Gentle exercises for lower back pain?
I have spent most of the last 9 days in bed with severe back pain (totally unable to get up). My GP finally gave me a Voltarol injection and Voltarol Gel Pads. I am now up out of bed and hobbling about with the aid of a walking stick.
This has been a recurring problem, for over 30 years, but X-Rays reveal nothing wrong with my back - despite the fleshy lump on the base of my spine.
Does anyone know any really gentle exercises that I could try to help me get moving again?
Public Comments
1. I have the same problem and I cannot exercise because of hip problems but I do have a massage every week. It works wonders and I can move much more freely, it`s not a cure though.2. A friend of mine have a similar problem. Back problem takes forever to heal and sometime impossible.
Did you try yogi? It's a very good excise for people with back problem...
Another way is to work out your abs.
3. Have you tried yoga? My fiance has had back problems for a few years now and when it's bad it's really really bad. He's tried almost everything (including a horse doctor! Lol) Fortunately for him we have a friend who teaches yoga and she gave him some gentle exercises to do at home. He's noticed that as long as he does these in the morning he's generally fine throughout the day. He's also recently tried acupuncture and swears by it. It may help if you found a yoga instructor and explained about your back to them so they can give you execises specific to you.
Hope you get something that helps, I know with my fiance and also my dad, how serious a bad back is.
4. Ask your GP to refer you to a physiotherapist. They will give you exercises to do every day which will strengthen the supportive muscles. They are time-consuming and very boring but they do work! You have to do them every day for at least 6 weeks before you see any benefit, but they got me back to work after 9 weeks off sick. Now my back is fine most of the time but if I start to get any twinges, I start daily exercises again. I also walk as much as possible and am careful how I move around/bend down etc. If you are sitting for long periods, put a rolled up towel in behind you at the small of your back for support. I know how miserable back pain can make you, but you really can get better.
5. You need to discover the cause of the pain before doing anything like exercise which could make things worse.
Ordinary x-ray may not show a trapped nerve so you need a different type of examination perhaps a scan of some sort.
I suffered with back pain in the 70's & my doctor advised exercise which was a mistake & the worst thing for me to do.
In 1980 it was discovered that I had crushed disc's in my lower spine which meant an emergency operation, the first of 2.
The wrong diagnosis resulted in permanent nerve damage & pain to this day.
You need to stand up for yourself & demand a proper diagnosis for your condition, this could mean paying for a scan privately.
Don't leave it & do nothing you could regret it later.
Hope this helps & best wishes to you...
6. Hatha Yoga is a gentle form of exercise which will help strengthen your muscles. Try to improve the quality of tummy muscles as they help to support the back as well. Lose weight if overweight this will also help. Gentle massage to start off with and once more mobile go to a sports therapist who will give a deeper massage they may help breakdown the fleshy lump at the base of your spine especially if it is a knotted muscle. Funnily enough reflexology can also be very beneficial in cases of back pain (also known as zone therapy). Please bear in mind that whatever course of action you chose it will take some time to improve as you coped with this for such a long time.
Good luck.
7. You need to know your root cause before exercising. Some have too curvy spine, some straighten spine. Different ex
if you can email your x-rays (use a digi camera with background lights), I can give some advise. Chinese doc n western doc interpret x-ray differently ok. no charge
You sound like you have disc problem
8. You must have an H.M.O.! Why has no one done an MRI to see what is causing this pain, Your Dr. should be slapped ,, I don't want to scar you but... that fleshy lump at the base of your spine could be a tumor that tends to grow in the area of the sacrum .These tumors can be cancerous, but caught early they can be removed before turn malignant or spread, You GET to to a spine specialist and don't play with this go over , around or through your G-P get it checked out NOW!!
9. an x-ray will not show a lot of things that could be wrong. you really need an mri. one gentle excercise can be done sitting or lying or standing you just pull your stomach muscles as tightly as you can, hold it as long as you can, release and repeat. pelvic tilts are another gentle exercise. getting a new bed sometimes helps too. i recommend finding a book by Teresa Tapp, i think it is called something like the T Tapp plan. http://t-tapp.com/ this woman started this program after dealing with years of back pain and obesity (i am not saying you are obese) she created these exercises and many people have had huge success. still, it is my recommendation that you get an MRI.
10. I have RA & teach arthritic pool classes.
You could see if there is a place that you can do range of motion exercises in the warm water. Water exercises are easier and more beneficial than gym exercises for people with difficulties. The water helps with balance.
