Hi Nancy,
Not Cathe here, but I have a similar problem. My situation is that when I strain my lower back, the discs/vertebrae slip into a wrong position, then the muscles "lock" my lower discs into that wrong position and the muscles don't want to let go. My massage therapist gets the muscles to loosen up and then gets the discs back into the correct position. But weak core muscles are the culprit. If the core was stronger, my core muscles would prevent the joints from slipping into that wrong position in the first place.
Now that may not be your problem, but if weak core muscles are the isue you can try the exercises my physical therapist gave me. I can't say they have completely resolved the problem, but it's slowly getting better (it's been about three months since I stopped physical therapy). I don't throw my back out as frequently and I seem to recover faster.
The exercises I do are:
- pelvic tilts (30 reps, hold for a count of 3-5)
- single knee to chest (alternate knees, hold for a count of 5, 10 reps each side)
- both knees to chest (10 reps, hold for a count of 5)
- knees side to side (10 reps, hold for a count of 5)
- #4 stretch (10 reps each side, hold for a count of 5)
- bridges (10 reps, hold for a count of 5)
- crunches (arms crossed in front, hands on your opposite shoulders, my PT started me at 30 and now I do 120 - he said do as many as I can)
- inner thigh squeeze (put a firm pillow or stability ball between your legs and squeeze those inner thighs - this works the lower back too - 10 reps hold for a count of 10)
- glute squeezes (legs straight out, squeeze your butt cheeks - you should feel your lower back tighten, 10 reps, hold for a count of 5)
- opposite arm/opposite leg - on the floor in a tabletop position, raise one arm straight out in front and the opposite leg straight behind you - don't lift the leg higher than your hip keep your hips square and your core tight (10 reps each side, hold for count of 5) Once you get good at these, you can progress to supermans.
- lion's stretch (this is the same as Cathe's child's pose, stretch arms out in front, pull lower body down to your heels - 10 reps, hold for count of 5-10)
- side lion's stretch (same as above except move your hands more to one side - same reps and count) repeat on other side
I do the first four stretches every morning (about 7-10 min) as I find my back gets tight overnight. I do the whole gamut every night. The whole sequence takes 20-30 min. If any of these exercises hurt when you do them, DON't do them (words from my PT). He actually told me that when my back goes out, don't do any of the strengthening exercises as I'll be make the muscles stronger in the wrong position.
I realize this is a long post, but I know how frustrating and painfull lower back problems are. I hope this helps.
Claude
"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Satchel Paige
