I always have lower back pain and I know I need to stretch more and probably strengthen my core, ect. . . However, what do others do for relief. I have two bad lower back knots that I try heat, a back massager, foam roller and the best option I have found is the good ole tennis ball (real best option is an hour massage but my wallet does not like that). Although the tennis ball does release the knots, I still have soreness.
What do you do? Best options?
Interesting TENS machine, had never heard of that before.
I had bad back pain for a year or so. I stopped sitting and started working from a stand up desk and i can honestly say my back is so much better from it.
Standing is absolutely one of the best things you can do.
Try yoga, or even PT. I've heard many people get rid of sciatica or back issues from this type of dynamic stretching. PT, I'd suggest someone who is more about preventative, again dynamic stretching (not JUST core strengthening) of back, legs, abs, hips, sides. They always used to stretch the hams & calves b4 sports practices but never the front / hips / sides / abs save quads in my experience (nor would it last more than 5-10 min which seems almost pointless)...esp in the 80s-90s etc. My PT on the other hand was amazing - imo something we all should do regardless of cardio or lifting (and it's a huge boost to all that activity too). It's not about time, but takes me 30 min of just stretching. That can be the workout tho I did that w/ other exercises like cardio or lifting
And of course it'd be good to focus on improving your posture, gait etc. Not at all easy and basically a life long pursuit but having gone thru a major leg injury, it's clear one of the biggest problems is we walk stand sit poorly - aside from specific difficult high intensity activities that lead to extra wear & tear for athletes or those who do physical labor day to day. Actually a PTist might be able to help a ton more there than anyone - I learned I am knock-kneed a bit, which may have led to my injury, if not just the issues I'm having since. And of course now have specific exercises to strengthen & align the necessary muscles to improve that long term. Pretty sure your Dr would give you a prescription no prob
Also might try acupuncture. It's one of the only times I felt a decent jump in my healing. Also had a friend who had migraines from basically building his shoulders / neck up too much - got some 'electric current' acupuncture of some sort he SWEARS by and no longer has migraines...
Also stretch your psoas, that really helps!
I had bad back pain for a year or so. I stopped sitting and started working from a stand up desk and i can honestly say my back is so much better from it.
Standing is absolutely one of the best things you can do.
I only do foam roller on mid to upper back which sometimes hurts as I compensate for lower back. I would like a standing desk though.
You didn’t speak of the cause of your lower back pain. Were you in injured? Have you see a doctor? Is your weight under control? As a general rule, you need to keep moving & not be sedentary. Check your posture. I take yoga, that helps. I walk a lot. Good luck.
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I had a knot in my back a couple of weeks ago, rest and the icy hot patches did the trick for me
You didn’t speak of the cause of your lower back pain. Were you in injured? Have you see a doctor? Is your weight under control? As a general rule, you need to keep moving & not be sedentary. Check your posture. I take yoga, that helps. I walk a lot. Good luck.
I always have had some lower back pain dating back to HS. Nothing very serious but I mostly suffer from having a 1 year old and 4 year old—carrying them around a lot and not finding time to exercise.
I except as I keep getting older it will get worse without much exercise.
The hamstrings being tight is an interesting point as mine are usually tight.
IMO. Take pills and get therapy if you want relief only. Lose weight if you want a cure.
Exercise, and whatever else tickles your fancy, is all well & good (a strong core=less pain) however, it is a multifarious treatment plan (knocking down bits of pain, through all resources), that begins with a plant based diet which has given me the most relief, while enduring nearly thirty years of chronic back pain.
Good luck to you, the back is not an easy pain to endure. Nor, is chronic pain understood by peers, colleagues, & medical professionals. You are on your own island, make it comfortable for YOU.
Specific stretches I found that provide the most relief are
-Piriformis stretch with lower leg @90deg on a bench.
-Foam roller on the IT band - from just above the side of the knee all the way to the hip.
-Hamstring; on your back with leg on the doorframe.
-Squats (I have Wright Balance Golf stance widths x9 that I use for each 10 reps). Put a large exercise ball between the small of your back and the wall, do squats leaning into the ball.
Inversion table has been great.
Easiest and most impactful core exercise has been Turkish get-ups. You can start with no weight and eventually start locking-out a kettle bell or dumbell. Adam Scott's trainer once said if he could recommend one core exercise to do for life it would be this.
I also plank regularly at those 9 Wright balance stance widths I mention above. The theory is it strengthens all 3 regions of your core - upper/middle/lower.
As somebody mentioned, you have to use trial and error to make a call on what works for you.
Talk to a healthcare professional before giving this a try.
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Exercise, and whatever else tickles your fancy, is all well & good (a strong core=less pain) however, it is a multifarious treatment plan (knocking down bits of pain, through all resources), that begins with a plant based diet which has given me the most relief, while enduring nearly thirty years of chronic back pain.
Good luck to you, the back is not an easy pain to endure. Nor, is chronic pain understood by peers, colleagues, & medical professionals. You are on your own island, make it comfortable for YOU.
I actually second this in a way, but with one amendment. Not necessarily a plant based diet, but a diet that consists of whole foods. Non farmed fish, pastured meats and dairy, vegetables, and fruit. I don't think people realize how crappy processed foods and factory farming process has made our health. People are essentially eating sick animals on a day in day out basis. Foods high in omega 3's are going to offer a ton of pain relief, salmon, sardines, lamb (grass fed). One of the biggest health issues your average person has is their 03-06 ratio is way way off putting your body in constant state of inflammation.
- stretch out back laying on floor a few minutes each day
- acetaminophen
- bombay martinis, really dry with blue cheese olives
not being facetious.
obviously not without its downsides, but in addition to all the other treatment plans you have, if you live in a state that allows it medically or recreationally maybe ask your doctor what they think about it when considering pain management.
it's probably no more toxic than swallowing handfuls of ibuprofen or acetaminophen every day.