(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 02:49 PM

Lower back stretching advice, please

First post in this forum, I think.

I hit the gym 3-4 days per week. Weights and cardio. I have a problem with my lower back, right side. I believe I'm pulling or otherwise injuring a muscle deep in there, just above my right ass cheek. The pain is limited to lower back, it doesn't come down into my leg or up into my middle back. It's very localized.

I hurt it a couple months back, and it took me a good week to heal. Just today it started hurting again, badly. I was doing a light set of bicep curls at the time, not using my back at all. It was like hitting a light switch, zero pain to full blast instantly. It's a dull pain 100% of the time for days, making getting up or sitting down painful, and it's stiff in the morning making it a real PITA to get ready for work.

So I'm tired of this, and I'd like to try preventing it from happening in the future with stretching. If you've had lower back issues before and want to share what helped you, I'm all ears!

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 03:01 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

hmm that sounds disc related sadly, there isn't a stretch for that that I know of

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 03:25 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

It's halfway over to my side, not in the middle of my back

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 03:43 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

I might not have read any BUK operating manuals [in cryllic, of course] lately, but I do not believe that has anything to do with how a [potential] disc problem expresses itself. Eg: the pain is coming from my disc! /nailed it

I mean, I hope it's not a disc problem [and I'm sure it easily is not], just throwing 1 thought I had out there and I am not even remotely competent in this area so I will be quiet.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 04:12 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

What about it sounds like a disc problem? I looked around on Google and didn't see any specific disc problems associated with a general dull pain that isn't related to motion and isn't located on or near the spine.

No pain running down into my leg, or arms, no numbness or muscle weakness.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 05:31 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

My injury history has been to let it rest a bit, try not to aggravate it, keep working out fairly hard but tailoring my workouts to the injury.

So when I tweaked my back a bit, I didn't do deadlifts for a week. I tried squats and it came back. So the next week, I did a light set of squats and did some lunges. It slowly went away and didn't come back.

I like to hang/twist to stretch my back. I also like using an exercise ball and laying over it with my feet anchored. Lastly, would be the stretch where you put one foot up about 2-1/2' and do a lunge, but then grab a railing on one side and twist your back.

Not very technical, just what I like.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 06:18 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Child's pose for stretching it.

Foam roller. Although, if it's too deep, it will be hard to roll it out. Try a tennis ball on the area.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/23/14 06:42 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Originally Posted By: Silock

Child's pose for stretching it.

Foam roller. Although, if it's too deep, it will be hard to roll it out. Try a tennis ball on the area.

Downward dog, upward dog and child's pose are my favorite back stretches.

Never foam rolled my back, but that shit is magic on IT bands doe $\:\)$

(Post Master Supreme)

07/24/14 12:16 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

if anything it sounds more like you are having a sciatic problem. doesn't sound like you pulled anything at all. I'm dead serious that shit will fuck you up, I had it so bad one week I couldn't lay down without it hurting from the bottom of my foot all the way up to my ribs.

And you know how I got the bullshit, from sitting all day in this fucking fancy office chair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdUHiJhvGM

try some of those out man and do them a few times a day if possible, if you spend your day sitting on your ass, try standing or switching to a standing desk for a bit. Try not to sit as much and as soon as you feel the symptoms do the stretches, it helped me a lot.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/24/14 04:40 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

foam rolling, lacrosse ball as well, but work your way up to that... those things can be deadly... lol

the rumble roller has knobs on it to hit deeper spots...

The Mighty BellRacer

(Post Master Supreme)

07/24/14 10:39 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

See a neurologist.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/25/14 07:45 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Originally Posted By: 137

if anything it sounds more like you are having a sciatic problem. doesn't sound like you pulled anything at all. I'm dead serious that shit will fuck you up, I had it so bad one week I couldn't lay down without it hurting from the bottom of my foot all the way up to my ribs.

And you know how I got the bullshit, from sitting all day in this fucking fancy office chair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdUHiJhvGM

try some of those out man and do them a few times a day if possible, if you spend your day sitting on your ass, try standing or switching to a standing desk for a bit. Try not to sit as much and as soon as you feel the symptoms do the stretches, it helped me a lot.

I think you're probably right. I've been doing some leg stretches I saw on Web MD and they help. The child's pose does nothing. Stretching out my upper leg muscles relieves the pain.

Wednesday night I slept in a chair, because it was too painful to lay down. Even with pain killers.

6AM Friday now, just had to get up because the Ibuprofen I took last night around 7PM wore off and the pain was back... but at least I can sleep in my bed with use of pain killers now.

The pain has been so bad that it upsets my stomach. At this point, stretching is only temporary relief. I don't know if it's going to help a faster recovery. I just want to move around without pain, and I really want to get back in the gym.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/25/14 11:45 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

My wife has a similar issue due to an accident from her teenage years. The issue was all sciatic. She's been doing arches and leg stretches to help alleviate discomfort. And she started working in muscle training to prevent it from coming back. These focus on the area between L1 and L5.

It sounds like your issue was aggravated just like Wayne's - sitting at a 90* position with the stomach muscles pulling against the back. If things don't improve I'd suggest getting a referral for a PT. I think they'll run some basic tests to ensure it's not anything severe, before working on you.

(Post Master Sr)

07/25/14 04:29 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Might check out the MacKenzie protocol for diagnosing/treating back pain. Series of stretches & movements, really simple.

Has a book that covers everything, but I think the info is available on the internet as well: http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Own-Back-802-9/dp/0987650408/

(Post Master Supreme)

07/25/14 08:34 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue9N-JMEuZ4

This is the one I do regularly. I injured my piriformis last year, and I guess when it healed, the scar tissue presses against my sciatic nerve. Last year, I couldn't walk properly for about two weeks when my piriformis was injured.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/26/14 12:07 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Originally Posted By: SVTNate

Originally Posted By: 137

if anything it sounds more like you are having a sciatic problem. doesn't sound like you pulled anything at all. I'm dead serious that shit will fuck you up, I had it so bad one week I couldn't lay down without it hurting from the bottom of my foot all the way up to my ribs.

And you know how I got the bullshit, from sitting all day in this fucking fancy office chair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdUHiJhvGM

try some of those out man and do them a few times a day if possible, if you spend your day sitting on your ass, try standing or switching to a standing desk for a bit. Try not to sit as much and as soon as you feel the symptoms do the stretches, it helped me a lot.

I think you're probably right. I've been doing some leg stretches I saw on Web MD and they help. The child's pose does nothing. Stretching out my upper leg muscles relieves the pain.

Wednesday night I slept in a chair, because it was too painful to lay down. Even with pain killers.

6AM Friday now, just had to get up because the Ibuprofen I took last night around 7PM wore off and the pain was back... but at least I can sleep in my bed with use of pain killers now.

The pain has been so bad that it upsets my stomach. At this point, stretching is only temporary relief. I don't know if it's going to help a faster recovery. I just want to move around without pain, and I really want to get back in the gym.

When you sit a lot it shortens your it bands, it sounds stupid. it also fucks with blood circulation in your hamstrings, can cause hemorrhoids , the whole deal.

I've been there too where I had to sleep on my couch sitting up and slowly work my way back to laying down. I'd wake up sometimes in the middle of the night just to foam roll. take hot baths, you name it.

It's going to take some time for that shit to get better man. similar to that stupid ass stretch that lady is doing instead of suffocating yourself trying to put your hands on your hamstring and shit.

just pull your foot and knee outwards, I'll post some videos of what helped me.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/26/14 02:25 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Thanks everyone. It's sore as hell, but getting a bit better.

I had 2 people today tell me that taking a complex B vitamin helps tremendously, as it will help rebuild the myelin sheath surrounding the sciatic nerve. Both swore to me that it will give fast results.

That said, I did some intarweb research, and while it's true, I also don't eat a vegetarian diet and consume lots of food rich in Vitamin B and B12.

I need to stand more. My dad is an MD and got himself a standing desk for his office and at hime (the adjustable ones so you can sit if you want to). He says that the medical research for health benefits of standing more is solid. Various things that Wayne mentioned.

1AM Friday night (well, Saturday morning) now. I'll go to bed soon. I should get a decent night's sleep tonight. I'm going to just do chest at the gym tomorrow, and stationary bike. The Livestrong website says that stationary bike is great for sciatic health and rehab. I was thinking about it earlier today, and I figured it would be the safety cardio to do with a tender sciatic nerve.

Administrator

(Post Master Supreme)

07/28/14 09:25 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

My massage therapist taught me a stretch for the lower back that I like. Lie semi supine knees together, spread your feet apart while your knees touch, then move your left knee to ground (or bed if your on a bed) with the right knee following and hold it for 15 count, do the other side, once that has loosened you up a bit you can provide more of a stretch by placing the foot of the downed knee on top of the following knee.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/29/14 02:06 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Stretching before bed and when I wake up every day, and my back feels much better. Just some soreness remaining, but I'm getting around mostly pain-free all day long now. I imagine that on Wednesday or so (roughly 1 week after injury) I'll be 100%. I have noticed that I'm definitely able to stretch more than just a few days ago, and it feels great. I will keep doing the stretching exercises after I am healed, and I think when I do legs or back at the gym I'll make a habit of stretching my back out before lifting.

I do believe that this is sciatic pain, and there is definitely no overnight cure. Stretching and time is taking care of it. I feel a little bit better every day.

(Post Master Supreme)

07/29/14 11:59 AM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Originally Posted By: SVTNate

I will keep doing the stretching exercises after I am healed, and I think when I do legs or back at the gym I'll make a habit of stretching my back out before lifting.

There's been a lot of dialogue as to whether pre-workout stretching actually benefits anything. I still do them along with range of motion warm-ups; but I'm finding that stretching post-workout is just (if not more) important.

Stuff you probably already know. But thought I'd throw your way just in case. Generic article here:
http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/08/why-stretching-may-not-help-before-exercise/

(Post Master Supreme)

07/29/14 02:41 PM

Re: Lower back stretching advice, please

Originally Posted By: Design

Originally Posted By: SVTNate

I will keep doing the stretching exercises after I am healed, and I think when I do legs or back at the gym I'll make a habit of stretching my back out before lifting.

There's been a lot of dialogue as to whether pre-workout stretching actually benefits anything. I still do them along with range of motion warm-ups; but I'm finding that stretching post-workout is just (if not more) important.

Stuff you probably already know. But thought I'd throw your way just in case. Generic article here:
http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/08/why-stretching-may-not-help-before-exercise/

static stretching for explosive movements is useless, I will agree, but if you have a pinched sciatic, that's a different story. You have to stretch to relieve the tension on it otherwise you'll knot up and it will get worse.