Comments on: More thoughts on back pain

By: Marisa

Marisa — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 02:50:36 +0000

I, too, am curious about the circumstances surrounding this picture.

I don’t know much about back pain (crunches solved mine back in the day), but I hope one of the suggestions the others have given you work out.

By: Lara

Lara — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 13:58:04 +0000

I’m with Pam - what the heck is going on there?? I’m thinking wedding reception, open bar, things that seem like a good idea at the time…

I don’t have anything constructive to say about your back pain execpt that I hope you are able to get to the bottom of it soon.

By: c

Wed, 12 Jan 2005 00:23:37 +0000

Yeah, I was going to sugggest something similar. How much ab work have you been doing? You said you quit the weights a year ago when the back pain started, but did you continue with ab exs?

Just a thought. Maybe your super-dooper purple-dress-woman-supporting abs are affecting yr lower back . . . ?

And, uh, my surname doesn’t end with MD, so woddoweyeno.

By: Marie

Marie — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 23:40:10 +0000

Back pain can also be related to muscle imbalance between the abs and the hamstrings. Tight Quads, or even tight hammys can also contribute to it.

By: Pamalamadingdong

Pamalamadingdong — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 21:53:30 +0000

I need to know the backgourd…where were you? What made you decide to LAY ON THE FLOOR and invite this woman (in VERY purple shoes possibly wearing pantyhose in OPEN TOES!!!GAH!) to stand upon you? (and if it were me? I WOULD TOTALLY look up her dress!)
I need to know this. I truly do.

By: Annalisa

Annalisa — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 21:36:29 +0000

Jon, what about checking out your psoas? Sometimes, if that is all tight, your whole spine can get stressed out. There is a great book called The Pain Free Runner, from julsro.com that I would recommend. She has a lot about trigger points in there, as well as stretches to help with back pain. One other thought - tight hamstrings? That can do my back in. Maybe try some time in the Downward Dog (yoga) pose?

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 21:05:45 +0000

One more thing. If your back is in spasm, take Robaxacet or Robaxacil. I take one and a half of those to relax the spasms.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 21:03:58 +0000

Your instinct is right Jon. It is not the EXTERNAL abs you need to work on. It is the INTERNAL core muscles.

By: Lynne

Lynne — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 19:51:13 +0000

Jon, I just bought a book based on recommendations on the ultrarunning listserv:
7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life: How to Rapidly Relieve Back and Neck Pain by Robin McKenzie, Craig Kubey.

This book is also recommended by Dean Edell, an MD who does a radio talk show. I really respect his down-to-earth opinions. The basis of the book is that only *you* can solve your back pain, not a doc, chiro, etc. And this book lays out the plan to do so.

I’ve got disk problems and was pretty much told I’d just be putting up with it until I have surgery. Well, I know 5 people who have had back surgery and NONE of them stopped having pain after the surgery. So it seems to be an exercise and lifestyle modification plan would be a lot healthier, cheaper and more likely to help.

I just got the book from Amazon yesterday…I’ll let you know how it goes.

Hope your back is feeling better soon!

By: C

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 18:23:06 +0000

You stud. ;)
Guess what? I joined a gym yesterday! I’m going to start exercising! Woo! (I quit smokng and want to avoid gaining weight.)