My back!!!!

jengollf

jengollf

Cathlete
I can't believe it--last night my back just went out--seized up and started spasming and now I can barely walk, bend etc. I was in the middle of a great rotation and had GS Legs queued up for this morning. )o:

I am obviously taking this morning off, but what am I stuck with until this improves? Riding my recumbent bike?:(

I'm so unhappy. 15+ years ago when I was overweight and inactive I suffered from frequent back problems but once I dropped the weight and started working out daily it ended. Now it's back. I work out every day and though I have gained some weight, I am not overweight or anywhere near as big as I used to be. Plus, I think I am in better shape than ever.

Is this because of my age (I'm 43) or can even a little weight gain cause things like this? I have no recollection of doing anything that could have hurt my back. Yesterday morning it was fine. I did High Step Challenge which I have done a million times with no problem and I got through it again with no problem. Then it started aching at work--but nothing serious. Then last night I stood and bam! I was in agony.

I can't figure out what I did. :(
 
I'm really sorry :( I have had low back issues for years. Do you see a Chiropractor? That helps me a lot. I hope it gets better soon.

Judy
 
Don't get too depressed yet! I think you simply overdid it. Heal up with walking, the bike and resting. It happens to me with Cathe's Glute and Leg when u hold barbel in front and then play tennis in same day. It's a strain.


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Happened to me once, too, about 15 years ago. I ended up going to the doctor and getting a muscle relaxant, which helped immensely. I simply bent over to pick up something and ZAP. I could not stand up straight.

I highly recommend that you check out Yoga for Relaxation by Barbara Benagh. It's not traditional yoga, just gentle poses. The segment on hips/SI joint has given me massive relief with chronic lower back pain. The DVD has a lot of different segments, focusing on different things (shoulders/neck/upper back; lower back; hips/SI joint; relaxation; am/pm sessions; etc).
 
Hi Jen,
If you have "electric shock" like pain it indicates more nerve pain than muscle. I had a herniated disc unrelated to any specific activity and this is how it felt. But I've also experienced spasms in my back which ended up being tight ligaments as I'd neglected proper stretching for years - an athletic therapist or perhaps physio can help with either but you may need a doctor to properly diagnose you so you don't cause more damage? Rest, ice, maybe anti-inflammatories may help. I feel for you, it sucks to be in the midst of a great rotation and then have to "pause"...:(
Take care of yourself,
Jamie
 
Sorry to hear of your back problem. At 43 I would give it about two weeks rest and then see a doctor if it's still bad. At least you can ride your recumbent bike! Good time to eat salads, too! It's probably just a temporary set back...we all get them!

Beth
 
Hey Jen, yes this has happened to me too! One good sneeze can bring me to my knees!! Try a few things to see what helps you. Alternate heat and ice, epson salt bath, gentle stretches, rumble roller, rest. Go to your MD if it doesn't get better. I have taken muscle relaxers before and they REALLY DO help. Personally I can only take them when I don't have to get up early the next day.....they zonk me out! Chiropractor, massage...whatever helps but I'm sure you already know......rest. You need to give yourself permission to rest and go slow. If you miss a workout.....its ok, your back will appreciate it. Take care of it cuz its the only one you've got! Good luck.
 
I had episodes of back spasms several years ago. While resting my back, I bought the book "Back Rx" by Vijay Vad, MD. It really helped. Then I started going to Pilates classes twice a week to strengthen my core. I have never had another episode. Hope yours resolves soon. I know it's painful and discouraging.
 
Jen....I am so sorry to be reading this. Hope you are pain free soon and back to your workout routines.
 
That happened to me last year! I was shoveling some gravel. I was being so careful! I came in and did my workout and later it just totally seized up. I ended up going for a massage and it brought everything back to normal. You could give that a try.
 
Thanks/update

Thanks everyone for the advice and commiseration! I would have replied earlier, but it hurt to sit at the computer (I did read the replies on my iphone). I am at work this morning however and my back has improved. I took Saturday off working out and took a lot of pain meds! I can't handle muscle relaxers though my husband also swears they work (and I know they do--I used to take them many years ago when I had chronic back problems). However, I am useless when I take muscle relaxers and unfortunately I have too much to do on the weekends. Even tho I was in a lot of pain, with enough tramadol, I was able to grocery shop, do laundry and prepare my food for this week--as well as the socializing plans we had already made weeks before! My husband was a big help--doing things for me so I didn't have to bend over as much and forcing me to use heating pads and take breaks. By the end of the day my back was improved so Sunday morning I did Pedal Power on my recumbent bike. Obviously much less strenuous on the back since I wasn't using a spin bike so no standing-riding. I got through that fine and thought, maybe next week I don't have to do a complete overhaul on my rotation--just some modifications. I felt like I could do my upper body weight work and as the week progresses maybe some lower body work that doesn't use heavy weights (Xtrain Legs rather than GS Legs).

So this morning I did Burn Sets Premix 1 (Back, Chest and Shoulders + Core #1). I got through that just fine even tho my back still aches. However, I can bend over. Some exercises require back muscles when going really heavy--such as chest work--so I went a little lighter than I usually do so as not to over-strain my back when laying down and sitting up on the bench. But I didn't go so light that it wasn't a challenge. And for back work I put my knee on the step to support my back. Nothing else really affected my back. The bent over rows I lightened up a little, too, to protect my back. Overall, I didn't feel any unnecessary pain in my back and even tho it still hurts, it is no worse than before I worked out.

Tomorrow I am doing Xtrain Legs, but I am using the same weights Cathe does (I always go a lot heavier than she does in that workout). I decided no cardio this week that has impact--so Tabatacise is out! So is Cardio Leg Blast :(. I'll do Burn Sets Bis & Tris like I planned, I'll add Supercuts, then depending on how my back is by the end of the week I will do AOLIH if it is better--if not Ride on my recumbent. And if I do have a big improvement in my back by the end of the week, I'll do the GS Legs I missed out on on Saturday. I also missed my Sunday Rapid Fire workout, but Susan Chung always has a no impact modifier, so if it continues to improve I'll do Rapid Fire w/out impact on Sunday.

Of course, all of this is if it continues to improve. It still hurts, but it is a huge improvement over the agony of Saturday. I can bend and I am stretching it a lot. I only used the tramadol on Saturday because it tears my stomach up and I suffered the side effects of using it all day Sunday. Sunday I only took some motrin. Today nothing so far. I hate pain meds--even OTC ones.

So that's the plan. Fingers crossed by next week I'm back on track. I don't know what I did, but thank God it didn't last as long as it used to. 15+ years ago when I was overweight and out of shape, when my back went out it was out for weeks. And agonizing for nearly a week before it started to improve. So it is a relief the worst part of it was only one day (so far--as long as I don't exacerbate it!).
 
jengollf said:
Thanks everyone for the advice and commiseration! I would have replied earlier, but it hurt to sit at the computer (I did read the replies on my iphone). I am at work this morning however and my back has improved. I took Saturday off working out and took a lot of pain meds! I can't handle muscle relaxers though my husband also swears they work (and I know they do--I used to take them many years ago when I had chronic back problems). However, I am useless when I take muscle relaxers and unfortunately I have too much to do on the weekends. Even tho I was in a lot of pain, with enough tramadol, I was able to grocery shop, do laundry and prepare my food for this week--as well as the socializing plans we had already made weeks before! My husband was a big help--doing things for me so I didn't have to bend over as much and forcing me to use heating pads and take breaks. By the end of the day my back was improved so Sunday morning I did Pedal Power on my recumbent bike. Obviously much less strenuous on the back since I wasn't using a spin bike so no standing-riding. I got through that fine and thought, maybe next week I don't have to do a complete overhaul on my rotation--just some modifications. I felt like I could do my upper body weight work and as the week progresses maybe some lower body work that doesn't use heavy weights (Xtrain Legs rather than GS Legs).

So this morning I did Burn Sets Premix 1 (Back, Chest and Shoulders + Core #1). I got through that just fine even tho my back still aches. However, I can bend over. Some exercises require back muscles when going really heavy--such as chest work--so I went a little lighter than I usually do so as not to over-strain my back when laying down and sitting up on the bench. But I didn't go so light that it wasn't a challenge. And for back work I put my knee on the step to support my back. Nothing else really affected my back. The bent over rows I lightened up a little, too, to protect my back. Overall, I didn't feel any unnecessary pain in my back and even tho it still hurts, it is no worse than before I worked out.

Tomorrow I am doing Xtrain Legs, but I am using the same weights Cathe does (I always go a lot heavier than she does in that workout). I decided no cardio this week that has impact--so Tabatacise is out! So is Cardio Leg Blast :(. I'll do Burn Sets Bis & Tris like I planned, I'll add Supercuts, then depending on how my back is by the end of the week I will do AOLIH if it is better--if not Ride on my recumbent. And if I do have a big improvement in my back by the end of the week, I'll do the GS Legs I missed out on on Saturday. I also missed my Sunday Rapid Fire workout, but Susan Chung always has a no impact modifier, so if it continues to improve I'll do Rapid Fire w/out impact on Sunday.

Of course, all of this is if it continues to improve. It still hurts, but it is a huge improvement over the agony of Saturday. I can bend and I am stretching it a lot. I only used the tramadol on Saturday because it tears my stomach up and I suffered the side effects of using it all day Sunday. Sunday I only took some motrin. Today nothing so far. I hate pain meds--even OTC ones.

So that's the plan. Fingers crossed by next week I'm back on track. I don't know what I did, but thank God it didn't last as long as it used to. 15+ years ago when I was overweight and out of shape, when my back went out it was out for weeks. And agonizing for nearly a week before it started to improve. So it is a relief the worst part of it was only one day (so far--as long as I don't exacerbate it!).
Click to expand...

Hope you get more improvement in order to be fully up and running.
You need to be fully operational to go through what you have planned to do :eek::eek:. That is a busy rotation you have in store for yourself ;)

Take care:):)
 
Very glad to hear that you're back up and (almost) running. You're a strong woman - emotionally and physically.
Watch out for some of the low impact stuff - I find it can hurt my back.
Well done
 
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