Lower Back Pain

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Doc Dan
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Lower Back Pain

#1

Post by Doc Dan »

I have suffered lower back pain since I injured it during a move my wife and I were making years ago. It has gotten worse after my accident and sometimes I hurt so bad I cannot get out of bed. I went to see an acupuncturist that we know. She did the usual acupuncture, but then she started giving me some physiotherapy. After checking my range of motion, which is good (I do not have a slipped disc), she started in on some therapy. After she was finished, the doctor asked me how I felt. I felt good, better than good, in fact. She told me the reason I have been having such intense back pain is because my core is weak (my physiotherapist also told me that all of those sit-ups from years ago had damaged my back.). Anyway, she gave me some easy to do exercises I have never seen before to strengthen my core. I've been pain free for 3 days, for the first time in years!.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#2

Post by RustyIron »

Dude! Sweet!
I'll try to refrain from gushing about my acupuncturist, who I just visited this morning. But what he's done for me is nothing less than miraculous.

As a middle aged White American, it's not easy to reconcile what I've been taught about the superiority of Western Medicine, with the results I see from a Chinese guy mixing potions and sticking me with needles. It's a mystery.

Glad you're taking steps to become a better you!
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#3

Post by ugaarguy »

I'm glad you've gotten some pain relief. What kind of core exercises?
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#4

Post by Naperville »

Being pain FREE is a fantastic feeling!

I hear you on the situps. I have to read up and do the right ones. Obviously the ones I'm doing are old school and no good.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#5

Post by Wartstein »

Doc Dan wrote:
Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:39 pm
.... I've been pain free for 3 days, for the first time in years!.

Glad you´re pain free, Doc! :)

Actually, lower back pain is the one and only thing that bothers me from time to time physically (ok, nowadays my left shoulder might give me minor troubles also sometimes... ;) ).
It came from a combination of an injury from a climbing fall and just a lot of wear due to falls into the climbing harness (which don´t hurt, but the impacts load up over time) and so on.

I haven´t found a real remedy yet. In my case doctors say the reason might actually be, that my core is too STRONG (precisely the "front of my core", so the abs are pulling the lower spine too much to the front and I should strengthen the lower BACK muscles. But this is hard to do in times when exactly my lower back hurts anyway... ;) )
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#6

Post by James Y »

Glad that you’ve found something that is giving you relief, Doc!

I have a good friend who is a CA-certified acupuncturist, and I know several other people who have studied at the same school he graduated from (Pacific College of Oriental Medicine). Becoming a certified acupuncturist in CA is no joke; it costs them almost as much as going to regular medical school, and the requirements are at a high standard. They also have to learn enough about Western medicine to know when to advise patients/clients when the latter is a more appropriate solution. The amount of knowledge they must acquire would be mind-boggling to most people. Acupuncture is definitely NOT some fringe or quack modality, like some Westerners still think it is.

Back in 2004, I had been suffering for weeks from debilitating tendinitis in my right elbow (tennis elbow). My friend (who now lives up in northern CA) was back here visiting. He always carries his acupuncture equipment with him, and usually gave our martial arts teacher acupuncture treatments for his back. So he also offered to work on me for my tennis elbow.

After he put in the needles, I lay there for about 45 minutes. Than he removed the needles and I got up. Although I already believed acupuncture was real, I thought it hadn’t worked for me, because I felt the same. However, when I awoke the next morning, the tendinitis in my elbow was completely gone and never came back. Later, I came to realize that the benefits of acupuncture are only felt after a night or two of sleep after the treatment. That was my first-ever acupuncture treatment.

Over the years, I’ve also been treated for occasional tendinitis in my hands (when I still had work as a massage therapist), from overworking them. Sometimes an issue required as many as two or three visits to clear up, and sometimes it was cleared up in a single session.

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Re: Lower Back Pain

#7

Post by Wartstein »

James Y wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:58 am
.....
Over the years, I’ve also been treated for occasional tendinitis in my hands (when I still had work as a massage therapist), from overworking them. ...

Jim, this is totally off topic, but I think Doc will allow a short such question in "his" thread ;):

Most likely from your work as massage therapist you must have pretty strong / trained hands, right?! A bit like I have to some degree mostly from climbing.
Now: Do you also feel some operations on a folder where others have troubles performing those are really easy for you?
I mean like flicking a backlock with all fingers or do the backlock closing method with fingers all the time out of the blade path (so pressing the lockbar with the index finger)?
I am asking this since I never now to what degree I can advise people concerning such things, cause I don´t know if they are generally easy to do or just for folks with a bit stronger fingers/hands = forearm muscles....
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
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-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#8

Post by James Y »

Hi, Wartstein.

Yes, massage therapy does make your hands (and your core) strong, especially doing deep tissue work. Unfortunately, I’ve been out of work for 13 months now.

I can flick open a Spydie back lock with my index finger, but I normally use my thumb and do not flick. I don’t try to unlock it in weird ways, either; I use my thumb to unlock. Not because of weakness, but because trying other ways feels unnecessarily awkward in hand. I’m 5’9” and my hands are only medium-sized. I really don’t like trick openings and closings.

Although I do manually close my compression locks rather than flip them closed, or have them “fall-shutty”. I unlock with the middle finger, then use the index finger and occasionally also the thumb to push it closed. It takes no special strength, though, but I find that manipulating it closed manually is safer and just as quick as pressing the compression lock bar and swinging or dropping the blade shut.

Sorry for going OT, Doc...;)

Jim
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#9

Post by Wartstein »

James Y wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:27 am
Hi, Wartstein.

Yes, massage therapy does make your hands (and your core) strong, especially doing deep tissue work. Unfortunately, I’ve been out of work for 13 months now.

I can flick open a Spydie back lock with my index finger, but I normally use my thumb and do not flick. I don’t try to unlock it in weird ways, either; I use my thumb to unlock. Not because of weakness, but because trying other ways feels unnecessarily awkward in hand. I’m 5’9” and my hands are only medium-sized. I really don’t like trick openings and closings.

Although I do manually close my compression locks rather than flip them closed, or have them “fall-shutty”. I unlock with the middle finger, then use the index finger and occasionally also the thumb to push it closed. It takes no special strength, though, but I find that manipulating it closed manually is safer and just as quick as pressing the compression lock bar and swinging or dropping the blade shut.

Sorry for going OT, Doc...;)

Jim
Thanks, Jim, and I won´t go further into it, but perhaps start a dedicated thread.
Just for clarification:
None of the various ways of closing a backlock one handed is "trick closing" (opening is a different story though), but they are all really useful, for me even more than the usual "let the Ricasso / choil drop on your finger"!!
This is also true for the closing method where you press the lockbar with the index finger and by that can close the blade with all fingers all the time out of the blade path. Exactly the same as most close a comp. lock ususally (not you though as you described), but weirdly almost no one a backlock...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#10

Post by ChrisinHove »

That’s great news, Doc. If you’ve never suffered from back issues, thank your lucky stars!

I have found that a combination of Yoga and an active desk stool - just about - keeps issues at bay.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#11

Post by benben »

Glad you finally got some relief Doc! Fortunately I've never suffered from any back issues, just my knees! My Dad was a tough, old school, hard working man, a man's man! Probably the last 20 years before he passed away I'd see him get down in his back maybe twice a year, it's the only thing I ever saw stop him in his tracks!
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#12

Post by archangel »

Only a pain free Doc is a good Doc! ;) Good for you, and good for us! ;)

My back problems are at the other end. After a really badly slipped disc (heavy overhead garden work can have serious consequences!) in my neck about 4 years ago, I was not able to lay down anymore, so I had to sleep on the couch, sitting, for almost two months. All kinds of treatment, including injections under X-Ray that went directly into the spine, failed. The disc and the two surrounding certebrals had to be replaced. Needless to say that I was nervous as **** on the morning of the surgery day - but all of it went really well! The evening of the day of surgery, back in my hospital room, I was able to sleep laying on my back for the first time in weeks! Man that felt great... :)
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#13

Post by JRinFL »

Back pain can be a life destroyer. I have at least two damaged discs and a condition that causes decreased spacing of the discs. I guess I inherited that from my Mother's side of the family. My Western Medicine surgeon wanted me to have surgery, but I had been warned off by people who had gone through it before. They all told me to avoid it as long as possible. I chose the steroid injections into the spinal column and had results in the same day, but the course was 3 visits total. All my PT & Doctors gave me the same set of core exercises to do as it is the most commonly recommended course of action in Western Medicine.
Long term, I switched to a standing desk. It is the single best thing I can do to help my back and is something that has been in use since at least the 1700's.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#14

Post by Doc Dan »

ugaarguy wrote:
Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:31 pm
I'm glad you've gotten some pain relief. What kind of core exercises?
Well, it is hard to describe. First, I lay on my back and raise my bent legs and point my toes up and back while breathing out. (Kind of the position I would be in if crawling on hands and knees, but now on my back)
Next, I do basically the same, but I have my arms raised up too. My wife puts an arm on my legs and the other on my arms for resistance and I press inward with arms and legs while exhaling. It is tough after a couple of these.
Then I do the same thing but my wife gives resistance on the sides as I press that way with arms and legs.
There is another one but I need her to show me again.

I am hurting a bit tonight as I went walking and it felt so good I went extra long, then I had to come back and get out the big water storage tubs and fill them because we are having a water cut tomorrow. I think I strained my back a bit. It is still better than it was a few days ago, though. I can't wait to get back to the acupuncture doc.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#15

Post by JuPaul »

Strengthening your core is definitely key to dealing with lower back pain. Another huge thing is stretching, which helps with all kinds of pain. Men especially neglect stretching as part of their exercise routines, but it really can make a huge difference in how you feel overall. I do a 30 minute yoga/deep stretch routine 3-4 times a week before bed, and it not helps a lot with back pain, but also relieves stress and helps me relax and sleep better. I tried to get my husband to join me for months to help with his back pain, but he resisted until both his PCP and his chiropractor also told him he should start a stretcing routine.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#16

Post by Naperville »

JRinFL wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:09 am
Back pain can be a life destroyer. I have at least two damaged discs and a condition that causes decreased spacing of the discs. I guess I inherited that from my Mother's side of the family. My Western Medicine surgeon wanted me to have surgery, but I had been warned off by people who had gone through it before. They all told me to avoid it as long as possible. I chose the steroid injections into the spinal column and had results in the same day, but the course was 3 visits total. All my PT & Doctors gave me the same set of core exercises to do as it is the most commonly recommended course of action in Western Medicine.

Long term, I switched to a standing desk. It is the single best thing I can do to help my back and is something that has been in use since at least the 1700's.
This all sounds a bit terrifying.

At my last job there was a guy going under for his umpteenth back surgery.

I'm not in favor of lighting up, but when it comes to pain, I would try anything including medical maryjane.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#17

Post by James Y »

My older brother had back surgery several years ago. His back injury was caused by the extreme one-sided twisting from playing golf, his favorite hobby. He seems mostly fine now, and he still plays golf, though he goes a lot easier than before.

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Re: Lower Back Pain

#18

Post by TomAiello »

RustyIron wrote:
Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:30 pm
As a middle aged White American, it's not easy to reconcile what I've been taught about the superiority of Western Medicine, with the results I see from a Chinese guy mixing potions and sticking me with needles.
Western medicine has adopted a lot of practices from other places. My wife (who is a middle aged white American with an MD) regularly sticks me with needles to relieve back pain.

In my opinion core strengthening and flexibility (and improving posture) are the real keys for most people who have chronic back pain.

For those of us with injuries (like Archangel and me) sometimes that's not enough. It's certainly the right place to start, though--and often the right place to finish as well.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#19

Post by RustyIron »

TomAiello wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:23 pm

In my opinion core strengthening and flexibility (and improving posture) are the real keys for most people who have chronic back pain.

Right on. They're also key for those who don't want to develop back pain... or those who had it, got rid of it, and don't want it back.
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Re: Lower Back Pain

#20

Post by Doc Dan »

Aiyoh! (new word) I hurt my back last night filling large containers with water. We had a water cut today. I had to go back to see the doc. She filled me full of pins and then did some physio. I feel much better. I can't wait till tomorrow as I am sure I will feel even better.
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Else, wherefore born?" (Tennyson)



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