Back Pain Guys, Info Needed (1 Viewer)

[The General]

The one thing I know for certain is nothing is certain. Go down the back pain rabbit hole and you get a ton of conflicting info - these stretches are good, no they aren't they do more damage, do these instead. Here's the real reason for your pain, no this is the real reason, if you're over 50 do this, use this pillow, no that can hurt you, use that one, no use this chair instead... it's maddening.

I've had a bad back on and off for years. This year, the late night leg sciatica started. It's ongoing now, and it's awful - 2 hours after going to sleep I wake up with right leg pain (all throughout), and cannot get comfortable. Advil is useless. They gave me Prednisone, which works really well for me but is definitely temporary. I'm also doing daily stretches/exercises. After trying lots of different ones, I settled on McGill big 3, and added a nerve floss or whatever it's called and a figure-4 type hamstring stretch - they all "feel" good, so that's kind of my roadmap. I'm also trying to sit straighter, use my standing desk more, and use some lumbar pillows, but I am unsure about them - I feel other twinges since using them so I'm backing off them and seeing what happens.

I do feel the stretches are working somewhat, but it's a real slow go. Next appointment is Friday - next step is likely an MRI or maybe an injection.

Damn dude. Good luck. It really is a mystery as to what works. Really glad to hear that many people have found stuff that works.

 

[The General]

This is my routine I have been doing twice every day along with a lot of heat and cold on back.

Three weeks ago I couldn’t sit up in bed and had to crawl to pee in a shower in a hotel room. The only thing in the back of my mind is that this can happen again at any time and that is scary. I can now move around though normally, am thinking less about it because there is no jolts or constant pain. Just have a dull pain in my back when bending forward. I want to golf so bad but don’t see that happening for a few weeks.

Anyways:

20-Minute Lower Back Strengthening Routine

Warm-Up (3–4 min)

1. Cat-Cow Stretch – 1 minute
2. Pelvic Tilts – 1 minute
3. Bridges (Slow) – 2 sets of 10 reps

Main Strength Set (12–14 min)

1. Bird-Dog – 3 sets of 8 reps per side
2. Side Plank (Knees bent) – 2 sets per side, hold 20–30 sec
3. Superman Holds – 3 reps of 15–20 sec
4. Glute March (Bridge Position) – 2 sets of 10 reps
5. Dead Bug – 5 sets of 10 reps

Cool Down / Stretch (5 min)

1. Child’s Pose – 1 minute
2. Knees to Chest Stretch – 1 minute
3. Supine Twist (Gently) – 30 sec per side
4. Hamstring Stretch (Lying) – 1 minute per leg, 2 sets
5. Cat Cow - 1 minute
Good luck all!!

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

The one thing I know for certain is nothing is certain. Go down the back pain rabbit hole and you get a ton of conflicting info - these stretches are good, no they aren't they do more damage, do these instead. Here's the real reason for your pain, no this is the real reason, if you're over 50 do this, use this pillow, no that can hurt you, use that one, no use this chair instead... it's maddening.

I've had a bad back on and off for years. This year, the late night leg sciatica started. It's ongoing now, and it's awful - 2 hours after going to sleep I wake up with right leg pain (all throughout), and cannot get comfortable. Advil is useless. They gave me Prednisone, which works really well for me but is definitely temporary. I'm also doing daily stretches/exercises. After trying lots of different ones, I settled on McGill big 3, and added a nerve floss or whatever it's called and a figure-4 type hamstring stretch - they all "feel" good, so that's kind of my roadmap. I'm also trying to sit straighter, use my standing desk more, and use some lumbar pillows, but I am unsure about them - I feel other twinges since using them so I'm backing off them and seeing what happens.

I do feel the stretches are working somewhat, but it's a real slow go. Next appointment is Friday - next step is likely an MRI or maybe an injection.

Damn dude. Good luck. It really is a mystery as to what works. Really glad to hear that many people have found stuff that works.

@jwb hope you find relief as well. Pain in general sucks but back pain will make the strongest man turn into a a baby after awhile.

 

[joker]

Should be getting my back extension machine tomorrow and am looking up the moves for the General's stretching routine since I don't know them other than maybe the Superman Hold. Nothing else to add other than stretching has worked for me in the past and back pain sucks.

 

[D-Day]

I was having low back issues. I bought this Thrival Relief Pro and it seems to help. You would need to buy the soft cups in addition to the plastic parts.

 

[FarFromHome]

Those with back pain have you addressed your sleeping mattress? In my 20s I didn't care. In my 30s I started to care but bought cheap. In my 40s I truly began to understand how important a good mattress is. You gotta spend money. Like minimum 3 grand. My current one was 5 grand I think on sale. I think.

 

[The General]

Those with back pain have you addressed your sleeping mattress? In my 20s I didn't care. In my 30s I started to care but bought cheap. In my 40s I truly began to understand how important a good mattress is. You gotta spend money. Like minimum 3 grand. My current one was 5 grand I think on sale. I think.

Agreed. We bought a great mattress for home. Interest free for 2 years. Cost about 50-% more than my first car

When I got messed up was at the end of three weeks of traveling, crap beds and lots of flights. Bad combo.

 

[fatness]

Three weeks ago I couldn’t sit up in bed and had to crawl to pee in a shower in a hotel room.

If that had been me I would have just crawled to my own bathroom instead of crawling out to some hotel.
j/k
Thanks for the information you (and others) are sharing.

 

[The General]

Should be getting my back extension machine tomorrow and am looking up the moves for the General's stretching routine since I don't know them other than maybe the Superman Hold. Nothing else to add other than stretching has worked for me in the past and back pain sucks.

Good luck. If you do these exercises be very careful and once every other day to start. There should be examples on YouTube of each. There are many Dead Bug variations so pick an easy one to start. The goal I think is to do this, or some type of strengthening exercises, forever so find ones you like and it’s not a sprint.

 

[Judge Smails]

Wishing you all the best. I had brutal sciatica about a decade ago and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Learned what debilitating pain really was. Remember going on flights for work and literally shuffling a few feet at a time getting to a connection at O'Hare. Couldn't walk half a block at home. Total misery. Did PT, exercises, pain meds, you name it. 2nd epidural finally gave enough relief for the PT to work. Good news is haven't had a recurrence. I do stretch a lot more these days and try to be in better shape. Tight hamstrings/hip flexors, weak core etc are no bueno

 

[The General]

Update!

Been about 6 weeks and am doing PT with very few restrictions. They have stated adding various twisting exercises.

They still won’t do an MRI but are consistent in saying it wouldn’t change my treatment and is only for if they are recommending surgery. Whatever.

On the good side am feeling great and all this core crap which I was neglecting for work, travel and doing exercises that I liked doing over these has really helped. Look forward to doing the routine now which for me is the biggest hurdle in exercising. Bird Dogs and these “prone back extension” exercises in particular are great for whatever I have going on in lower discs.

Haven’t tried swinging a club and have turned down a tournament that I really wanted to play and a round at a beautiful course that just hosted US Open qualifiers so really bummed but am feeling like in another few weeks of doing PT I will give it a try. It’s a long summer.

Continued good luck to all. Find a routine that works and stick to it!

 

[Terminalxylem]

Update!

Been about 6 weeks and am doing PT with very few restrictions. They have stated adding various twisting exercises.

They still won’t do an MRI but are consistent in saying it wouldn’t change my treatment and is only for if they are recommending surgery. Whatever.

On the good side am feeling great and all this core crap which I was neglecting for work, travel and doing exercises that I liked doing over these has really helped. Look forward to doing the routine now which for me is the biggest hurdle in exercising. Bird Dogs and these “prone back extension” exercises in particular are great for whatever I have going on in lower discs.

Haven’t tried swinging a club and have turned down a tournament that I really wanted to play and a round at a beautiful course that just hosted US Open qualifiers so really bummed but am feeling like in another few weeks of doing PT I will give it a try. It’s a long summer.

Continued good luck to all. Find a routine that works and stick to it!

The bolded is absolutely correct. Good for them not wasting everyone’s time/money, and not contributing to healthcare bloat.

Glad you’re feeling better, too. As I rehab my torn hammy, I’ll need to work on the low back as well. I’m pretty sure my lumbar disc disease contributed to the hamstring injury, which is a good reminder not to neglect any of our interconnected parts.