Cripes! Back pain.

[cab54]

I NEVER hurt my back. Never.

But I did. I don't even know what I did to it. I have been organizing the house a lot, and cleaning (last child is leaving the house for college in 3 weeks and I'm in a mood to get things orderly after years of boys, boys, boys.....;-) )

But, I mean the way I work out and run, you wouldn't think cleaning would do anything to me. Tsk! x( Two days ago, I could hardly move, and then yesterday, it felt pretty good after sleeping, and I just threw myself back into things---worked out and walked with SIL, and cleaned and organized........even shampooed the family room carpet. I've been loggin on Fly Lady too much... ;-) :7

So last night and today----ouch again. I know I need to rest it and cool it for a few days, but I am frustrated now, not to be able to work out, and keep up my cleaning streak. Rats!

I wasn't losing weight lately or seeing much change in my body even though I WAS working out feverishly previous to this! I am so mad! How do you all get through injuries or forced 'down times' ??

 

[endorphin_junkie]

Hey Cab!! I can totally relate, back pain is brutal!!! Good posture is invaluable as you recover from back pain, that was driven home for me in the spring when I hurt my back, tore some muscles and ligaments. The only thing I could do at the beginning was isometrics and pain free range of motion.

I believe absolutely that the best thing for recovery (besides rest, but that is not our nature ) is flushing the area with hot and cold packs after the acute stage (when there is no inflammation, swelling, pain at rest and heat in the area). Twenty minutes deep moist heat, 10 minutes ice pack (with a towel between your skin and the pack) and the do the heat again for 20 min. 10 cold, x3 finishing with cold. It is like magic, vascular flush, ice gets the crud out of the area and heat brings fresh blood flow in. Try it if you like and let us know how you're doing. Get Better SOON!!!

Take Care
Laurie

 

[gelfling]

Ibuprofen (or another anti-inflammatory medication), Arnica (whether oil, gel, homeopathic pillues, cream, ointment or whatever), active rest but NO straining of ANY kind so that means no stenuous exercise - sorry! and some TLC (tender loving care) will allow your back to heal properly. Don't spend ages sat in a chair and make sure you get up and stretch every half an hour to avoid more pain. My guess is that you probably hurt it cleaning your house and shampooing your carpet. It's one of the most common ways to injure your back. To paraphrase a quote from Highlander the first movie "You only have one back. You should value it" - it's fine advice.
ATB,
- Lisa

 

[cab54]

Thanks for the advice guys! I will take it, and use it. My DH has back pain all the time---I will be more understanding from now on, for sure! ;-) It is amazing how many things you do engage your back muscles! You only find out when you can't use them without pain.;(

 

[kathryn]

Back pain can be sooo debilitating! When your back hurts, it feels like every other body part is connected to it, and no matter what you do, it hurts!

About 16 years ago, I fell off a horse (who then almost fell on top of me!) landed almost on my tailbone, and had severe backpain for quite a while afterwards. For the first two weeks or so, it took me 10-15 minutes just to get out of bed in the morning, because during the night, my back would arch backward (trying to protect that area) and getting out of that position was excrutiating! I was a grad student teaching at the time, and I couldn't even hold students' papers out in front of me because my back muscles would feel it!

What helped me when regular doctors wouldn't (except to tell me to take pain pills) was chiropractic. Depending on your situation, it may help.

After the pain has subsided (soon, I hope!) doing core work can really help prevent back pain.

Also, it used to be common advice to rest for back pain, but more recently, professionals are saying that it may actually do more harm than good because it weakens the back muscles even more. Some kind of therapeutic exercise can help(like J.B. Bern's "Freedom REstoration" workouts, a series of 7 body part workouts, each with two, 15-minute workouts, on one DVD, from www.freedomexercise.com ).

Hope you feel better quickly!

 

[cab54]

Hi, Kathryn. It is day 3 and the back is doing oh, so much better.

I have just been doing normal things and household chores, but not the really rough stuff. If I ever have chronic pain, you can believe I will seek out chiropractic care. I've seen it work for so many. Thanks for the info! I am only getting older, so I may have this again someday. Hopefully not too soon.

I haevn't been doing my yoga, which usually keeps my back in shape, so maybe some mild stretches tonight........

 

[cab54]

BTW, your horseback riding accident sounds scary. I can't imagine being in the kind of pain you were--holding papers out in front of you hurt and all. Yeesh.

 

[kathryn]

>BTW, your horseback riding accident sounds scary. I can't
>imagine being in the kind of pain you were--holding papers out
>in front of you hurt and all. Yeesh.

Yeah, it was scary! While I was falling, my subconcious mind must have realized that something VERY BAD was about to happen, because it suddently seemed like I was watching a movie and not really "there." Like I was watching from deeper inside myself and had retreated from the surface of myself. Hard to explain, but a very strange feeling (equivalent to watching your life pass before your eyes?).

When I went to a chiropractor, he told me about some European royal who had just recently been killed when he fell off a horse, so I guess I was lucky (not to mention Christopher Reeve's accident!).

 

[cab54]

I've had that feeling before--that almost surreal out of body, out of mind experience, as something horrendous is happening. I remember when a young man was barreling through a parking lot and hit my car, with my (then) two little boys in it. I could see it all happening like in slow motion, and it was almost as if the 'feeling' was a protective device built in me, so that I wouldn't feel the entire actual horror of what was happening (or what I perceived as happening---my mind going to my babies, and all...)

Luckily, the accident turned out to be a fender-bender and the kids and I were shaken up, but OK. But I remember telling my dh that I felt like I just let my body somewhere in the middle of it and watched it all happen. He thought I was nuts. :+

This is just one incident (I have lived a long time ;-) ) and I remember other times this happened. You probably do too.

 

[cab54]

BTW---I think I may have found the culprit that caused the back pain. I noticed in ---can't remember ---PUB? maybe? When I was doing the core/abs move where you bring the ball up and touch it with one foot and then the other? I cannot remember what she calls them---I'm an old lady. ;-) Anyway, it is probably more my form (or lack of it) that causes my pain in the middle of it. I have trouble with this one for some reason--keeping my back straight and etc is tough. It felt especially sore during and after. Maybe I need to modify or do somehting else that's as effective while she does this one.......

Why is it that BUILDING your core strength----I don't know---it's like you need to HAVE pretty good core strength to do it?

 

[kathryn]

>Why is it that BUILDING your core strength----I don't
>know---it's like you need to HAVE pretty good core strength to
>do it?


Sometimes seems like it, doesn't it? And several "core fitness" workouts only show the most advanced version of a move, which not everyone is ready for. It's like a "level 10" move is shown, and you can only safely do a "level 7" move. You need to challenge yourself with a "level 8" move instead of trying to advance too quickly.(I've discovered the same thing with some yoga tapes, as I've just gotten into yoga in the last few months. After reading some books on modifications, I now feel I can work my way up to the full expression of some moves, rather than going right into them. Especially since some authors say that it may take months or even years of practice to be able to do X or Y move to its full extent.)

Here are some ideas:
I think the safest route to go is building up gradually to some more advanced exercises (like doing the one you mentioned with one foot on the ground, or another modification that would allow you to do it with proper back and ab form). You could even work up to this by working on "boat" pose: balance on your tailbone, with body in a "v"--legs as straight as you can get, and arms in front of you, or out to the sides like a plane, if that helps you hold the back/ab position better. Think about keeping your chest up--there is an invisible string attached to your sternum that pulls you towards the ceiling-- as you curl the lower ribs to the pelvis (a slight "c" curve). If this is too tough, you can modify down by putting one foot on the floor. Or you could keep the upper body and leg position and support the upper body more with your hands on the floor behind you .

You can also work on core strength by doing some of the "safer" exercises, like planks or supermen/supermans(?). Try doing planks (on your knees if necessary) for 5 minutes a day. Not all as one hold, but holding as long as you can in the toes position, then dropping to your knees to take a break, then going up again. Each day, try to lengthen the amount of time you hold each rep. If you can work up to holding for the entire 5 minutes, your core should be pretty strong! You can also add variations, like lifting one leg at a time (trying to do both at once is probably not a good idea:+ ), or lifting one leg, then bending at the knee and bringing the knee in a bit. (Hmmm... maybe I'll do this, too !)