Ten years ago I messed up my back on a jet-ski ride gone wrong and it’s never been the same. After the initial injury I saw a chiropractor who resolved the problem and every few years the pain would randomly flare up and I’d have another adjustment done to alleviate the grinding ache. If I ever got too tired, the part of my back where the old injury resided would always be the first place to get sore, but aside from that I was able to cope with the minor annoyance of infrequent pain.
Then, I started boot camp this January, the first real time I’ve committed to getting fit the right way. But after a few sessions, I noticed my old back injury again. Any time we did anything that was really demanding on our cores, or was at all kick-boxing inspired, I’d feel the pain. I started seeing a massage therapist, which helped, but after a while I went back to the chiropractor to get realigned. (I was also studying for my real estate exam at this time, and not really sleeping at night due to getting up with babies, so I chalked a lot of the pain up to stress.) I thought that after a few adjustments, I’d be all fixed, good as new. But that hasn’t been the case.
I haven’t stopped going to boot camp, although I am really careful not to trigger my injury, making sure to do modifications of any exercises which might hurt it. But still, I am living with pain. Carrying a heavy baby on one hip (and a forty-pound diaper bag on the other) all day surely can’t help the situation much but I don’t really have the budget for a caddy.
Have you ever dealt with lingering back pain? Have you found relief with massage therapy or chiropractic care? Or have you tried less conventional methods like acupuncture, yoga, or voodoo? I just hate feeling like my body is broken.
My yoga instructor called me ‘the walking wounded’ when I went to my first yoga class, and before long I was practically pain free, and 4 years later I have only rare recurrance. I would recommend finding a yoga instructor trained in therapeutic yoga. I know how awful back pain can be – I hope you find relief.
I developed sciatica when I was pregnant with my daughter, and it got much worse after my son was born. Yoga fixes everything – as long as I do at least a 30 minute practice once a week. I hope it eases up for you soon!
Hard question as it would obviously vary depending on the injury and the place it is. I am one who have struggled with back pain my whole life, especially since having kids (9 years ago). I had to quit our boot camp here as I was worried it would be too intense for my back to cope anymore. I found that my back has always been the worst when the kids were in the toddler stage where they still needed a lot of handling, and are heavy. I would encourage you to try yoga! for flexibility, keep up with chiro (but minimally), as though it helped me at times when I was practically immobile, it would also make my back weak and it’d pop out of place so easily. I would encourage you to get a physio. I haven’t tried acupuncture, but have heard good things about it. Remember that ice is also good for when you are in pain, rather than heat. And other than that, be safe.
Since having Blake, I’ve had back pain off and on. It was the worst while breastfeeding, I figured from the extra weight out front, plus bad posture while doing it. I got horrible back spasms daily. They still flare up sometimes when I sit with bad posture for too long, or sleep on a bed that isnt firm enough for too many nights in a row. So I’ve just been avoiding those things. But I’ve just been thinking about getting some acupuncture again. I got acupuncture to get preggers with Blake, and really enjoyed it. I think it would really help with the back spasms.
Anyhow, back pains bites. I hope you get yours resolved!
I was JUST discussing this with friends last night. I think I have a rotator’s cuff issue in one shoulder… I think I’d convinced myself that I just slept on it wrong some time ago, but it’s really been close to a year that I’ve had this “limited range” in my left shoulder. Ack. I think I might call an acupuncturist, actually.
I’m going to boil two chicken feet with some sage and eye of newt, and blow the essence your way… should be there my Sunday, latest. Lemme know if that voodoo works for you. 😉
Yes yes yes! I have so been there. The woman who fixed me right up is Emma Jarrett – Alexander Technique. She comes down there fairly often too… http://www.emmajarrett.ca. I really can’t say enough great things about the technique. Chiropractic too!