Anyone experienced lower back pain?

[Tufty]

 Shit is driving me crazy as the weather is fine, after a lot of raining, and I cant skate. So 2 weeks ago I felt a small pinch in the lower left of my back while skating. I ignored it and I went skating the next day. After 1-2 hours of skating the pinch became a severe pain. So I rested for a week. The severe pain was reduced to minor nuissance when doing certain moves after a day. A week before I tried skating again but I started feeling pain so I immediately stopped. I also started getting impatient so I treat myself with muscle relief pills and an anti-inflammation cream, as a friend who is physio suggested. He also told me that it will take me 2-3 days to be OK.  Now I still have minor nuissances when doing certain moves, so I guess I shouldnt try skating again.



Anyone has experience with such shit?  It doesnt feel too serious to bother a doctor as I am mostly OK except skating of course.

[Paco Supreme]

i get back pain all the time, I've found stretching/yoga has worked somewhat but with the weather getting colder here its coming back.

Anti inflammatory pills will work to a point but seeing a doctor or specialist to find what the cause was might not be such a bad idea

[Can of Soup]

*Disclaimer* that I'm not a health professional and to definitely see a doctor if it doesn't improve:

I've dealt with a similar thing; the first time it really hit me was when I took my first "sitting at a desk all day" job and tried skating for the first time in a long time a few weeks later. An audible "pop" in my lower back and I went down.  

Sounds like it might be a pinched nerve / sciatica, which is ultimately what they told me. Definitely unnerving (no pun intended) when it became really painful, though.

Went to a physical therapist and got a bunch of exercises to strengthen my core / back, as I've had pretty awful posture for most of my life & they deemed the exercises as my best preventative measure against future back issues. It happened again (to the extent where I could barely move), and I went and got an MRI done, after which I was told I have a bit of a dry-disc.

I can try and dig out the exercises and PM them to you if you are interested--aside from all that, definitely resting up, making sure I've been practicing good posture throughout the day / having a new chair with nice lumbar support has really helped.

[whale]

had mild but annoying back pain for years, apparently the problem for me is that my pelvis slips out place. very similar symptoms to sciatica.
don't resort to anti-inflammatories too much, as they are bad for your stomach and thin your blood.

do start streching and strengtening your core immediately, and see a specialist.

[fulltechnicalskizzy]

Stop trying to suck your own cock.

[Rusty_Berrings]

Stress does it to me bad. Gotta have your ducks in a row and say fuck the haters.

[shark tits]

sometimes the doctor will give me a vicodan/lortab script when my back is bad. otherwise i just take heroin. i've got a degenerated disc but it doesn't flair up all that often. when it does it can be murder for a few days but you just take your opiates, take 'er easy and you'll be back to fascist fighting form in no time.

[Alan]

Yup, work your core, i.e. plank and bridge exercises.

[Tracer]

Do yoga, super good for your back moving forward.

[toque]

I've had lots of issues with my lower back since 9th grade.  All the recommendations in here (aside from heroin) are good.  I try to stretch/do yoga for ten or fifteen minutes each night,  avoid too much time slumped over in a chair etc.  Also,  I never sit on my wallet anymore.  Dead lifts or kettle bell stuff (obviously with very light weight to start) works for strengthening lower back muscles.  Ice baths work wonders but I haven't been doing that regularly over the winter/spring...got to get back in the habit.  I've been back on the thin shoes lately but I can tell a difference for my back when I'm skating something more supportive.   
My shit started flaring up again a few months ago after I got drunk and thought it would be funny to take a giant mongo push while cruising home...slammed right on my tail bone.  Just tweaked it a little bit yesterday but not too badly...   
Good luck

[Tufty]

thnx for replying. I think I got it when I stopped skating to talk to a friend for a few minutes. Then I must have gotten "cold". So being cold I tried some 360s on a bank later and the damage maybe was caused by the sudden moves 360s require . So I dont think its something serious, but it concerns me that after 2 weeks I am not OK. Of course if I am not better during this week I will go to a  doc but I hope I can skip it.
 

[Silky Johnson]

I used to be really critical of yoga but after a few months of trying it, I can say it really does help with back problems.  

[Paco Supreme]

This is the yoga "guide" i followed for my back, been slacking lately but 2-3 times a week set me right

  - Lower Back

- Upper Back

[Tufty]

This is the yoga "guide" i followed for my back, been slacking lately but 2-3 times a week set me right

  - Lower Back

- Upper Back

I tried the lower back thingy today. Will see if it works.

[cookieboy]

*Disclaimer* that I'm not a health professional and to definitely see a doctor if it doesn't improve:

I've dealt with a similar thing; the first time it really hit me was when I took my first "sitting at a desk all day" job and tried skating for the first time in a long time a few weeks later. An audible "pop" in my lower back and I went down.  

Sounds like it might be a pinched nerve / sciatica, which is ultimately what they told me. Definitely unnerving (no pun intended) when it became really painful, though.

Went to a physical therapist and got a bunch of exercises to strengthen my core / back, as I've had pretty awful posture for most of my life & they deemed the exercises as my best preventative measure against future back issues. It happened again (to the extent where I could barely move), and I went and got an MRI done, after which I was told I have a bit of a dry-disc.

I can try and dig out the exercises and PM them to you if you are interested--aside from all that, definitely resting up, making sure I've been practicing good posture throughout the day / having a new chair with nice lumbar support has really helped.

If you find, can you pm them to me as well. I've been having lower back pain and would like to try some exercises for it.

[Paco Supreme]

Expand Quote

This is the yoga "guide" i followed for my back, been slacking lately but 2-3 times a week set me right

  - Lower Back

- Upper Back

[close]

I tried the lower back thingy today. Will see if it works.

Good stuff man, just ease into it and give it a few goes to get used to those movements, i know it felt really strange doing some of them at first for me

[coneklr]

Mine has been extremely bad the past couple years, to the point where for a few months I could barely move around half the day.  I went to the chiro for a while along with doing some core stuff and trying to lose a little weight.  I've been feeling a bit better the past few months but can still only skate a few hours and then am in some pain for a day or two after.  A friend of mine swore by postural restoration and said he hadn't been in pain or been back to the chiro since doing that.  Since relocating I've been trying to find a place that does that here but it's mostly chiropractors everywhere.  Anyway, yoga and staying flexible and working your core is probably always gonna be the best bet although I don't think anything is 100% when it comes to backs

[D. Bag]

If you have lower back disc issues via compressed discs, herniation, etc. and have a few bucks lying around (or, have the credit for it), DRX Decompression Therapy is a fucking lifesaver.

I had to stop skating for about 3 years aside from rolling around doing zero impact stuff when my back was all jacked up with 3 discs that were so flat, it was practically bone on bone contact.  30 sessions of DRX decompression via a solid chiropractor I worked with, combined with regular adjustments and changing the way I sit/walk a bit and I feel better at 41 than I did at 33 when all that shit went south on me.

It ain't cheap, I had to spend about $2500 over 3 months to get it done because, of course, it's not covered under insurance (despite thousands of people who have reported the same success I did, go fucking figure...), but I'd be crippled now if I didn't get that shit fixed up.  Your back does NOT just magically get better, it takes lots of work and fixing what got fucked in the first place to make actual improvement, but it's far better than being stuck doing zero physical stuff the rest of your life if it gets bad enough.

[cletus the slack jawed yokel]

Stop trying to suck your own cock.

[colin]

Yup, work your core, i.e. plank and bridge exercises.

This, and keeping my hamstrings stretched.

[Bloody Matt]

I threw my back out a few years ago while lifting something and ended up going to a physical therapist. The main exercise I retained and still use from those sessions is a sort of reverse sit up and I find that it's a great way to strengthen both my lower back and my abdominal muscles. I also like it because it's free and doesn't require any equipment. Essentially you lay flat on your stomach and extend your arms straight out in front of you, lifting both of your legs and arms off of the floor as high and as long as you feel comfortable. I alternate between doing quicker sets or longer, stretching-like holds depending on how I'm feeling. You can also lift your legs and spread and close them while they're elevated to work some different muscles. The whole thing is pretty chill but works, in my case anyway. Doing regular sit-ups and pushups are also part of my routine. 
Good luck. It wasn't until I temporarily lost the use of some of my back muscles that I fully realised how much we depend on our backs to move around!

[Tufty]

yesterday I went skating just to try my back. I did low impact staff some flips and 180s flat ground or on a bank and some grinds on a ledge. It took me an hour to feel enough pain, while one week ago it took me 10 minutes.  Still do the yoga thingy, pills and cream/.

[pica]

i had/have backpain due to my sway back. need to strenghten the six pack and back muscles... jumping rope, stretching and sit ups do wonder for me. sit ups (feet on a chair otherwise ot gets worse). also what this guy does (it's german but you get the idea, also the guy is a german named eberhard so he can't be wrong)

[Can of Soup]

If you find, can you pm them to me as well. I've been having lower back pain and would like to try some exercises for it.

Just checked last night--no dice, unfortunately (I did find some knee exercises if that's of interest).

The one exercise that helped my issue the most was similar to this:

http://orthocorept.com/blog/blood-pressure-cuff-abdominal-training

^ doing that and easing into a few core exercises such as these should help:
http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/core-back-workouts

[paraquat]

Crazy coincidence as I have been stricken with chronic lower back pain for a few months now. The only time it doesn't hurt is when I am standing. I can still skate, but bending down is a bitch. I hope it is just stress and nothing internal. Good luck guys.

[Dark Knight]

Expand Quote

Yup, work your core, i.e. plank and bridge exercises.

[close]

This, and keeping my hamstrings stretched.

This helps exponentially.  And I am a health care professional with lower back problems.

I've also found that skateboarding (at least when I started, skating predominantly one way) is a highly imbalanced activity.  Due to pushing one way more often than the other.  It creates muscle imbalances in the legs and back specifically.  Once I went to therapy it was insane as to how much it's a difference.  One leg's thigh and one leg's quadricep were vastly out of proportion strength-wise.

[j....soy.....]

I've wrestled with back pain forever....and I equate it to being chronically regular foot....years of pushing ,my left side only exists to tighten up and stabilize.  This has become such a pattern that my left side just tightens up even when it's not necessary....so what I think I have is a chronic back spasm.  It's gotten way better from a year of physio and regularly rolling shit out and stretching.  I go to the gym regularly too and quit doing stupid shit....I kept up some of the physio stuff....

Mentioned this before but my thoughts on yoga is certain stretches are super good but usual classes there's just too much bending over....which is cool to look at but sucks for my back....

[samsk8]

Expand Quote

Stop trying to suck your own cock.

[close]

[coneklr]

I've wrestled with back pain forever....and I equate it to being chronically regular foot....years of pushing ,my left side only exists to tighten up and stabilize.  This has become such a pattern that my left side just tightens up even when it's not necessary....so what I think I have is a chronic back spasm.  It's gotten way better from a year of physio and regularly rolling shit out and stretching.  I go to the gym regularly too and quit doing stupid shit....I kept up some of the physio stuff....

Mentioned this before but my thoughts on yoga is certain stretches are super good but usual classes there's just too much bending over....which is cool to look at but sucks for my back....

This! ( the bolded part )  and why I think this ( postural restoration ) could be great for skateboarders and why my friend said it worked so well for him.  My understanding is it's like yoga/stretching but only for half of your body ( or more intense for half ) to undo the unnaturally biased motions and positions of years of skating one stance ( f u people who skate both ways equally haha )

[Mad Max]

Try and stretch everyday for 20 minutes, otherwise at least 10 mins before and after you skate.

Strengthen your core muscles (abdomen, back and sides).

Drink lots of water.

The lower back can get strained because your leg muscles are too tight and your back starts to over compensate. If your core muscles are weak, problems arise.

Some simple stretches:

- Lie in an L shape on your back, ass against the wall and legs stretched straight up. No longer than 10 mins.
- On your back, pull one knee to your chest, relax the ankle, count to 20.
- On your back, arms out to sides, raise knee to chest and swing to opposite side. try and keep shoulders on the floor.
- On your back, raise both knees, fold one leg other the other, tilt legs towards chest. If left leg folded, reach left arm through legs and clasp hand behind right knee. Hold for 30 secs.
- On your back, raise both knees, stretch arms along floor at 45� palms down, breath in, breathe out and swing knees to side, brethe in bringing knees back up and breathe out swinging them to the other side. repeat 4 or 5 times each way.
- On all fours, make sure knees are are not touching and directly beneath hips, push weight backwards so your ass heads towards your heels, then push off and stretch your legs. The focus is on raising your hips. cf The dog stretch in Yoga.