quickly without having to go to a chiropractor, message therapist or acupuncturist. I just lay on it for about 20 minutes and I am good to go. Driving up to the mountains messes with my back so I take this with me and lay on it for 10 minutes or so before I go skiing.
If you want to make your own, PM me and I will provide the info. If you just want to buy one, they are manufactured by Trueback http://www.trueback.com Just checked and they are selling them on line for about $80 plus shipping. About the same as what a trip to the Back Quack would cost. No bull shit!!! I have tried tons of different treatments, therapies and devices. I even made my own decompression table that stretches your back and creates space between your vertebrae, but this works the best.
I was too cheap to buy one so I made my own. Here is there version:
[/img]
Basically the raised knobs dig into the muscles causing them to relax. Once your muscles start to relax, gravity kicks in and pulls everything to the center of the channel. It aligns your vertebrae and helps discs to get back where they are supposed to be. Pretty miraculous for as simple as it is.
If you want to make your own, PM me and I will provide the info. If you just want to buy one, they are manufactured by Trueback http://www.trueback.com Just checked and they are selling them on line for about $80 plus shipping. About the same as what a trip to the Back Quack would cost. No bull shit!!! I have tried tons of different treatments, therapies and devices. I even made my own decompression table that stretches your back and creates space between your vertebrae, but this works the best.
I was too cheap to buy one so I made my own. Here is there version:
Basically the raised knobs dig into the muscles causing them to relax. Once your muscles start to relax, gravity kicks in and pulls everything to the center of the channel. It aligns your vertebrae and helps discs to get back where they are supposed to be. Pretty miraculous for as simple as it is.
Check out my back thread:
https://www.newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/478874/
Have you had an MRI? If you have ruptured discs the last thing in the world you should do is let a chiropractor adjust your spine, they could rip your shit in half and damage you for life. Have you had any epidural steroid injections? They help alot of people, my case was just super severe and they would only help for a couple of days, surgery was my last option. Oh wait I see in your post that you are having your 4th, could be headed for a discectamy I hate to say. Don't let anyone talk you into surgery unless you are 100% sure it is your last option. Do tons of core strengthening and you need to be completely done with any impact skiing (park or cliffs) if you want to save your back. Degenerative disc disease runs in my family so my case is pretty bad, but i skiied way to hard on my back and I am now faced with a life of stiffness and pain because of it. Not trying to be a downer just saying be careful from now on.
https://www.newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/478874/
Have you had an MRI? If you have ruptured discs the last thing in the world you should do is let a chiropractor adjust your spine, they could rip your shit in half and damage you for life. Have you had any epidural steroid injections? They help alot of people, my case was just super severe and they would only help for a couple of days, surgery was my last option. Oh wait I see in your post that you are having your 4th, could be headed for a discectamy I hate to say. Don't let anyone talk you into surgery unless you are 100% sure it is your last option. Do tons of core strengthening and you need to be completely done with any impact skiing (park or cliffs) if you want to save your back. Degenerative disc disease runs in my family so my case is pretty bad, but i skiied way to hard on my back and I am now faced with a life of stiffness and pain because of it. Not trying to be a downer just saying be careful from now on.
Download-My-Apps
Active member
Thats not true a chiro will not tear your discs. But make sure you let them know you have a ruptured disc. And to thread creator, slipped, rupture, herniated all are the same thing. Degenerative discs happen at old age when you body no long produces intraspinal fluid.
But yes get an MRI, if you have some leg pain like pins and needles I'd say you likely have some nerve damage. Probably sciatic.
How did you get injured? How old are you? I agree with buddy here, surgery should be a last option. Chances are you're young young enough to make a full recovery without surgery. All they would do for surgery is slice of a piece of the disc if is pressing against the nerver, which would not help the recovery just take away from pain.
If back extension is painfully maybe only do it up until half way, like until your elbows.
Myself personally I found working the flexibility of my hamstrings to be just as productive as stretching my back. Creating less tension on my hamstrings was key to my recovery, and could also be one of the way you got injured.
But yes get an MRI, if you have some leg pain like pins and needles I'd say you likely have some nerve damage. Probably sciatic.
How did you get injured? How old are you? I agree with buddy here, surgery should be a last option. Chances are you're young young enough to make a full recovery without surgery. All they would do for surgery is slice of a piece of the disc if is pressing against the nerver, which would not help the recovery just take away from pain.
If back extension is painfully maybe only do it up until half way, like until your elbows.
Myself personally I found working the flexibility of my hamstrings to be just as productive as stretching my back. Creating less tension on my hamstrings was key to my recovery, and could also be one of the way you got injured.
Download-My-Apps
Active member
Myself I found that laying on the ground and took a rope and stretched with worked wonders.
Also, if you can get someone to do PNF stretching on your hammies thats the best way. Also, has your chiro done ART on you at all?
Also, if you can get someone to do PNF stretching on your hammies thats the best way. Also, has your chiro done ART on you at all?
Craigskis
Active member
Go get properly assessed it could be a variety of things ranging from simple trigger points in your QL's. to facet joints in your spine locking up, SI Jt, disc bulge, fracture in the lower spine.... A good therapist/chrio would do some Orthopedic testing to figure out what's going on and the best course of treatment and if they are any good they would check where your pelvis is sitting Ant/Post pelvic tilt which affects tightness and length of your Quads, and hamstrings, hip flexors they're all attached and can load up the low back when under tension.
If your under 21 and your parents have insurance your probably covered under there benefit plan for most physical therapies up to a certain amount Eg. $500 a year ect.
If your under 21 and your parents have insurance your probably covered under there benefit plan for most physical therapies up to a certain amount Eg. $500 a year ect.
Download-My-Apps
Active member
heat on lower back might help the spasms, even a hot water bottle
Mr.Huck
Active member
Stoked to hear it. Please post up when you get it. Start with your butt on the side with the shallower incline. If your back is that messed up, it won't feel like nirvana initially. Your muscles are going to take awhile to release so be patient. I can now lay on mine for just a few minutes, and my back starts to adjust itself. At first it's a little uncomfortable as vertebrae start to align themselves. Then you will feel them pop back into place, but it's not as violent as being manipulated by a chiropractor. Best thing to remember is to take deep breaths when you are laying on it. That will help your muscles to relax.
amo
Active member
Had my 4th lumbar epidural steroid injection yesterday. my back was fucking killing me all night, but is a little better today. I had my first taste of sciatic nerve pain yesterday too, shit ran all the way down my butt through my leg to my pinky toe. luckily i was baked all day so that certainly helped.
amo
Active member
Got the Back Right. I've been using it since Monday. It relieves pain for about 5-10 minutes then I'm right back to where I was. Hopefully with persistent use it will help. I heard the unfortunate words from my chiropractor today that it would be best to not run this spring which I'm super pissed about. I missed indoor track this winter, and half of last outdoor season. I just wanna fucking run.
tommyp1ckles
Active member
that happens to me sometimes.
things i do:smoke ganjstretch! (even if you dont have it)take a hotttass showeroh and get good boots
things i do:smoke ganjstretch! (even if you dont have it)take a hotttass showeroh and get good boots