recovering from muscle spasms

[mbmundt]

About 1-1/2 weeks ago, I was on the floor stretching out my lower back because it was feeling tight and sore on the right side. I did a stretch that I had done numerous times before and got relief. This time it left me lying on the floor in massive pain and I could not get up. All the muscles in my low back and down the side and front of my leg totally cramped up on me. I managed to roll over onto my stomach and got some relief and somehow managed to get myself up off the floor and over to the bed. I was in such pain and could not sleep and in the middle of the night I tried getting up to get an ice pack and the second my foot hit the floor the pain went shooting down my leg all the way to my foot like a lighting bolt. The pain was so bad, that I ended up passing out.

I've been using ice and heat to get the inflammation down and warm up the muscles so they can relax. Ive been doing lots and lots of stretching and using our inversion board, which felt the best. I'm suspecting that is was my sciatic nerve that created the issues but now I feel like the muscles are so strained fromall the bad cramping. My other saving grace was I went to see an acupuncturist. I have had two sessions with her and have another this week.

Since I'm gradually starting to feel better, I would like to gradually get back into my workouts but I tried doing a simple walking tape (Leslie Sansone) and I started getting pain down the side of my leg so I only did 3 miles and then hung on the inversion board and did stretches.

I'm looking for suggestions in some exercises I could do with my upper body to get somewhat of a cardio factor with out incorporating too much in the legs. I work out at home in my basement so I'm limited on what's available to me as compared to a gym.

If anyone has gone through this and has some suggestions on exercises they did until they were able to do more with their legs, I'd love to hear from you. This not working out thing is driving me nuts.

I've been staying away from the weights as well mainly because of picking them up and causing strain on my lower back. I think I could start doing some upper body stuff with lighter weights then what I'm used to.

Sorry for going on and on..... looking for input, feedback, anything.

Thanks for listening! :-)
Brenda

[mini-natty]

Brenda,

I am so sorry to hear about your muscle spasms

About 2 years ago I was in a car accident. My back, neck and shoulder's were injured. A combination of acupuncture (which I believe you are already doing), physiotherapy and massage helped me completely recover. Like you, I was very limited in what cardio/weights I could perform while healing. For me, Yoga proved to be very beneficial. Boxing is also good if you want cardio without too much lower body movement/impact. Walking is excellent too, whatever you can do, it all adds up. You might even find bouncing on a stability ball, very low impact, moving your arms up and down, a light cardio workout (I did this during physiotherapy). I almost forgot my rebounder! Low impact, light jumps, which put no strain on my back. A wonderful piece of fitness equipment if you want to invest in one.

Hope I helped a bit. Good luck & take care,

Natasha

[Jenniferlove]

Hi Brenda,
Since you asked
I have been there. As for no exercising, believe me I know it's hard.

I strongly suggest going to a spine orthopedic doctor to find out what your back looks like.

Sure, it could be your muscles being tight (Epsom salt soak, ice, heating pack - you're doing everything right) - to me it sounds like it's your spine and that some of your movement (forward folds, situps, twisting, high impact) is causing a nerve to get caught in your spinal joint. That causes the muscles to tense up to protect the back from further damage... that is going to take some time to heal.

Any upper body exercises that you do will also work your back muscles to some extent because they are all connected.
Having said that, amaybe stay seated and upright and very carefully and slowly try to gently incorporate some of the exercises you feel you cannot do without.

You're smart to take a break and listen to your body!
Good Luck!

[mbmundt]

Hi Natasha and Jennifer

Thanks for the input. I greatly appreciate it.

Natasha, what is physiotherapy? I never heard of that before.

I think I'm going to try the yoga and boxing without the lower body movements and see how it goes. I wish I had a rebounder.

I do have a hard time listening to my body. I was given no choice this time. I think if I would have listened to it sooner, it wouldn't have gotten as bad as what it did.

Now I have to do what I have to do to get back and recover.

Man do I miss Cathe's step workouts. I miss Intensity. :-(

Thanks again!
Brenda

[Jenniferlove]

Natasha, so glad you recovered. Great advise, especially about the massage therapy; foam rollers are also a great and convenient way to masage the muscles. Acupuncture is also a great idea; it worked wonders for my wrist but I have not used it for my back - luckily my back doesn't bother me much anymore.

Brenda - good luck and keep us posted!

[RapidBreath]

For the mean time, I do not suggest doing any cardio at all. You can go back when you have healed. Jenniferlove is right, you really need to get a picture taken. But, if that doesn't show anything useful, I suggest that you find a really good chiropractor. If your spine is out of alignment (or even your neck.) it can cause these kinds of spasms. I was in a car accident when I was 11 years old, I wasn't in a seat belt, and I went head first into the dash board. The western medical doctors sent me home with pain killers (which cause insulin resistance.) and told me I had 'Tennis elbow." I don't play tennis. So, about 3 months later, my Dad took me to a chiropractor, I was in physical therapy for two years, and the adjustments made a world of difference. After the first visit, I had much less numbness, pain, and burning. And, now, I don't even have to go at all, I just practice my yoga to keep my muscles balanced, warm, and stretched out. Usually, when we feel the spasm or pain, it wasn't the motion we were doing at the time, but rather the imbalance that had developed over time leading up to it. You may also want to get tested for a potassium imbalance, that can also cause spasming.

I hope you feel better soon!!!! Hugs!

Alisha

[Jenniferlove]

chiropractors really are under-rated - great idea! I love mine

[mbmundt]

Alisha,

Thanks for the input. Potassium imbalance.. very interesting. Acupuncture has been helping and hanging on my inversion board has helped too. That feels the best.

If it doesn't get better soon, I agree I need to get pictures to find out what's going on. I do have a chiropractor that I have seen in the past, I could always go back to him.

I need to check out the potassium imbalance.. never thought of that.

Thanks for all the well wishes and advice!
Brenda

[aprilrain]

I had something similar happen. I got a cat scan done that showed a bulging disc that was pinching my nerve. I went to a physiotherapist who gave me exercises to stretch my spine and strengthen my core. The dr recommended that I keep walking even if it hurt. I finally got pain killers so that I could walk. Before that it hurt to walk so I would walk around the block and then lie down for a few hours. The more inactive I was the worst it got. The doctor recommended yoga and I should have done that too. Good luck, I know how frustrating it is to not move the way you're used to.