Chronic lower back pain

[sillywitch]

Long story but basically I have chronic pain after an injury in an exercise class. It's been nine months and I'm fed up. I don't know what I'm doing and I clearly seem to overdo it on good days, as it then causes pain to flare up and causes more pain. I'm seeing a physio but my private health is about to run out and I'm feeling stressed about being in pain indefinitely. I also query where physio is going as it seems a bit hit and miss and three months on, can't really see the progression. I do verrrrry slow jogs twice a week and yoga a couple of times, plus physio exercises. I'm not doing a very good job of listening to pain, and managing my exercise accordingly and end up with flare ups. Canyone suggest any resources or help which has assisted in helping in management of lower back pain?

I’ve had some bad flare ups with my lower back in the past and had a disc injury last year. I know jogging is bad for me (lower back takes over the job of weak glutes) and last week I put my back out doing yoga! Pilates really helps though. It’s important to get to the root of the cause. Is it a weak core? Overuse injury?

Has the physio ok’d you running?
Did your physio say what the cause of the back pain was? Has he given specific stretches to do?

For me day to day changes in habits were key to avoiding flare ups. So a lumbar cushion when driving, no heavy lifting, no slouching. Combined this with stretches and strengthening work but it takes time.

Swimming can also be beneficial.

Sorry I see it was a specific injury. I’d definitely not run. I found the slower I am the worse my form so even slow jogs aren’t great with back injuries.

I didn’t find physio very helpful, he just sent me off with some exercises. Osteopaths are supposed to be good. That’s my next step.

Yep sorry but I'd stop the running too (in fact I did). Physio can be helpful but as you've been running throughout its hard to tell if it would have worked if you'd stopped. Drugs, ice packs (or sometimes heat) and rest when its sore and most back pain will resolve on its own. I had surgery 10 years ago but I hear its not readily given these days which is good as it rarely works!

Thanks for the responses. I saw a manual physio, who got rid of the really bad pain but doesn't do an awful lot now (I do feel like he's just given me a 'chronic' label and not interested as knee pain is his passion). I am seeing a rehab physio and get exercises, which were starting to work. I tried acupuncture and after a week of no exercise as directed, i had no pain at all, so inadvertenrly overdid yoga and running and have had two weeks of pain since. I feel like I need an idiot's guide of what to do....I really struggle to find the balance between too much exercise and not enough. Stupidly, I thought acupuncture was the magic bullet which is really daft in hindsight. The physio said jogging is ok, but not to overdo it....I think as the insurance is paying, I'm not seeing the physio as often as I need at the moment as at any random moment the insurance company will consider it chronic, they won't pay anymore (and I think this will happen any day). So I'm trying to stagger sessions. (I am eternally grateful for the health insurance, don't get me wrong - I don't know where I would be without it!). NHS physio was 10 mins every three weeks. So I'm trying to DIY it and am a bit clueless and looking for resources.

Wow, that's long. Sorry.

Not sure what kind of insurance you have but my policy gives me up to 12 sessions a year and ofter more if a consultant sees you and refers more. I'd be going a lot less if I paid for each session.

There's a clue in you overdoing the exercise and feeling worse eh? Just saying if you won't listen to your body it won't get better

I agree with listening to your body. It sounds like an overuse injury and will only get better if you stop doing the things that aggravate it. I know there’s a lot of love for yoga in general but it’s never been great for my back. Pilates is much better. I would stop running too and see if you get improvement.
Exercise is good for backs in general but you need to find something that doesn’t cause a flare up.

It can just take time. Mine took about 6 months.