I am a physically fit 23 year old male, who suffers from daily, moderate low back pain. It started about a year ago, at first it was a severe, sharp pain in the low back that made it feel “locked up”. Bending over caused the worst pain, and I could hardly move out of that position, sitting was also difficult. In the morning, putting my socks on was nearly impossible.
I was told at physical therapy to stretch my quads, hip flexors, do “nerve glides”- to help with the tightness and low flexibility of my hamstrings- and to strengthen my core. I did all that, and had some improvement. The pain is not as intense, but I still have it daily. The pain is in the center of my lower back, right in line with the top of my glutes. I can’t feel it by touching the area, so it doesn’t feel like sore muscles. The pain is just there but I can’t pinpoint the exact area.
I have very tight hamstrings, so I am not sure if that is cause or symptom. I also have had issues with IT band syndrome.
This has already affected my ability to perform at work. My schedule has been to hectic/ unpredictable to go back to physical therapy.
An aggressive yoga routine is the only thing that keeps my back pain in check. The stronger and more flexible my core is, the better my back feels. I miss 2-3 workouts, and I can feel my back degrading to the point it’ll set me back a month til I’m back up to “good”.
I have a couple herniated disks and a torn ligament, all around my belt line. Docs want to fuse 4 vertebrae, but I’m resisting back surgery til it is last resort.
I am taking steps to avoid surgery myself. What type of Yoga are you practicing? Do you practice with a group at a gym or in the privacy of your own home?
Very unhelpful answer coming; I practice at home, cuz I’m a cheap skate, and don’t want some 20yr old hotties watching me sweat, curse and struggle to control myself in basic positions. I have a homemade routine that is a combo of various stretches and positions I’ve YouTubed, then tried myself thru trial and error. For the last couple of months, I’ve been easing myself into some “bodyweight fitness” ideas, via bodyweight fitness and some low impact stuff from Antranik’s YouTube channel.
I severely injured my lower back in crossfit 3 years ago and swore off lifting. I had terrible back pain ever since then. When I decided to start lifting again, I took it slow and smart, and focused on freeweight compound lifts like deadlifts and squats. My core and lower back are now stronger than ever and my back pain is minimal at worst.
If you had some relief with PT, do more PT. Be aggressive with stretching, try yoga. If it slow in coming see if your doc can order a MRI just to make sure there’s no neurological issues.
Take it from someone who neglected stretching at your age and completely regrets it, keep those hamstrings, hips, glutes, and quads loose. Just make stretching them part of your morning or evening routine. I wish I had done that as an ounce of preventative maintenance goes a long way and is far easier than rehabbing when things go wrong.
I use a foam roller daily, to the point that I pack it with me in my carry on suitcase even for short trips. I also use a massage therapy ball to focus on specific spots.
You didn’t mention what kind of work you do, but if you spend a lot of your day sitting you may need to break it up during the day, go for a walk, take the stairs, etc. Otherwise, 30-60 minutes of stretching or yoga isn’t going to compensate for 7-8 hours of sitting, especially if you have bad posture habits (as I do)
Look up GMB and Mobility WOD for some ideas on exercises that may help your back.
Last year I had a crippling back spasm that I couldn’t figure out on my own.
Went to the ER, got a shot of lidocaine and toradol and it didn’t do anything. Tried seeing a massage therapist and that didn’t help. Finally went to an acupuncturist and went from not being able to stand up straight on Monday to hiking 6 miles on Thursday after two sessions. If you had told me I’d see such immediate results I wouldn’t have believed you.
I just had a session with a massage therapist last week after plateauing on my squats and deadlifts and getting low back pain. She diagnosed it as underdeveloped glutes and prescribed some Pilates exercises which I’m incorporating in to my warmups and cooldowns. It’s not sexy enough to brag to my friends about but I’d rather be healthy at this point in my life than be cool.
No MRI. I got X-rays, which showed nothing. As of today, my pain is better, but still not gone. I focus a lot on stretching and core strength. I really want to go to a civilian physical therapists. I just have to go approval.
Sounds like you need an MRI. I had the same symptoms at a similar age and X-rays showed nothing.
As a guy who was barely walking a decade down the line, get the right diagnostics and then get definitive care. Good self care will reduce the pain but you may end up causing slow, irreversible damage.
Yeah, sorry…that was my point. Generally speaking, for any particular human ailment, it’s best to have an actual diagnosis before embarking on a treatment plan (“cart-before-horse”…”I don’t know why you’re having abdominal pain Mr. Smith, but let’s take your gallbladder out and see if that helps”). There are many potential causes of low back pain, even in a physically fit 23 year old male. Physical therapists can be valuable members of the healthcare team but they can’t provide you with a medical diagnosis, it is outside the scope of their license in most states. You have a one-year history of having refractory axial back pain that is occasionally so severe that putting your socks on is nearly impossible. You’ve embarked on WAG treatment plans that haven’t helped and now have turned to the internet. Maybe you’ll get your back problem solved by internet gun forum experts, but I would be more inclined to recommend seeing a non-internet doctor and let him/her have a crack at actually making a diagnosis.