Lower back - Ouch!

[dogonyx]

I hurt my lower back yesterday.

Sometimes it gets achy and then I rotate my mattress and it recovers in short order but I didn't start noticing it hurting yesterday until I was doing I-max so I expect I hurt it working out.

Does anyone know of any good lower back stretches?

Does anyone put heating pads on injuries anymore or is ice only the way to go?

I'd appreciate any advice you could give me. I did a search for it this morning and didn't find much but I didn't really have much time to read thoroughly.

Thanks!!!!

Shelley

 

[Seed]

My chiropractor told me to use a balance ball. Lay over it, then raise the left arm and the right leg at the same time, up and down for 12 counts and then do the right arm, left leg. This helps with my lower back pain. Also, I like what Tracie Long does in The Tortoise. Squat, then wrap your right hand/arm around the left knee and then straighten up a little, stretching through the lats and lower right side of your back and then do the other side. I can feel this through the trapezius/shoulder area as well. It's a great back stretch. I hope this helps.

 

[jgoycoolea]

I use a heating pad on my neck when it gets stiff. But my chiropractor told me not to. But I still do it bc it works for me. I told a friend about this conflict.

My friend--with no medical background-- told me that heat is fine for muscle only pain, but that ice is used when there is a nerve or tendon or something else involved. I believe the idea was that a stiff muscle will be loosened up with heat and the other parts will have inflammation reduced with ice.

Jeanne

 

[naughtoj]

I could tell you a million lower back stretches, but you might not want to stretch yet if the pain is still acute. You could make things worse. Because I am horrible at descriptions, it would be just as easy for you to search the Web for the stretches.

Heat works wonders. It will never hurt you. Ice may be better for nerves and such, but it sounds like you need heat. The heat acts as an anti-inflammatory, calming your muscles for some too temporary relief. Don't use it long term though, you can get a rash similar to burns with extended use. Maybe take a bath and then get out and do some light stretching as long as your pain is not intense. Also, take advil or alleve...if you don't have stomach problems...twice a day..two to three pills, with food. You might want to up the strength training for the back as well as you might have an imbalance somewhere.

I have been dealing with chronic upper back pain for 2 years now, so I know something. Hope you find some relief!!! Janice

 

[kristina]

In my personal experience it is heat for muscle strain and ice if it is spinal/nerve (sciatica, discs, nerve impingement etc). My doctor's pragmatic advice was "do whatever works, that's my motto."
If this is your first experience with back pain, it is PROBABLY muscular. Try the heating pad. If it makes it feel WORSE then switch over to ice. If the heat helps, those thermo patches are great for when you are up and about.
You should consider taking an anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofin.
The simplest low back stretches are the cat stetch (on your hands & knees,slowly arch up and then down, like a "C" ) & lying on your back and bringing your knees up one at a time to your chest. Be careful with twists; if you muscles are strained, a twist can set them off. Any twisting stretches you do should be slow.
If you do a search on Low Back Pain Exercises there are a number of sites, including Denise Austin & Karen Voigt, that give a few examples.

 

[dogonyx]

Thanks for your responses. They were very helpful.

The good news is my back is doing immensely better.

The bad news is that it's still not good enough for me to workout.

The other good news is that this injury is really going to inspire me to work the lower back. Can't wait for that abs video with those planks!

Thanks again,
Shelley