Relief for lower back pain?

I have recently bought a hot and cold magnetic wrap from boots. It has a gel pack in that you can either freeze or heat up, or leave it out and have it as a magnetic support. Works wonders for me!
 
I suffered it after lifting lots of buckets of water during the last cold spell. Ive found that a nice hot bath daily helps, lifting correctly by bending the knees and keeping going helps. I find that as the day goes on it gets easier and riding did help. I just took Ibruprofen for the pain and that helped too.
 
I found that a combination of Ibuprofen, Ibuleve gel and a heat patch worked wonders at the beginning of this week, when I hurt my back and couldn't move unaided. Within 24 hrs I was able to function normally.
 
Before you get out of bed in the morning lay on your back and bend your knee up to your tum each in turn, then both together - this helps prepare the back for the day's aggressions!

Also a Mactimoney (sp) Chiropractor helped me in the past. Due to see someone soon after suffering lower back whiplash in a car accident. Sadly riding seems to make it worse, but that isn't going to stop me!

One thing that isn't good (for me) is sitting slouched! And sitting slouched at a desk in front of a computer all day - well - need to talk to someone about posture me-thinks!

Ibuprofen!
 
Lifting things properly really helps - sounds obvious but even when picking up feed buckets, bend your knees and use your thighs to push up rather than pulling yourself up with lower back muscles (thats what it feels like anyway) Really does help!
 
Chiropracter or osteopath.

Hotwater bottle on back - or ice pack on top of pelvis.

Ibuprofen - or Potassium diclofenic (I think that is the one that is available over the counter - if not it is the sodium diclofenic)

Definitely pilates!!!!:D
 
Regular massages to ease out any knotted muscles, tension etc. I used to be on up to 11 various different prescribed tablets a day, not have back, and shoulder massage every 2 months and is much better and cant remeber last time I took even half a days worth of tablets. Also try to find out what is specifically causing the issues. If you can face it go to docs, be insistant you are not leaving without a referral to either a physio or a musco skeletal specialist. If you not been in before then you may have to accept 3 weeks or anti inflams first before returning for a referral. Dont take no for an answer and if they say no, request an appointment with a different doctor.
 
Ive been suffering for years, went to see a physio who said my back muscles were very strong and tight and that my stomach muscles were weak. He gave me some exercises to do, one being very slow sit ups. Cant say it realy worked though, so last week said Ive got to go to the docs but in the meantime ordered a new latex covered mattress and voila!!! Got up this morning with no pain at all, cant believe it :D:D:D
I didnt think my last mattress was that bad either
 
I had a bad back that got worse and worse, eventually I couldn't even turn over in bed and had to sleep curled up. I bit the bullet and paid to go to a chiropractor who told me I had short hamstrings which was pulling on the sacroilliac joint. She folded me up and 'cracked' my back and put cold stuff on it and gave me exercises to stretch the hamstrings. The relief was immediate from the first treatment and I had further treatments, each time getting a little better til eventually I was very nearly pain free. Think I had about 6 treatments.
It did cost but it was worth it. If you have health insurance through your work it may cover the cost.
 
I can't remember what it is called at the moment but I have been using a gel with ibruprofen in and it also has some sort of menthal stuff in it so makes it go all cold, it has really helped me from time to time. Definitely long term option is to see a chiro to get checked out though
 
I have hurt my back after doing two stables (lol I know thats not a lot) don't know what I did wrong but it's put me in agony at some points. Read this thread with interest, but first stop is Docs, if it isnt better in a week!
 
SuenRoux said:
Before you get out of bed in the morning lay on your back and bend your knee up to your tum each in turn, then both together - this helps prepare the back for the day's aggressions!
Click to expand...

Must start doing that myself!!


I use therma care heatwraps

I've also found biofreeze helps a lot (I think that's what it's called, I keep calling it Febreeze, but the chemist knows what I mean LOL)

You don't use both things together

Rest and gentle stretching help too

YMMV
 
After years of struggling every winter with back pain whilst mucking out and spending a fortune on massages etc I visited a sports physio in the summer and he pushed a place in my back and said do you get pain here? yes when i muck out, he told me to buy a long handled pitchfork! So i purchased one and its as tall as me and bright pink (so no-one will pinch it lol) once I got the hang of it, it has totally changed my posture whilst mucking out and I can honestly say I have not had even so much as a twinge!! This morning my oh commented on how much we have saved by me not having to have my back done every few weeks!
 
Accupuncture :)

Have suffered with chronic lower back pain for years, my oesteopath also uses accupuncture sometimes to 'release' really sore spots. It hurts, but it really does seem to help.

He also recommends ice rather than heat, which again helps.

Other than diclofenac, and a painkiller called Paramol (which you can buy over the counter, but which contains dihydracodeine so is supposed to be for short-term use only).

I also little things also make a difference - making sure your shavings fork is long enough, helps save your back when mucking out. Filling water buckets from a hose to save dragging them about, having a floor-standing saddle rack instead of lifting up & down off a wall, transferring sufficient shavings into a smaller bag to save lugging 25k bag over to stable etc.

It is the worst :(
 
Thank-you so much for all your suggestions - I now have a plan of attack

I have recently changed doctors so going to book an appointment for next week
I have purchased a longer shavings fork
Looked into local pilates classes
Looked into a healthcare scheme which covers chiro

With all this in plan i hope I won't need my ibuprofen or diclofenac xx
 
My daughter suffers with low back pain occasionally following a nasty fall a couple of years ago. Has had physio etc but finds that wearing an elasticated back support when riding helps if she is getting a few twinges.
 
I used the pain killer they advertise on tv voltarol... It did work...

I also saw a chiropractor a lot, and althoug it was ok when having regualar appointments I couldn't afford to continue. Now use a back stretcher that i got from next... It was one of the best impulse buys ever.

Still best to get professional to give verdict... Lots can go on with your back that you don't realise.
 
Please don't use any heat on the pain until you know what sort of damage you have done. I highly recommend getting it checked by a physiotherapist. I suffer from back pain and have slipped a disc 3 times in my lower back, and slipped one in my neck. I was using the Deep Hear pads and although they felt nice they weren't helping. My physio was NOT impressed when I told her, she said that there was a lot of inflammation in my back around the disc and I should only ever use cold on it...oops!!
 
All of the above - most important, work on your core muscles, ie. hold your tummy in really tight, and your pelvic floor muscles. You'll learn that in Pilates, it really helps your back.
 
I have lower back pain for over 20 years (riding accident of course!), and lots of things have helped over the years. Since we bought a feed merchants, I no longer have low back pain, it may sound bonkers but spending all day lifting bales of wrapped haylage, shavings, 25kg feed bag etc seems to have strengthened my back, but I carry them all on my right shoulder(lift about four tonnes a week). So I go to my 'back and body' lady once a month (bit less in summer) and she sorts me out. I've been to loads of chiros/osteos/physios/Bowen/McTimony's over the years - sometimes you have to try a few before you get the one that works for you. The person I see now is massively knowledgable and fixes anything that's wrong with me - she also really gets on with it, I don't mind if it hurts so long as I feel better afterwards!

Re the exercises in bed before you get up - a world class rock climber once gave me a great tip, lie on your back, draw your knees up you your chest, and wriggle like a dog does on it's back, really put your back into it, everything gets moving before you stand up and gravity bears down on you.
 
Ibuprofen, gentle exercise if it's really bad, very deep hot baths so that you almost float, and a hot bottle tucked behind back when watching TV, reading etc. And try to avoid situations where you can put the back into spasm. Plus a good osteopath if needed. It's kept my bad lower back (unstable sacro illiac joint) on its best behavious for years.
 
I use set of specific stretches with stabilisation exercises for the pelvis and this has worked wonders. By engaging the abdominals and stretching the lower back you get taller posture and more stable seat.

Stay away from sit ups, they will tilt your pelvis forward and cause further back pain, because the net result shortened erector spinae (lower back muscles). Imagine that by doing sit ups you essentially training your muscles to pull your pelvis forward and its like emptying the contents of your stomach on to the floor!

think core stability and combine it with hamstring and glute exercises and you will find the problem becomes a lot easier!
 
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