Solving back problems
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?
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?
Replies
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.
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.
#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
#1 See a doctor
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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. :]
@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.
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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.
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?
Good luck.
-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.
hold it for 2 minutes, if you dare!
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?
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?
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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.
There a name for hurting where the injury isn't, but I can't think of the name of it.
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It's "referring pain".