Ever thrown your back out?

[Khan]

One of the worst 'throw outs' was after sitting in wrong sized chair for several days, then twisting to lift a trash bag.

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by Want2retire

I am so sorry to read that, ejman and DblDoc!! Doesn't sound like either of you was over-doing, either. Sort of like me picking up that pencil.

I hope both of you recover soon.

Yep, one of the times my back got really bad was just reaching over to toss a napkin into a garbage can. I can't imagine how that triggered it, but I was laid up for weeks. I hit some mild depression during the recovery, it's just hard to deal with something you seemingly have no control over. When I have a back issue over lifting something heavy, I can say ' hah! you should have known better - don't do that again!', but when ordinary events leave you incapacitated, it's kinda scary.

I don't know if it is hereditary or not, but when my back is stiff, I know that I get out a chair exactly how I remember my old man getting out of a chair. Even DW has mentioned it (kind of like grampa on the Real McCoys).

I imagine the medical people must cringe at 'throwing your back out', but I also don't know a better way to describe it. People mention 'muscle spasms', maybe that's it, but that is not how it feels to me. Just a tightness and stiffness and pain.

-ERD50

[bpp3]

Dangdest coincidence, I just recently "threw my back out" for the first time ever. No proximate cause (delayed reaction to the previous month's around-the-house DIY marathon?), but can't sleep at night now when it flares up. Feels like muscle spasms, though doctor calls it is a pulled muscle. Gave me electro-stimulation therapy (felt like a cat kneeding my back with its paws), but the relief was short-lived. Hoping painkillers and generally taking it easy will cure it soon.

[Want2retire]

Sorry to hear that, bpp3!! Also, I forgot to convey my sympathies to Al and others who are dealing with back problems right now. I hope all of you feel better soon.

From this poll, you can see that (unfortunately) a lot of people here know what you are going through! As of this moment, about 76% of men and 31% of women responding have thrown out their backs at least 3 times.

I was told once that this is the result of primates standing erect, though I'm not sure I believe that. Women stand erect just as men do, and despite many delightful zoo trips I don't recall seeing any primates other than man with problem backs.

[mews]

Pencils are evil!

One of the most painful things I ever did was sneeze while I had turned to my right to pull open a drawer in my office desk.

oooW!

It took about a week, and a chiropractor visit to finally ease off.
It was humiliating -
there I was, working out, being fit, ah-choo-yeee-oOW!

ta,
mew

[ejman]

Well, my regular doctor (an internist) said when I saw him on Friday " I hate to say this but I think you ought so see a chiropractor for your SI pain" So I just got back from the chiropractor - nice lady with steel hands and fingers ouch! I think I'm feeling better. I just noticed I could get up from my chair without my back spassing well see...

[GoodSense]

I am female, only 29, but every other year or so, I would have a couple of days where my back is so twisted and hurts so badly that I can hardly walk. It's not triggered by anything I can tell -- seems to just happen, like a cold.

[TromboneAl]

I forgot: once I strained it doing some stretching designed to prevent strains.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by REWahoo

I wonder if back problems are hereditary? Neither of my parents had back problems, both lived to their early 90's. None of my siblings have had back problems, nor have I.

Same here. Never thrown my back out, although I've pulled muscles there plenty of times. I hate it when I sneeze and pull a muscle.

I wonder if I started martial arts before I got vulnerable, and now the core muscles are working for me instead of against me. Taekwondo is all about being able to rapidly twist your hips.

[mews]

Nord, I think it's luck of the draw -

the deadly sneeze I referred to happened while I was in hard training in karate, fit, flexible, and really embarrassed when I explained to my friends that I got 'injured at the office!" "Oh, how?" "Um, I sneezed..."

ta,
mew

[TromboneAl]

embarrassed when I explained to my friends that I got 'injured at the office!" "Oh, how?" "Um, I sneezed..."

Think about how FinanceDude feels. He stepped on a piece of gum and ended up in the hospital.

[Khan]

I pulled my back once when I rolled over in bed (yes I was alone).

[Walt34]

I saw it coming today and quit feeding tree branches to the shredder. Lots of bending and twisting to that! That and it was 89 degrees F and very humid, I started getting a little lightheaded, DW says "Your face is very red". I took the hint and quit for the day.

[lsbcal]

I don't completely understand what is happening in the body and how many variations on a theme there are, but for me when I notice strain in the lower back that does not go away I start taking Aleve. If the nerve is pinched and I'm hobbling around then I'll take 2 Aleve at first and then 1 every 8 hrs. My doc says I could take even a stronger dose with no ill effects for a day or two.

For me the worst time is in the cold Winter months. Keeping on warm cloths and maybe a vest helps. Chopping wood tends to aggravate things as well as too much stooping to do gardening chores and sitting at the computer too long doesn't help. So I'll do an activity for a fairly short time and then switch to something else. Sounds like we've all learned to workarounds for weaknesses in the back. In my case the X-ray shows disc issues which I won't bore you with details on.