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Solving back problems

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Geezus mod
So yeah, my back's been shot for the past couple weeks now. I have a horrible, almost crippling pain in my lower back when I take heavy steps, normally when I take my first few steps from sitting. My chair broke, short on cash, so I'm forced to use my drafting table chair. To top it all off, the missus and I are using an Aerobed.

So I've been hopped up on Bayer for the past couple days, but I despise taking pills and it's making me sometimes too groggy to focus. I know I can't be the only artist here that spends 8-12 hours a day infront of their PC with back problems, so my question is, aside from "get a new bed, buy a new chair", what back exercises have you all tried that have produced good results?

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  • blankslatejoe
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    blankslatejoe polycounter lvl 19
    i used to have real bad back problems too, mixed with low bone density--both were caused by long term prescription drugs.

    stretches did nothing. those swiss ball chair things did nothing. the only thing that helped was lifting weights.

    by lifting weights my mid section was forced to deal with a lot of extra stress..and by providing it with extra protein and calcium it healed stronger. Both my midsection muscles and my spine itself are feeling pretty strong these days.
  • Michael Knubben
    none, but both my arms have diminished freedom of movement, and my back's been bad since i was a kid, so i'd be interested as well.
  • Rhinokey
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    Rhinokey polycounter lvl 18
    at work every 4 hours or so, i lay down on the floor and stretch for like 5 minutes, feels great.
  • Mark Dygert
    Exercise balls are great (and cheap) there was a thread about them earlier this year I've been using one ever since. The ball chairs suck, you need to force your body to balance and use the ball to strengthen your back and abs. It can take a while to get used to it so I suggest trading off in the beginning since you already have a stressed back.

    If you're a lazy sitter and always have to slouch or lean on something it will take you longer to learn how to sit correctly, the ball can help with that but it won't do all the work for you. Once you "learn to sit" you'll be in good shape to go round after round in a regular chair.

    I should mention some people have hang ups about sitting on a ball, but I say screw them and their hang ups, its your back. Besides when they all end up with hump backs, they are fair game for ridicule since they scoff at the ball. I bet you can think of more hump back jokes than they can think of ball sitting jokes.
  • cholden
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    cholden polycounter lvl 18
    #1 See a doctor

    #2 Do all these exercises, once or twice a week. Deadlift and bridge always make my back feel SO good.
    (with all that use weights, don't worry about moving massive amounts of weight around. Start with none)

    Deadlift
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=61nY5Sr-LfM

    Good Morning
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=BHxtscXb6MA

    Bridge
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r37Xm40T7I

    Superman
    http://ronjones.org/Superman.jpg
  • Mark Dygert
    [ QUOTE ]
    #1 See a doctor

    [/ QUOTE ]

    So true and the best advice in this thread so far. I didn't start using an exercise ball as a chair until after I talked to my Dr, and other people that had been using them as chairs for quite a while.

    The exercises seem like a good idea, and even tho I don't think I have back problems I think I'm going to try a few of them out and see how I feel.
  • Malekyth
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    Malekyth polycounter lvl 18
    I horribly fucked up my back sometime in October. Sitting hurt, regardless of the chair, and the first several steps after getting up were like an old man's: slow, deliberate, and horribly unpleasant. I was out of work for several days simply because sitting was out of the question. It was diagonosed as a ruptured disc, with the usual diminished curve and warning signs of a lot of pain ahead if I didn't take steps now ...

    Your first order of business, in my opinion, is to see a chiropractor. Chiropractic a drug-free solution that can help you get your life working again. I was in the same kind of pain you describe ("crippling"), but two weeks of daily adjustments reduced the agony to a manageable enough level to get through the day, and eventually, start a physical therapy program. The exercises suggested in this thread are good, and a couple (side bridge, superman) are part of the daily workout my therapist put me on. But you can't be wincing every time you move and hope to do exercises, so first thing first, see a chiropractor and get wrenched back into shape. It worked for me.

    In the meantime, you might get some relief from sitting on a balance disc, like this one. It's not as plain weird as sitting on a balance ball (which I love at the gym, but won't sit on at a desk ... some people dig it, I just don't), but will help correct your posture and even provide some pain relief.

    However you go about it, I hope your condition improves soon, and stays improved. Back pain is horrible, it affects everything you do, and nobody, however slouchy, deserves that. smile.gif
  • adam
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    adam polycounter lvl 19
    If you're at a desk/sitting for your job 8+/hrs a day then get up every hour and walk about for 2 minutes. Your back will luvr u.
  • Ferg
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    Ferg polycounter lvl 17
    I displaced a vertebrae in my lower back snowboarding about 5 years ago... bad bad pain. Gonna have it for the rest of my life. I found that general workouts and stretches for my midsection helped a lot. Our problems may be different. You really should go see a doctor, the solution that works for me might end up hurting you if the cause is different enough. All I need to do is make sure my muscles around my lower back are strong enough to hold my spine in place, and I'm ok. Just my two cents.
  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    Got two compression fractures in my spine at school, the doctor gave me an exercise to do. I'm not sure of the name, but basically you lie on your belly and arch backards, lifting your feet and head up, so you're sort of in a U shape.

    I also echo cholden on the deadlifts. I started doing them a few months ago and noticed my back felt better, and I think it helped my posture too.
  • monster
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    monster polycounter
    One stretch that helps my lower back pain is sitting on a chair, putting my left ankle on my right knee, and then reaching for my right toe. Then I do the other side. A physical therapist showed me that.

    But to be completely honest, my back problems didn't go away until I got a Aeron Chair for work, and a Temperpedic Celebrity bed to sleep on.
  • Geezus
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    Geezus mod
    wow, I appreciate all of the great info guys.

    Unfortunately, the whole "go see a doctor" thing will have to wait until I have insurance. There's no way I'll be able to afford the chiropractic fees. Though, it wouldn't hurt to call around I suppose, just to see what the cost would be.

    I've talked to a few friends that have also shown me a few exercises their chiropractor instructed them to do. Looks like I may have to invest in a YMCA membership this coming month to start lifting, trying those exercises above (thanks cholden), and to simply treat my body better.


    @vig: I remember that thread a few months back. I also remember there being a chair harness of sorts to hold the exercise ball. I'd imagine that you'd have to have a separate "relaxation" chair set aside for when you just want to relax at the pc or something.

    @monster: yeah...tried that, it popped something, but in a good way, heh.

    Thanks again for the information. :]
  • Mark Dygert
    [ QUOTE ]

    @vig: I remember that thread a few months back. I also remember there being a chair harness of sorts to hold the exercise ball. I'd imagine that you'd have to have a separate "relaxation" chair set aside for when you just want to relax at the pc or something.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I use just the plain 75mm Exercise Ball. Those chair harness things suck ass and actually don't work as well as just the ball alone. With the harness the ball becomes just an air cushion seat and you lose out on the benefits of balancing. If you have trouble balancing I suggest rolling the ball onto your heals to hold it still. It's not as an intense work out as it sounds I only suggest you trade off for the first few days because you're nursing a sore back already.

    I figure for $12 it can't hurt too much to give it a try, besides you can also use it for ... exercises... if you don't like it as a chair.
  • Michael Knubben
  • sledgy
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    sledgy polycounter lvl 18
    One thing that's helped my lower back pain is stretching of the hamstrings and glutes. Everything is daisy-chained down there so take a few minutes and do this at least twice a day for 15 minutes a pop. They're simple stretches but just naturally kinda painful. Just sit on a mat or floor near the wall and slowly touch your toes, or as far as you can get. Hold it for a minute, but don't bounce. Bouncing will set your muscle spasming which actually tightens it.

    Stretching is good any/every day but the best advice here is the chiropractor. General practitioners will just dope the pain, and the good ones will then refer you to a chiropractor. I feel you on the cost, but how much is your nervous system worth to you?
  • TechSmith
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    TechSmith polycounter lvl 18
    Just a note from personal experience. Back pain is not always back pain. It sounds odd but it's true. I've had horrible back pain for 2 years. This year I also developed some odd staomach problems. Saw 3 doctors to no avail. Number4 was the winner though. Took her 5 minutes to figure out I had ulcers. one week of previcid(acid blocker) and no more pain anywhere. It turns out my back pain was coming from my intestines. There a name for hurting where the injury isn't, but I can't think of the name of it.
    Good luck.
  • PfhorRunner
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    PfhorRunner polycounter lvl 18
    -Yoga.
    -Get a good deep-tissue massage
    -Strength building exercises (after long periods of stretches) but without weights, just use your body weight. Do some pull-ups but with your arms spread a fair distance apart, with will help build the lats.
    -Look up the exercise/stretch called "planks", these might help build some strength too.
  • cholden
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    cholden polycounter lvl 18
    Planks FTW!
    hold it for 2 minutes, if you dare!
  • Geezus
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    Geezus mod
    The pain has subsided for the most part, but this was a sure sign that I need to take better care of my body. Sucks...I turn 26 this year, I started losing my hair last year :[, having back problems this year. Ugh.
    Problem is, with the school/work schedule I have, I'm pulling 16 hour days Mon-Fri, sometimes even Saturday. With graduation coming about in December, I doubt it will be getting any slower. So it's very hard to find the time to eat right, workout, work, school projects, personal projects, female lovings, etc. But, I'm probably just being a puss and giving myself an excuse to not do a few stretches, situps, pushups, pullups in the morning. So...no more excuses! With better weather right around the bend, I may try and set aside some time to start jogging also.

    I've heard mixed suggestions on the best times to work out. Some say morning for more energy throughout the day, some say evening so you're no so tired, and others just say whenever. I'm sure I'll be doing the whenever schedule, but what times have you guys found it best to do your workout routines?
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I've heard mixed suggestions on the best times to work out. Some say morning for more energy throughout the day, some say evening so you're no so tired, and others just say whenever. I'm sure I'll be doing the whenever schedule, but what times have you guys found it best to do your workout routines?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    It doesn't matter, just get your workouts in when you can. Better to work out at a time that isn't ideal than not to work out at all.
  • sledgy
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    sledgy polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    There a name for hurting where the injury isn't, but I can't think of the name of it.


    [/ QUOTE ]

    It's "referring pain".
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