what exercises do you do to strengthen your back?

[jewll27]

Brief background- Dec 2009 fell off my horse and was kicked in my lower right back/hip. Haven’t been right since; spasms when I do too much, slowly slowly regaining sensation in that area in my skin. My back some days just aches. 3 weeks ago at work, I had to pick up a very, very large patient off the floor who did nothing to help us. During this process, I pulled a muscle in the middle of my back-sharp, stabbing pains that shoot down my legs if I walk too much or stand too long or pick up something really heavy.

Havent been riding and light duty at work (Im an RN) but come to find out that the workman’s comp claim was denied b.c of previous injury so I cancelled PT and ortho f/u b/c my co-pays are high as are my deductibles. So I need to go to the dr to be cleared tomorrow so I can go back to work on monday and be full duty even though my back still really hurts at times.

Ive got tramadol and cataphlan that help and plan on asking for a muscle relaxer as well to. Bought arnica gel today and that actually seemed to work. But obviously I need to do something to restrengthen those muscles so the spasms subside and I can function semi-normally.

Any suggestions? I plan on starting yoga and ease my way back into riding…but what else?

[2BayPonies]

Not a pulled muscle!

Sweetie, you didn’t pull a muscle if you have pain shooting down your leg - that is sciatic pain & comes from disc issues/nerve involvement.

1st, I would get with someone to help with your insurance carrier - they all deny deny deny- this is NOT related to a kick/traumatic injury - completely different & you need to fight for your worker’s comp.

2nd - get thyself to a back specialist ASAP. Don’t mess around with this sort of issue, it may heal “a bit” on it’s own, but it sounds like you need some serious intervention. Neurontin (Gabapentin-generic) will help with the nerve pain - you need to figure out the lowest dose that will help. A pain specialist can help you with this.

Best of luck!!

[jewll27]

no I promise it isnt sciatic pain, Ive had that before right after I first got kicked. This pain goes right down my butt into the tops of my thighs.

And fighting workman’s comp? I have no idea how to even do that…

I do agree with a back specialist…guess I need to call my insurance and look one up.

[2BayPonies]

Are you sure? Almost all radiating pain is nerve related - it’s a really debilitating issue if not addressed.

Do you have a union rep that can help? I don’t know how American benefits work, but in Canada there would be an org that helps with issues like this.

whistling & looking skyward
And as an aside, I wouldn’t mention any previous sciatic pain…

[jewll27]

ok so I just looked at my xray results from the last one done on 5/16 and it says I have “bilateral L5 spondylolyses with an 8mm grade 1 spondylolisthesis of L5 on S1.”

I have no idea why I didnt know what this meant or why I didnt ask sooner…and I had an MRI/xrays done in early april and I dont remember that doctor saying anything about it to me…Im gonna have to get a copy of those results…

[2BayPonies]

spondylolysis will cause nerve pain - good info at http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00053

Get with your Dr & ask questions.

Again, best of luck!

[jewll27]

I promise its not sciatic pain, I’m a nurse and a lot of my patients have sciatic pain; mine isnt the same. I wish it was but its not.

nerve pain tends to be more a sharp burning feeling, with a tingle that follows. This is just sharp, stabbing pain…

[sign_of_Grace]

I will PM you!

[QUOTE=jewll27;5640610]
ok so I just looked at my xray results from the last one done on 5/16 and it says I have “bilateral L5 spondylolyses with an 8mm grade 1 spondylolisthesis of L5 on S1.” [/QUOTE]

I have grade III almost IV. My L5 is 80% off of my S1. I never had nerve pain/issues with sensation down my legs until a motorcycle accident at work. They told me that the spondy is degenerative, but agreed that the wreck probably worsened it since I hadn’t ever had leg pain issues prior to the wreck.

What does all that mean? It means I will PM you! I have back exercise suggestions, spondy suggestions, AND workers comp suggestions! I just had my 3rd epidural about 3 hours ago so I’m going through this too as we speak…

I know you know more about “stuff” being an RN (and I’m not being snarky, I know you really do), but it really could be from tweaking your spondy a certain way when you picked up the patient!

[2BayPonies]

geesh, don’t ever wish for nerve pain…evil business!

Sounds like another poster has some exercises to help, hopefully they will alleviate your issues. Another great resource is http://www.spine-health.com/forum - all different types of folks with different problems.

[Milocalwinnings]

[QUOTE=jewll27;5640640]
I promise its not sciatic pain, I’m a nurse and a lot of my patients have sciatic pain; mine isnt the same. I wish it was but its not.

nerve pain tends to be more a sharp burning feeling, with a tingle that follows. This is just sharp, stabbing pain…[/QUOTE]

I have bulging disks that pinch a nerve when they flare up, which has been confirmed by MRI’s. I get a sharp stabbing pain. I don’t get any tingling. I don’t have any pain radiate down my legs (yet… it could progress to that eventually). So it is possible.

You need to go to a DR. I would advise you to get an MRI to see if you are dealing with disk issues / pinched nerve. Trust me. I dealt with my back condition / pain for over a year and it progressivly got worse and worse. Started out as a sharp shooting pain through my lower back every once in a while if I bet wrong… to being an excruciating shooting pain through my lower back that left me lying on the floor unable to move because of how much pain I was in.

Don’t chance it… I can almost guarantee you that it’s not a pulled muscle.

[jewll27]

thanks everyone, its not a pulled muscle. Its a bilateral spondy fracture in my L5 with a 20% displacement over the S1. Saw the dr today…light duty, no riding, strengthen that core!!

blah

[sign_of_Grace]

Do I get a picture of you eating the worms? I think you should post it LOL

[sophie]

[QUOTE=jewll27;5651343]
strengthen that core!!

blah[/QUOTE]

This really is key to help heal your back and prevent any more problems. AFTER you start feeling better of course.

I’ve had a bad back for years and years. Bulging disks, pulled muscle, etc., made worse by 2 pregnancies. Saw a Sports medicine doc, chiros, and osteo, was prescribed Celebrex and the like ( made me so nauseous I could not take those)…The ONLY thing that is helping me is Yoga. If I do it regularly (once a week minimum) I am fine. If I don’t, my back starts bothering me again.
I am currently doing Pilates 2 to 3 times a week, and that helps, but not as much as yoga (Ashtanga yoga for me - not all yoga is created equal).
Good luck. Back pain sucks.

[JSwan]

Yoga or Pilates will do wonders for back problems.

And once you feel ready to start riding again, there are exercises you can do in the saddle, at the walk or trot, which will help strengthen your core as well.

Hope you feel better soon!

[mildot]

I suffered a hard fall in mid March of this year. Severely sprained my right hip joint/groin as I rolled off the horse and hit the ground squarely on my lower back rigth above the buttocks.

ER did X rays/MRI of hip/pelvis/lumbar area. No herniated or ruptured discs, no fractures except for hairline crack of coccyx and no dislocated hip joint. Got heavy duty pain killers and was sent home. I could not put weight on my right leg or a searing pain would shoot right up it into my hips. I also experienced frequent numbness down the right leg.

Family GP did nothing to help. Did not refer to a specialist, just prescribed muscle relaxants. I spent the next 4 weeks in crutches/cane struggling to walk and in constant pain.

As I thought I could stand being manipulated (about 3 to 4 weeks) I went to my chiropractor. Had my first adjustment on a Wednesday, the second that Saturday. On Monday morning as I got up off bed I realized that I could actually walk without a cane and not feel like my hips were on fire. Three more weeks of chriopractic therapy and medical massage and I was able to walk virtually pain free.

I still have some lingering groin pain when I try to run. But I am back riding on horseback and bicycle and feeling no pain at all when I do those activities.

I have no idea if chiropractic care is right for you, but it took me from a cripple back to a normal person in a few weeks.

[RedMare01]

I third the recommendation of Yoga and Pilates. When I first started, I bought a beginner Pilates DVD, and I could tell a big difference in core strength very rapidly. :yes:

Caitlin

[jewll27]

[QUOTE=sign of Grace;5651845]
Do I get a picture of you eating the worms? I think you should post it LOL[/QUOTE]

LOL I am not eating any worms b/c its not sciatic pain! HA! :winkgrin:

yes yoga and pilates is what everyone is telling me…looking into yoga classes locally but I bought an exercise ball and a pilates dvd…

[the_other_mother]

So what does strengthen your core? I could use some help in this dept too. I had scoliosis spinal fusion surgery (T1 thru L4) with rod implantation and I know I need to strengthen. Yoga and pilates have been mentioned, but what things can I do mounted on my horse to help?

[sign_of_Grace]

Core exercises/back stabalization

Here are my suggestions (and what I do 3-4 times a week). Having a strong core helps you ride, I don’t think it’s necessarily an exercise best completed while on the horse.

Exercises: LOVE yoga! Any type and as often as you can.

• Stretch your hammies as much as possible
  *Lie on your back, make sure the small of your back is as flat as possible (hard with a spondy). Start with no weight. Knees in bent position feet flat on floor. Straighten one leg at a time about 1" from floor, keeping small of back as flat as possible. 3 reps of 10 each leg. When that becomes easy, put on ankle weights.
  *supermans–lie on your stomach, spread arms out like you are flying. Lift arms and legs at same time about 2-3" off floor. 3 sets of 10. These suck but are great lower back.
  *bridges–same position as first, flat back on floor, knees bent. Now squeeze your butt muscles and lift your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your butt tight.
  *Cruches on an exercise ball
  *Any and all ab exercises! My back doc said the only reason my spine didn’t completely separate L5 from S1 when I t-boned the car on my motorcycle is because of my abs.
  *and don’t sleep on your stomach.

[frisky]

I don’t know much about back pain except I experience a lot of back pain and I’m always trying to find peace with my back. My three recommendations:

1. easy back exercises
2. acupuncture. It’s the only woo-woo thing that I really believe in.

[QUOTE=sophie;5652238]

I am currently doing Pilates 2 to 3 times a week, and that helps, but not as much as yoga (Ashtanga yoga for me - not all yoga is created equal).
Good luck. Back pain sucks.[/QUOTE]
3. yoga-- Also an ashtanga lover! I don’t recommend ashtanga to many people because it’s really hard, but there are many good yoga styles out there.