Back injury and the gym

[Kamille]

As a teenager I tore one of my lower back muscle in a minor skiing accident. It never healed properly and now I have scared muscle tissue that cause me to have backpain (possibly hernia from muscle pulling on lombar vertebra) every two years or so.

 

Yesterday I did a false move and am currently struggling with backpain.

 

I started going to the gym regurlarly last week and was hoping to keep going with my regime of cardio and yoga this week.

 

My bf feels I should wait until my back is better healed but I don't want to stop working out.

 

Right now it hurts when I bend or stand in one position for too long. My back is also a bit stiff. I was thinking that I could probably get away with some very low key cardio activity, that it might even help the muscle regain flexibility. I know which yoga moves can help me heal, and which to avoid.

 

What would you guys do?

[SpanksTheMonkey]

Pain in general is a sign that somethings not right did you go to the doc back when you injured yourself? and have a xray MRI done?

 

I suggest going again you never know with the back you could have re-injured the disks with the current gym activities. You could also have a little arthritis setting in.

 

That may explain the stiffness your feeling I say go back to the doc and make sure everything is ok in your back medically.

 

And if its just a pain issue then perhaps he can get you on some physical therapy to strengthen the exact areas you need. Also some times wearing a back brace can help and hot bathes.

 

I have a very bad back and I can tell you its nothing to take overly lightly you can end up really regretting it later hope you feel better..

[Kamille]

Pain in general is a sign that somethings not right did you go to the doc back when you injured yourself? and have a xray MRI done?

 

I suggest going again you never know with the back you could have re-injured the disks with the current gym activities. You could also have a little arthritis setting in.

 

That may explain the stiffness your feeling I say go back to the doc and make sure everything is ok in your back medically.

 

And if its just a pain issue then perhaps he can get you on some physical therapy to strengthen the exact areas you need. Also some times wearing a back brace can help and hot bathes.

 

I have a very bad back and I can tell you its nothing to take overly lightly you can end up really regretting it later hope you feel better..

 

I did back then, with a doctor who poked at it and said it was a badly strained muscle (she thought it might be ruptured), gave me a pamphlet about back/abs stenghtening exercises, prescribed antibiotics and codeine and sent me home. Told me to get back to her if the pain persisted. I was sixteen. It didn't. But it came back years later and massage therapists have observed that I have muscular scar tissue. The massage therapists I spoke too said little could be done now, but that physio and massage therapy back then might have helped.

 

I hesitate to go to the doctor again for the simple reason that I have moved around so much that the province where I currently reside refuses to cover my medicare. That's anoter issue all on its own.

[Kamille]

Just wanted to add I'm pretty sure it's not arthritis as the pain started right after bf and I engaged in, ah, some rather strenuous exercise.

 

Yes. I have a sex injury.

[Quiksilver ca]

Your best bet is to go see a sports therapist, seriously.

 

I am just coming off a back injury I had in November, it wasn't a disc herniation, just a serious ligament strain.

 

It's quite possible you do not have a disc herniation and it can be healed readily with heat treatment, deep massage, or some of those alternative treatments...

 

The other possibility is you DO have a disc herniation that did heal improperly, and is a weak spot on your back. Honestly, the best thing you can do is get an MRI to find out exactly what is happening back there, and if necessary, have surgery to fix it completely.

 

I had that back pain where if you bend to the side, it hurts like a mofo, or even try to pick up a bag in one hand made it hurt too. I finally got an MRI done a few weeks ago which showed that the ligament had fully healed and the pain was just very tight muscle that had constricted to 'protect' itself, and was pulling on my spine, making it hurt... Now everything's back to normal again, which is great. Thank heat treatment for that.

 

Did you have a compression incident with skiing?

[SpanksTheMonkey]

I did back then, with a doctor who poked at it and said it was a badly strained muscle (she thought it might be ruptured), gave me a pamphlet about back/abs stenghtening exercises, prescribed antibiotics and codeine and sent me home. Told me to get back to her if the pain persisted. I was sixteen. It didn't. But it came back years later and massage therapists have observed that I have muscular scar tissue. The massage therapists I spoke too said little could be done now, but that physio and massage therapy back then might have helped.

 

I hesitate to go to the doctor again for the simple reason that I have moved around so much that the province where I currently reside refuses to cover my medicare. That's anoter issue all on its own.

Well I know you were young but your parents should have insisted on an MRI or at least a xray back then.

 

I had one doc tell me the same cr*p after my accident they poked me too and it turned out that years later my back started acting up. And when one was finally done they said it looked like I could have possibly broken my back in one spot.

 

I hear you about the health care issue I have the same headaches its tough. Do they have a clinic setting maybe you could go to? There not fancy but do the job most of the time.

 

Don't believe them when they say theres nothing they can do get a 2ed or 3ed opinion theres so much they can do medically now adays but its finding the right doc for you who actually gives a sh*t believe me.

 

No one truly understands/empathizes with you on back pain until they have felt it them selves I love it when they give you pamphlets and tell you to take Tylenol that means time for a different doc lol.

 

Massage therapists are great I believe in them but on the other hand it doesn't take a full medical degree to become one least not last time I looked into it myself.

 

Just be careful in the gym I would wait until the pain calms down a bit at least before going back. Do you have any tingling or numbness down your hands or feet?

[sb129]

A full medical degree doesn't make a doctor an expert on musculo-skeletal problems, in fact they learn very very little about that, and a good doctor would admit that and refer to you a physiotherapist, who is specifically trained to deal with injuries to the muscles/tendons/ligaments. Most physiotherapists these days are trained in acupuncture and all should have a good knowledge of massage therapy and sports injuries.

 

My physiotherapist keeps my chronic neck pain under control and she gives me exercises to do at home too. I didn't even bother getting a referral from the doctor, and the money is well spent.

 

My gym has a sports injury/ physio/ massage clinic attached to it, does yours Kamille?

[Kamille]

My gym has a sports injury/ physio/ massage clinic attached to it, does yours Kamille?

 

It does. I will look into that tomorow. I will also look on trying to get coverage from a province, any province! (My province told me to apply to another province... Might as well try...)

[ShoeGirl]

If you are able to get into a doctor do what you can to see a physiatrist who specializes in sports and/or spine injuries, they will have the best idea what can be done for you.

[Prodigal Princess]

I second seeing a sports doctor. However if you're hesitatent, you might start off with a chiropractor? I always thought chiros were another set of b*ll**** doctors but my mum has had chronic back problems and swears by hers.

 

As for the gym, you cant go wrong with the cross-trainer if you have a back injury. Swimming is also another safe way to exercise, but if you're anything like me it's generally not worth getting your hair wet.

[Darkzen]

Give this a try, I'm working with a guy who does this, he works on my knees (well my quads) and I've noticed a huge difference. Usually after any high impact activities, I'd hobble around for days. Since I've been getting this done (3 sessions), it's improved to the point where it's more of a discomfort as opposed to nagging pain. I highly recommend it.

 

http://www.activerelease.com/