:-( lower back pain

What did you do to hurt it? I usually take a day or two to rest and whine until I get a massage, and if I think it will help, lots of stretching. Not that I know what I'm doing, but hey. I hope you get better!

use some ice - rest - and ibuprofen and tylenol together to help reduce the inflammation and ease the pain. Try not to stress the affected area any more than necessary for the next few days. Chiropractic visit may be necessary - massage is good too. mostly, just don't stress that area. Do other kinds of exercises, maybe walking, or biking to continue to burn calories.

Vickie

wear a back belt, take excedrin back & body, i take 2 every am b 4 i go 2 work. i have chronic back pain. excedrin helps a lot!! sit in a hot tub, get a massage.. gl 2 u, & hang in there.... pammy

It's sort of the same effect of pouring boiling water on your frozen car windscreen... you can damage it

It needs rest, I know you want to get back to the gym and get moving.etc but a few days off won't destroy all your hard work, as long as you keep your calories down and your pain meds up : ) Take Ibruprofen, it's an anti-imflamatory aswell as a painkiller, along with that and -gentle- stretches after a day or two, it should get better.

Oh yea and warm baths, aslong as your not frozen : ) if you've been out in the cold, sit in the warm a little before taking a bath : )

It used to be the case that people were told to lie down and rest with back problems but these days doctors advise you to keep moving. The reasoning being that keeping moving keeps the joints lubricated which stops it from seizing up and keeps the blood flow going which stops sediment building up on the nerve ends which causes more pain. By keeping moving they dont mean go to the gym for a full work out but walking and cycling (if you can manage it ) are fine. My physiotherapist also reccommend using a hot water bottle or heat pack (just for 2 minutes at a time) before exercising.

Vickie and MagicClaire are exactly RIGHT!.. (I am a Massage Therapist) Always use ice after ANY strain or sprain...even after a good hard workout..stretch, then ice..THEN HEAT ...then REPEAT ..do this until you feel no heat coming from that particular muscle when you touch it.

In this case..It really depends on exactly when you hurt it!! If you hurt your back several days ago..
but didn't ICE and IBUPROFEN FIRST!! GENTLE STRETCHES ARE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT ON YOU...

IF this is the case...DO THIS...We are checking your Acupressure points. [Working B-60/Bladder 60 for LOW BACK STRAIN]
Lay on back in bed..or sit in a comfortable position...As comfortably as you can, pull up the left calf.
Take the first 3 left fingers and pinch into the back of your ankle PINCHING JUST ABOVE THE HEEL where the TENDONS meet the HEEL...or CLASP BOTH HANDS around the lowest point of calf with THUMBS pressing fiercly into the same SPOT..REPEAT other side..FLEX FOOT, You will feel one or both is VERY SENSITIVE! TAKE DEEP IN DEEP BREATH IN THROUGH NOSE...The EXHALE driving the pinch even farther.. RELAX and REPEAT...until you feel that that little "pin spot" is relieved or disappeared .If it is very sensitive, add more laborous breathing..but keep doing it! It WORKS...I discovered this self care when I strained my back TWICE last year...after this, you need to keep moving....keep taking IBUPROFEN..and doing small flexes anywhere you can on the body...upper shoulders..the muscles all work together...even more during a SPRAIN! (After doing this 5-10 times, it may feel a lil bruised..let it relax for a day..then do ONCE MORE..

Now pressing into the large back calf (the gastrocnemius)...keep toes pointed down slightly in a relaxed poise...and grab that calf with both hands or CLASP around ankle and PRESS into upper heel tendons with THUMBS..fiercely pressing into that same spot we just worked! take a little massage break..massage the gastrocnemius all the way down to the heel.

Next...TRY Acupressure Point G20/Gallbladder 20 is for PAIN RELIEVER and RELAXES MUSCLES...Put your hands on your hips..like a chicken wing...gently work thumbs back toward outside edges of spine....do circular motions with thumbs...this will make the one pressure point NOTICEABLE..Hit that spot with your thumbs..lay down on the bed, or try a firm surface..DEEP BREATHING>i s a must!!!

If you can't hit G20...SEE A MASSAGE THERAPIST who specializes in PAIN MANAGEMENT and/or BODY WORK!! (or ACUPUNCTURIST)

IF you have NEVER had a massage..TELL THEM! Best to start with Swedish, but in PAIN MANAGEMENT..It will be necessary for the therapist to do a lot of stretching and deep tissue moves...BREATH!!!!!NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH OR A BODY PART/LIMB! IT causes HURT for YOU and for US!!! I breath with my clients when "tormentive" stretching is being done,,,like you are in labor..deep and quick....moving fresh blood and oxygen to those muscles..

Hope you understand this...:))

Adding you as a friend dear! You keep in touch with me! K! Pain management is my specialty! :bigsmile: Wouldn't mind walking you through it over the phone if necessary!! It's not easy doing bodywork on yourself..but bc it can be expensive and hard to find one with the knowledge, I have learned to take care of MYSELF! I welcome pain, it is a great learning tool.. But as for you, we need to get you mobile and ease you back into your regular WO schedule!!:flowerforyou: