Stretching makes lower back pain worse?

[pickledwillies]

I've been having pretty bad lower back pain for over a week now. It seemed to be triggered by sitting cross-legged for too long, and then getting muscle spasms. I've been looking at stretches etc on YouTube, but I'm not sure if it's normal that they actually seem to aggravate it? It hurts even when I'm not moving, and lying in bed is the worst! Will make a GP appointment (what will they really do?) if it doesn't improve in a few days.

But in the meantime, let me know if you have any advice? Just not sure on the right thing re stretching, given it is aggravating the pain.

@Curlewwoohoo Thanks! Don't have a diagnosis yet, but hoping the osteo this week and physio next week will shed some light? I've read that MRIs aren't generally recommended - so I haven't been to the GP.

Soo I had my osteo appointment. It went fine I suppose...he said it's not a disc issue, and most likely muscular. He did some gentle sort of prodding and massage and not much manipulation. I don't really feel that different? And he seemed all a bit vague. Have booked physio for Monday too. Hoping to get to the bottom of it!

Hello
I too suffer with lower pack pain. I have tried physiotherapist and osteopathic treatments with limited gains.
I found by far the best and long term success has been with a fantastic sports therapist.
My Pain is muscular and when it gets very bad by back spasms are really painful.
Sports massage helped a lot. It is quite intense but has been amazing for me.
Good luck and hope you feel better soon, back pain is awful.

Update/question: so the pain is a little better during the day, but when sleeping at night, particularly on my side, it's a lot worse. Is that normal? :/ starting to worry its something more sinister like ankylosing spondylitis etc. Will make a GP appointment..

The physio told me to put a cushion between my knees when sleeping when the pain was really bad, I'm a side sleeper, and that really helped. Might be worth a try.

Sooo. I saw my osteo again as well as a physio, who said my core, glutes and hip flexors are weak. The strengthening exercises were helping and I felt a bit better but randomly yesterday it just flared up again and the pain is awful and radiating up to mid back also. Sigh. Don't even know the best thing to do now...

I'm guessing recovering from something like this isn't linear, but just feeling very confused and frustrated by the fact that pain seemed to improve with exercises but is now terrible again.

So I have seen what seems like a very good sports injury type therapy massage person today. She says my SI joint was tilted anteriorly, some muscles tight, some loose. Overall my joints (hip, pelvis) need to stabilise so I need to think about specific exercises to help stabilise them…..so lots of glute work.

so glute activation initially (stuff like crab walks with a band), then glute bridges….normal ones and also ones with my feet on the corner of a raised surface (like a sofa). Dead lifts, dead lifts where I am just having one foot barely on the floor (toes for balance)….that will help create instability in the movement so my body works harder to correct it. Leg presses, hex bar deadlifts, curtsey squats.

I have a special thing from Amazon for this.

I echo the advice to get an MRI. I have long term disc issues and stretching, particularly extending my back (e.g. in the cobra pose) exacerbates it to the point I can slip into cauda equina and it can put me out of action for 9 months or more. Personally I wouldn't trust anyone but a spinal physio to actually treat anything, but anyone who touches you without seeing a scan isn't worth trusting IMO.