Lower Back

ViperMAN

Hi All,

I'm not looking for actual medical advice per se. I don't want a diagnoses and treatment exercises. I am just wondering if someone had something similar to what I describe below and where did they go to get it sorted. My apologies if this is still against the rules - if so, please remove.

I often hear about people going between physios, chiropractors, doctors, XRays, MRIs, acupuncture, yogo, pilates, etc. Spending loads of money and taking forever without any results. I just want to be pointed in the right direction.


For the last few years I have been experiencing lower back pain in the morning - especially if I lie in for a long time. I wouldn't call it pain as such - more of a discomfort. Being a typical (stupid) Irish man I decided not to get it checked out as it wasn't too bad. It is starting to get worse.

Things to note:
- I am quite sporty but I sit all day at work.
- I have incredibly weak hamstrings - have pulled both hamstrings a total of 3 times in the last few years and when I play most sport they always 'feel' like going in the first 10mins until I get going (regardless of how much I warm up beforehand).
- When I sit into my car, my whole back doesn't seem to be touching the seat. Its like my lower left side of my back makes contact with the seat, but not my lower right. Whenever I drive I feel a little lob-sided.
- I was working in a bar, lifting heavy things a few years ago - but I do not remember a moment of great pain when I lifted something incorrectly.

I have been to physio's over the years with my pulled hamstrings and they seem very hit and miss. I have also heard horror stories about chiropractors - but if people recommend them I will certainly give them a go.

Any advice (not medical of course) would be great.

Oryx

There is no right direction here, as your back is unique to you, and your experience different from anyone elses. You could get ten different opinions on physios etc, some will swear by chiropractics, some say its useless.... but you need real world help and advice.

I'll keep an eye here but if it strays into medical advice, Ill have to close it.

Zombienosh

ViperMAN wrote: »

Things to note:
- I am quite sporty but I sit all day at work.
- I have incredibly weak hamstrings

You've almost answered your own question with these points.
You probably have very tight hips, Aswell as weak hamstrings you might have weak lower abdominals. This usually leads to lower back pain as the back the is compensating for the weak hams,abs. It's all linked to posture. You probably have bad posture.

These are all just ideas, but you should really go see someone who specialises in this, It's IMPOSSIBLE to tell without seeing you.

ViperMAN

Thanks Zombienosh/Oryx!

@Zombienosh - I'm conscious about the no-medical advice rule. Would you say weak hams/abs and poor posture is one for a physio or chiropractor?

Thanks in advance.

thegreatiam

ViperMAN wrote: »

Thanks Zombienosh/Oryx!

@Zombienosh - I'm conscious about the no-medical advice rule. Would you say weak hams/abs and poor posture is one for a physio or chiropractor?

Thanks in advance.

both, i think.

There are good physio and bad physio, same for chiropractors.
Ive used plenty of both for back and knee problems.

I would start with a good physio tho, see if they find muscle imbalances which may be pulling you out of line. get a treatment course from a high standard physio and get them to recommend if you need to go to a chiropractor for further adjustments.

Physios have quite a wide range of knowledge, so that should probably be yuor first point of call.

ecoli

thegreatiam wrote: »

both, i think.

There are good physio and bad physio, same for chiropractors.
Ive used plenty of both for back and knee problems.

I would start with a good physio tho, see if they find muscle imbalances which may be pulling you out of line. get a treatment course from a high standard physio and get them to recommend if you need to go to a chiropractor for further adjustments.

Physios have quite a wide range of knowledge, so that should probably be yuor first point of call.

+1 on this. Without going into too much details there are a number of tell tale signs in what you have described that would lead me to believe that sports physio/ therapist would be the first port of call

Like the greatiam says there are varying degrees of skill amongst practioners and similarly within this again my advice would be to seek out someone with a good reputation of treating lower back injuries.

cletus van damme

i have tight hips - i've tight everything tbh.

I used to get the morning stiffness in my lower back like you describe.

I was given a stretch - not too disimilar to this one

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/knee-across-the-body


do this about 4 times a week - both sides and since i started the morning issue is gone no matter how hard i train (or what i do)

now as said everybody's back is different so it's mighn't be precise for your case.
First few times of doing it I could feel a "click" in my back just in case you wondering.

but tbh I'd go with the other people and visit see a physio

Frank Bullitt

I have had lower back issues for a very long time. Recently did it in pretty bad and had no choice but to visit the physic, his advice was to stretch my glutes as best as I could each day and it would make a huge difference, and he was very right. I have neglected this the past month as I have been travelling around a bit and I can feel it getting tight again.

A simple stretch to help is to sit up straight on a chair and cross one of your legs onto your knee, so put your ankle on your knee, keep your upper back straight, grab the front of your shin on the leg that is up and slowly pull yourself in towards your leg, hold for a minute. Do this a few times a day and you will see a big difference.

Chancer3001

I was recommended a back stretcher type thingy from Argos.

Looks like it'd do nothing. You just lie on it. Costs about 30 quid.

Work friend uses t every day his back pain went away.

I don't use mine half enough, but when I was in a routine it definitely helped my lower back too.

I can find the proper name if you need it.

Back magic I think.....

ViperMAN

Hi everyone,

It looks like doing a bit of of hip and glute work should do the trick.
I'll get in touch with a physio.

Thanks for all the input.

Moxy Shazbot

Does any one know the best exercises for a bad lower back?

john_cappa

What's the cause of it being 'bad'?

thegreatiam

situps are pretty good to get a bad lower back.

Dr_Colossus

ViperMAN wrote: »

Hi everyone,

It looks like doing a bit of of hip and glute work should do the trick.
I'll get in touch with a physio.

Thanks for all the input.

Not sure where you're based but I can recommend Aidan Woods in Pearse St Physio, Dublin. An absolute gent and is all about prevention and solving the route cause rather than having you back week after week unnecessarily.

Similarly to you I would be quite sporty but spend 10+ hrs a day sitting in an office and last year after moving house and sleeping in a different bed for a few weeks my lower back was in bits. Driving was particularly bad and couldn't spend any longer than 30 mins at a time sitting in one position.

Aidan having previously sorted a few issues was my first port of call and advised that my lower disk was inflamed and the cause was from my upper back being overly tight which was pulling and straining my lower back. After a few sessions and numerous stretches and exercises things improved greatly so it's just awareness and maintenance since.

ViperMAN

Thanks Dr_Colossus,

I am based down in Cork.
I was recommended a physio (http://www.blackpoolphysio.com/) who has relieved my problems. It is up to me now - to work on the exercises I was given to prevent the problems from re-occuring.

Thanks for your input though.

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Not sure where you're based but I can recommend Aidan Woods in Pearse St Physio, Dublin. An absolute gent and is all about prevention and solving the route cause rather than having you back week after week unnecessarily.

Similarly to you I would be quite sporty but spend 10+ hrs a day sitting in an office and last year after moving house and sleeping in a different bed for a few weeks my lower back was in bits. Driving was particularly bad and couldn't spend any longer than 30 mins at a time sitting in one position.

Aidan having previously sorted a few issues was my first port of call and advised that my lower disk was inflamed and the cause was from my upper back being overly tight which was pulling and straining my lower back. After a few sessions and numerous stretches and exercises things improved greatly so it's just awareness and maintenance since.

Busted Flat.

ViperMAN wrote: »

Hi All,

I'm not looking for actual medical advice per se. I don't want a diagnoses and treatment exercises. I am just wondering if someone had something similar to what I describe below and where did they go to get it sorted. My apologies if this is still against the rules - if so, please remove.

I often hear about people going between physios, chiropractors, doctors, XRays, MRIs, acupuncture, yogo, pilates, etc. Spending loads of money and taking forever without any results. I just want to be pointed in the right direction.


For the last few years I have been experiencing lower back pain in the morning - especially if I lie in for a long time. I wouldn't call it pain as such - more of a discomfort. Being a typical (stupid) Irish man I decided not to get it checked out as it wasn't too bad. It is starting to get worse.

Things to note:
- I am quite sporty but I sit all day at work.
- I have incredibly weak hamstrings - have pulled both hamstrings a total of 3 times in the last few years and when I play most sport they always 'feel' like going in the first 10mins until I get going (regardless of how much I warm up beforehand).
- When I sit into my car, my whole back doesn't seem to be touching the seat. Its like my lower left side of my back makes contact with the seat, but not my lower right. Whenever I drive I feel a little lob-sided.
- I was working in a bar, lifting heavy things a few years ago - but I do not remember a moment of great pain when I lifted something incorrectly.

I have been to physio's over the years with my pulled hamstrings and they seem very hit and miss. I have also heard horror stories about chiropractors - but if people recommend them I will certainly give them a go.

Any advice (not medical of course) would be great.

I had back problems, I started of with a scan and went from there.

TheBellJar

ViperMAN wrote: »

Thanks Dr_Colossus,

I am based down in Cork.
I was recommended a physio (http://www.blackpoolphysio.com/) who has relieved my problems. It is up to me now - to work on the exercises I was given to prevent the problems from re-occuring.

Thanks for your input though.

That's pretty much all they can do though - give you a diagnosis, do what they can to fix you and hope that you stick to the home rehab prog they provide. If it's still at you after that, then you need to either get a second opinion or go get a scan and see if it's more serious.

jrby

cletus van damme wrote: »

i have tight hips - i've tight everything tbh.

I used to get the morning stiffness in my lower back like you describe.

I was given a stretch - not too disimilar to this one

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/knee-across-the-body


do this about 4 times a week - both sides and since i started the morning issue is gone no matter how hard i train (or what i do)

now as said everybody's back is different so it's mighn't be precise for your case.
First few times of doing it I could feel a "click" in my back just in case you wondering.

but tbh I'd go with the other people and visit see a physio

i've bad hips and lower back.....this is a good stretch to help mine.....I should do it more often though