hurt my back and I am miserable....

I am sorry to hear that!! I hope you get better soon. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: A couple of months ago I hurt my back and I just rested for a few days, put icy hot on the area and stretched a couple of times a day for a few days. I also took some motrin. Luckily it was nothing serious and the pain went away. I was able to get back on track. During that time I watched what I ate and tried to stay within the minimum calories I could eat. I know how hard it is to not be able to workout but hang in there...the best thing you can do right now is to rest and get better as soon as possible. If the pain continues you should see your physician. :flowerforyou:

I have had back problems all my life. Basically, an irregularity in my spine makes me more likely to injure my back than the average person. And sure enough, I had sports-related injuries to my back when I was 20, and again when I was 25. The second time, I had a muscle spasm, and I had to take muscle relaxants as well as 800 mg advil around the clock. I probably should have done the same thing the first time, but what helped me then was physical therapy.

The best way I found to both PREVENT and HEAL my back was to do abdominal exercises. I've had two physical therapists give me essentially the same set of exercises to do. Here they are:

1. Back rolls
Lie down on your back and tuck your knees to your chest. Roll backward onto your shoulder blades, squeezing your knees tight so that you feel a stretch in your back. Hold that stretch as you roll forward to your tailbone. Repeat slowly 10 times.

2. Cross-body stretches
Lie down on your back. Pull your right knee forward and across your body to the left side. Keep both shoulders on the floor and turn your head to the right. You should feel a deep stretch. Repeat on the opposite side.

3. Crunches
Keep your feet on the floor, and support your neck by putting your hands behind your head. Slowly, lift your head, shoulders and shoulder blades off the floor with a rolling motion. Really try to lift only one inch of your back up at a time. And lower one inch at a time, shoulder blades, shoulders, head. Repeat 10 times.

4. Side Crunches
Lie on your right side, with your right arm bent and supporting your head, your knees bent. Lift your upper body from your shoulder to your waist, pulling your left elbow toward your hips. Repeat 10 times and switch sides.

5. Lower Abs
Lie on your back with your legs extended in the air, your hands under your butt. Tuck your pelvis and lift your butt off of your hands in a controlled motion. Then lower. Repeat 10 times.

6. Back balancer
On your hands and knees. At the same time, reach your right hand forward and your left foot back. Back to your hands and knees. Then reach your left hand forward and your right foot back. Repeat 10 times.

Eventually, you should work up to doing 3 sets of 20 reps of exercises #3 - 6. I found that my back pain went (i.e. goes) away, whenever I do this ab workout for a few days.

Hey,
I recently just recovered from from hurting my back. It took about two weeks for it to feel completely normal. I would suggest making an appt with a physiotherapist if its possible. My therapist helped me so much. Here are a few tips she gave me:
Put heat on it for about 15 minutes, and then try cold on it for about 15 minutes. Use whatever you like better first.
Lay on your back and stretch one leg up pulling on your knee while leaving your other leg straight for about 20 seconds. Then repeat with the other leg. Do it about 5 times a day.
The shell stretch is also good...its hard to explain...but I am sure you can find apicture of it online...maybe a pilates website would do.
I hope you feel better soon.
I still lost two pounds even though I wasn't exercising. I really watched what I ate, and since I was doing too much I didn't find myself as hungry, however it was hard not too eat out off boredom.
To help me from snacking I read books and drank a lot of water and tea. Hot baths help hunger too...heat is an appetite suppressant.
A great book is 'She's Come Undone' by Wally Lamb. I could not put it down!!!
Get Well Soon!! And just rest...