Back injury/back fractures

[Herewegoagain22]

I fractured my back playing sport (L3 and L4 transverse process fractures) 3 weeks ago. I'm in so much pain and discomfort. The only treatment I was offered was plenty of rest and ibuprofen. But honestly I'm struggling to sit at work and drive my car because I'm leaning right against the fractures. I can walk and I am mobile (just can't tie my own shoes or put on my jeans without being in pain). Has anyone else had a fracture in their back? What did you do for pain relief?

I feel like one day my back is feeling better and then the next it's never been more painful. Why isn't it getting better?

Have you an MRI?

**HAD

No physio? Surprised at that, back injuries can be made worse by rest as the supporting muscles weaken, but obviously movement needs to be the right kind at the right time.

No MRI, just standard x rays. I went private through my work, but I leave next week therefore I couldn't get anymore treatment/investigation. I'll have to go through NHS now and that can take ages. My sports therapist at my sports club is in discussion with the neurosurgeon I saw about physio but I don't feel I'm even close to that as I can't even touch my back myself without squealing in pain

Please don't presume that it can take ages, it might be a couple of weeks but it can be as soon as 3 weeks and and the sooner you ask your GP to refer you the better. Don't be fobbed off with an x-ray that can miss loads of really quite big things like slipped discs. Did you go to A and E originally?

Physio isn't necessarily being touched. It can be advice on the best ways to move so as not to aggravate the injury, even like how to get out of the car, or how to use your core muscles to hold yourself protectively in a constructive way. With back injuries it is common for the body to compensate in a way which is unhelpful long term. The fact that you feel improvement and then have a bad day suggests some direction in this area might be useful so you don't unintentionally suffer subsequent issues as a consequence from the original injury