Anyone Here Throw Out Their Back?

General Discussion
#1

I did about six weeks ago moving heavy furniture. It’s fucking annoying - the pain hasn’t gone away, and both doctors I’ve seen insist it’s just a muscle strain. I seemed to have been making progress until last week when I was lugging my winter wheels up to my apartment, which only reaggravated the injury. I’ve since been advised that I shouldn’t be lifting anything heavier than 5-10 pounds.

Anyway, I’m now using a mix of heating pads and Icy/Hot, which has helped a bit. But I’m just shocked that a muscle strain can last this long. Maybe it’s time for some physical therapy.

Anyone here have a similar experience?

#2

Ask Slow4 all about this. He did this recently.

#3

Hahaha, I did indeed recently hurt my back.

This was the second time I did it; first time I was carrying something up a hill, my footing slipped, attempted to regain my footing and poof threw back out.

With this last incident about two weeks ago, I was getting out of the cruiser like I normally do (hands on A-pillar, stood up with legs and back) and BOOM, a light shock zapped into my lower back below left lung/shoulder area. I walk towards the car and the pain got worse and worse; it got the point where it was painful to breathe ESPECIALLY with my vest on and hurt MORE trying to cover it up than allowing the pain to flow.

Anyways, I drove myself back and laid out on the locker room floor with all my gear off. A couple co-workers came in and made fun of me but told me to slowly stretch out my back area. Additionally, I popped 800mg of ibuprofen immediately to quell the selling (plus painkiller).

** Key is to slowly stretch out your back on a flat surface…YouTube some back stretches and avoid placing any object under you as you stretch.

** Take some ibuprofen; highly recommend either Motrin extra strength (200mg/pill @4pills totaling 800mg not to exceed more than 1000mg per 24hrs) or Bayed extra strength (500mg/pill @3pills totaling 1500mg per 24hrs).

DISCLAIMER do not take my pain med tolerance and use it as a gauge, each body is different so consult your doc

** icy hot works good, have someone rub it on area injured and siran wrap area. I used Salonpas strips on affected areas and slept with it; I put fresh ones on and with the help of my vest, it kept the heat circulating through my affected back

** take it easy for a week and avoid heavy lifting of anything over 15lbs

Seriously though, I thought it was a joke about old people stretching but it’s not. At the age of 32 plus military and law enforcement abuse on my body, it feels like
I’m 65+ and handicapped on certain days. Stretching is more important than you think…

Also, throwing out your back/pulling a back muscle and back spasms can linger anywhere from a few days to a few months…again stretch your back out (take yoga if need be), take ibuprofen, apply icy/hot ointment to the area and relax. Don’t forget to consult your doc even though he said there was no evidence that you hurt your back.

#Justice4Noodles

#4

Go to physio right away. Get the healing progress moving. Just ask a doctor for a referral so you don’t get someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.

I don’t think I have ever had that happen but being super tall I used to have just about an annual back ache where I was stiff as a board for a week. Twinges lower back pain. Then 100% a week later.

#5

Dude, hope you feel better soon!

Stretching is very important. Even after injury.

Ibuprofen definitely helps (I always carry advil in my bag - since my knees still has a mind of it’s own - partially tore both ACLs in college). I think the dosage is 10mg per kg of body weight (sorry I know it in metric lol). But at the same time, I always think pain is great feedback too (“don’t do that”) so I usually take a light dose to take the edge off.

#6

Every back injury is different - I’ll echo that to see your doctor and ask them for best referral you can get, if you have insurance/can afford it - it’s worth it. Life’s too short to be living in constant pain.

Other advice - maybe the most important -ask for a pain specialist. There’s a resident specialist on this board Im pretty sure, who can chime in here. Don’t just take what your family doc gives you. Try to find the best treatment that keeps you off the opiate derivatives.

My experience is from an immediate family member who was off work for two plus years for disk injuries, and is back on track to decent living finally.

#7

Often times the injury or pain you are experiencing is not the actual problem area.

For example, your back may be in extreme pain but that is because it has been overworked by a weaker muscle group, say in the core or abdomen area.

My left knee and IT band have been sore for awhile now (running). I went to a massage and the therapist said my left leg was 15% smaller than my right, and that is probably why my knee is hurting, it is being overworked because my quad and hamstrings are much smaller than the right side.

3 months of strengthening that area and I no longer have knee pain. Can jog 12 miles on the weekend no problem, when 4 was the limit.

Something to think about…

#8

Can we get some clarification on what ‘my bag’ means? Are we talking a murse?

#9

Thanks for the feedback everyone - I appreciate it. I will likely need to follow up with my doctor, as I’m still sore after doing the home exercises he gave me. Would be nice to get some imaging done to rule out anything more severe than a muscle strain, as it’s somewhat concerning that I’m still at the same pain threshold I was at a month ago. Perhaps aggravating the injury last week made it worse.

Hope my golf season isn’t over!

#10

No - it’s European. :smiley:

(Seinfeld joke)

I usually carry a bag with me as well. I hate having anything in my pockets (I’m very anti-wallet), so I need something to carry around my phone, credit cards, money, keys, etc.

#11

This. i would see a PT right away to see if there may be an underlying issue. Back when i was in the military i threw my back out and had it linger for a few months until i finally went in. Turns out i needed to work more on my core.

Now any lower back issues i have are attributed to my tight hammy’s and over compensating for my left knee (had ACL reconstructive surgery). Its much better now but stretching and knowing what needs to be strengthened elsewhere can REALLY REALLY help!

#12

Depends if it’s a muscle spasm/knot or a torn/ripped muscle. Two different things.

Most of the time, if it happens from a simple non-overextended motion (slow or fast), it’s a spasm/knot and massaging the contraction helps a lot.

Torn muscles are usually from from rapid/sharp/over-extended motions and the muscle was too tight and unable to stretch accordingly (and therefore got torn).

I regularly have the spasm/knot type. Lower back is way worse than upper back. In Canada, we have over the counter muscle relaxant which helps a lot (Robaxacet Platinum has 200mg of Ibuprofen and 500mg of Methocarbamol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methocarbamol per pill).

However, once I got a spasm/knot while in the US and I was surprised to find out that muscle relaxants like the one I mentioned are only available by prescription (Methocarbamol has a greatly reduced abuse potential but I guess the FDA is not taking any chances).

#13

^^ Interesting about the spasm v. torn muscle. I bet I have the more serious of the two. Hate to say it, but I’ve had a minimal amount of numbness/tingling in my left hand today - first time that’s happened. Fuck everything lol.

I have had muscle relaxers before (Flexoril) but could not stand the side effects. They gave me a racing feeling and a very rapid heart beat - it was extremely uncomfortable. My doc offered to prescribe them, but I told him no thanks.

#14

Although each person reacts differently to different drugs, Methocarbamol tends to be less intense. That said, once I had such a bad spasm that I needed prescription drugs and Methocarbamol was simply too weak and I needed something stronger (forget what it was though. Still have the pill case so I’ll check when I get home).

As for the numbness/tingling that’s interesting. Possibly poor blood flow circulation (i.e. numbing from low blood flow to the hand and then tingling when the blood flows back). That could be related or just a secondary effect from awkward positioning of your arm based on pain you’re feeling (sometimes pain causes us to position ourselves strangely/differently to reduce the pain).

#15

Laptop bag and backpack :slight_smile:

https://eberlestock.com/B1_CombatOffice.htm

(and no, I don’t use it for ‘off body concealed carry’ - the hidden pocket could be handy to have though) :slight_smile:

I also have ibuprofen in my first aid kit too.

Haha!

#16

Man, this forum sounds like a bunch of worn out old men. Maybe we’d be better suited as a 50’s Ford car group from how fast this thread blew up! =)

But I completely hear ya and feel for ya Clochner. I haven’t “thrown out my back” per say, but I’ve fought back problems for years being a taller big guy, along with the strains of golf (used to have a much more aggressive swing and still have a more “natural” style “reverse C” finish). It wrecks my back and I usually have 2-3 times a year I either pinch a nerve in my lower back or my lower right shoulder blade.

It’s amazing how much we take for granted when it comes to normal range of motion or activities, but one small pinch at just the right spot can cripple you instantly.

You’ve got some good advice it sounds like so just keep at it. Also, if you get 90% of the way back, or have more of a pressure point pain from a muscle knot, a good trick is to get a lacrosse ball and work it between your back and the wall. I also sleep with an electric heating pad in the bed right on my back that I’ll turn on some nights for a couple hours to help me out.

Best of luck and take it easy for as long as possible.

#17

I broke my arm June 26th and I’m out till next spring, so at least you’re not the worst one. Schadenfreude for you there.

#18

Damn, sak - sorry to hear. Injuries are truly awful.

#19

Damn son, didn’t know that. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. How frustrating has driving been with a cast or brace?!?!

#20

Damn. Hope both of you guys feel better!