How to manage a bad back?

[Khriss]

One of cheapest therapies is those huge yoga balls, if im a bit tight i lay across it on my back n just roll around with feet on floor and hands behind head - opens up yr joints n spine the other way n lets more blood flow in and lactic acid crystals out. Mind, my backs not as bad as some of youz. K

[Svts]

4 hours ago, youngsbury said:

As a 25year old rugby playing judo throwing scaffolder ( now 52 ) I jumped out of the lorry cab at the end of the day and twisted as I landed and felt a pssst. Gradually throughout the evening got twinges then woke up in the morning stood up and MY GOD literally fell to the floor. The shear pain was unbelievable I couldn’t do anything. Was living on my own and had to pee in a saucepan because I couldn’t even bend. 
Turned out I had ruptured my L5 and I was now flat and had compressed on nerves. Now 27years later still giving me grief occasionally but manageable with 10minutes light stretching in the morning without fail and generally keeping strong and healthy. I take a supplement of glucosamine and chondroitin which tbh don’t know if it helps or not but was recommended by my physio. 

I did take the recommended supplements for a few years but now consume a good share of the world's tinned mackerel supply in the hope its doing some good to my joints. 

[sime42]

I did take the recommended supplements for a few years but now consume a good share of the world's tinned mackerel supply in the hope its doing some good to my joints. 

Good plan. Oily fish like mackerel is really good. Tasty too. Just a shame about all the heavy metals in it due to pollution in the seas. You're meant to be careful about how much you eat because of that. Bloody humans!

[Doug Tait]

2 hours ago, Khriss said:

One of cheapest therapies is those huge yoga balls, if im a bit tight i lay across it on my back n just roll around with feet on floor and hands behind head - opens up yr joints n spine the other way n lets more blood flow in and lactic acid crystals out. Mind, my backs not as bad as some of youz. K

They are good. Discovered them in the gym at the climbing wall and think they're much more beneficial than hanging from something by my arms etc. Though I don't have back pain as such, I get numb arms and headaches from tension in the back muscles 

[nepia]

Numb arms is something for which you should seek professional advice: it often stems from misaligned cerebral vertebrae - I forget which ones.  Please don't go adjusting your own neck; if you knacker C2-3 joint you'll stop breathing!

[Doug Tait]

12 minutes ago, nepia said:

Numb arms is something for which you should seek professional advice: it often stems from misaligned cerebral vertebrae - I forget which ones.  Please don't go adjusting your own neck; if you knacker C2-3 joint you'll stop breathing!

Thanks for the advice. It's something I've had for over 30yrs and have seen many professional people about it, Doctors, Chiro, Physio. They all found no reason.

 

Then a Beautician friend said she thought it was muscle tension and offered a treatment, which was a brutal 90 minute massage involving being hit with stones. Can go for months without any problems after it though. Stretching helps, yoga ball helps, but it gets worse over time when using saws and strimmers or driving a lot.

[nepia]

I'm glad you found a temporary cure even if you don't know which bit of the beautician's pummelling - how much did that cost you bad boy?! - sorted it.

I still think that next time the issue arises you should see a chiro/osteo and suggest a cervical vertebra issue (dunno where I got cerebral vertebra from previously!).  At least they could confirm/deny it for you

[Doug Tait]

Thanks nepia, understood. The better half sees a Chiropractor regularly so I will mention it to him.

 

Fortunately the massage costs me nothing, she's a good friend and I often help with her dog so mutually beneficial.

 

I don't fully understand what she does, but she finds 'knots' in the muscle and uses stones to break them up somehow, she calls it treatment but it feels like assault! 

[nepia]

Sounds like the stones are a gimmicky substitute for a knuckle, end of a finger or even an elbow pressed into the knot.  the tighter the knot the more it hurts until... sweet release!

[Doug Tait]

She does use fingers and elbows, progressing to stones. One is positioned on the knot then struck with another stone. You're right it's a sweet relief, but leaves me quite spaced out for the day afterwards