Bad back anyone?

Firstly, well done on your new job! What is it?

I don't suffer from back back permanently, but if I do work that is strenuous on the back, like being bent over or digging holes, then I am in pain for a while. I was digging the front garden last weekend, still in pain when I bend over or stand up - like getting out of the van. I normally just get on with it, and try to do jobs that don't involve heavy lifting, like this week doing CCTV.

I would direct you to a specialist, my brother went to one as he always had a bad back, had an op on it last year and it's been fine since.

 

Got a bad back now,even keeping me awake at night, & all I did was bend down & turned in workshop on Monday & it went, can last a day or two, sometimes weeks,or months,have had back trouble 35 years,presently on Tramadol tablets.
Cold weather can make it worse, got to sensible about what you lift.

A good hot soak in a bath can work wonders.

 

I've had a bad back but there are generally two kinds - muscle related or skeleton related. Mine was a prolapsed (slipped) disc so skeleton related. People of our age generally have very poor core muscle tone which is often the root cause.

Is yours more muscle related?

 

Falling off a mini digger when 18, then a bike accident at 25 compounded the problems,only right side lumbar problems.

 

Go see a good pyhsio, I swear by them, money well spent

 

Yoga is what you should try.

I don't. Do it but it would be the answer. Stretching, getting flexible and building xore muscles etc

 

I suppose you're on a kick stool a fair bit then, they aren't ideal for helping your back.

 

Try a heat pad or a Tens machine.

http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/pain-relief#first

 

The very reason I joined this forum was due to sitting around all day after having spine surgery to remove L2 disc and not being allowed to work properly for 10 month in total.

I suggest you get yourself a foam roller and follow videos on utube as to how best to use it.

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6208...vc:t|adp:1o1&gclid=CInziNmv2dICFYu6GwodezELEA

 

Do you drive a lot? If so, how do you find your car/van?

I had a nightmare for years caused by an incorrectly adjusted car seat. Used to fiddle with it constantly when driving but it was dreadful.

Eventually went to a chiropractor who put me in my car, prodded my back, moved my seat to a frankly horrible position and told me not to move it an inch. Within a few days it felt completely natural and 5 years later I still find it the most comfortable seat I've ever sat in!

 

My surgeon said that long periods of driving was one of the worst thing for your back, he said that you should stop every hour or so and stretch out a bit.

 

Used to work in a large company and they offered staff a health care scheme at a heavily subsidized rate. think it was £7 per month taken from wages. And had entitlements to use opticians, chiropractors etc.

not sure what the fee is now, but was about £40 for 1/2 hour session, which is quite costly and soon adds up.

Still may be worth considering for those who visit dentist, opticians etc, need to be able to claim back more than you put in to make it worthwhile.

 

I don't think seating for long periods is good for the back as it put more strain on it. Purchased an expensive computer chair to help with posture think I paid £200 for it, new they are over £800 - look for RH logic.
Sometime I get bad back when it is cold.

 

Go to Boots and buy 'GOPO' capsules, for joint and muscle relief.

 

Kools, is it 'just' a muscular pain, or can you also feel numbness/aches, stiffness in yer butt and thighs - even on one side?

Back problems are hugely common - just about everyone will have it to some degree (me too).

The best advice from the good stuff above is to seek professional help - a Physio ideally. Get one by personal recommendation.

Chiropractors have also been known to have success, but I'm not sure if they are as 'qualified'? It has a whiff of 'healing' about it, but I know peeps who have used them to good effect.

But, a Physio would be my first choice.

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION IS IMPORTANT as they can vary, like everything else. I bet quite a few of your new work colleagues will have first-hand experience of this - ask them.

(Meanwhile, try lying flat on your back on the floor. Arms out to your sides to stabilise. Raise up yer knees until yer body/thigh angle is 90o. Now, keeping your back flat on the floor, SLOWLY rotate your knees/legs down to the side as far as you can, and very slowly bring them back up and continue down the other side. SLOW. Try this around 10 times.)

 

This is also good for alleviating pain, especially if it's from a trapped nerve (numb butt...):

 

This is why I asked whether its muscle of skeletal related. Physio may be good if its muscle related but they know bugger all about the skeleton. I saw a Physio when I initially had back problems and to start with the acute pain was reduced, but after a while it made things worse since the exercises they were giving me involved bending the back which is a big no no.

I then found a chiropractor (who are more qualified but specialise in the spine), he worked wonders as he understood about how the back works and exactly how to manipulate it. There are also osteopaths, who are less specialised, perhaps suitable if its a more general problem with combined skeletal/muscle issues.