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What Do You Do To Relieve Lower Back Pain?
Jester writes: "I'm sure there's a whole bunch of you people out there who have lower back pains from hours of hunching over a keyboard and coding away. How bad is it? Have you been to a chiropractor? Physical therapist? Taking obscene amounts of painkillers? Acupuncture? Or have you become accustomed to the pain?"
I've actually never owned a car; my bike is my only set of wheels (I can drive, but my license expired 6 years ago). While I still get the occational lower back pain (and definity upper: bike riding doesn't exercise every muscle in your body), it's nowhere near as bad as when I was catching the bus to work (7km with 140m hills gets tiring, but I'm no longer in Wellington, so that's impoved*:) and I had almost constant back aches.
As others have said: exercise, exersise, sexercise (hey, can you think of a more fun way to exercise?:)
* I now ride 6km though snow :)
Bill - aka taniwha
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Bill - aka taniwha
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Leave others their otherness. -- Aratak
I used to have chronic lower back pain, which came in cycles. I'd be fine for a month, then suddenly it would strike and get progressively worse until by the third day I couldn't stand up straight.
About the same time this was becoming unacceptable, I also decided I was getting too flabby, couldn't dance long enough without getting winded, etc. So I started going to the gym. After several months, I've gotten a pretty good routine: 40 minutes of Precor elliptical cross-trainer, followed by a "total-body" weight workout of 3 sets of 15 reps at low weight on 8 machines, followed by about 100 crunches.
Since the first month of this workout, I haven't had any back problems at all. And I feel better, look better, and can dance longer. Must be working...
The numer 1 reason nerds in chairs develop back/neck/wrist problems is NOT because of bad posture, but because of lack of exercise; bad posture comes in second. If you have sufficiently developed back muscles/wrist muscles, you simply don't get these problems. Sitting does NOT put an extraordinary strain on a healthy strong back. And we're not talking arnold schwazernegger here.....just ride a bike a few days a week, or go to a gym, or something...
Hi!
You sould all try swimming! It ends the pain! At least it works for me..
Pecus
"I also had a bad pain killer addiction"
You weren't really "addicted" to painkillers if you were taking them to really cope with chronic pain, which it sounds to me like you did. You were taking them to get rid of the pain, thats not really an "addiction"; if you kept taking them even when you had no pain then that would be an addiction. Was that the case? Just checking, it wasn't all that clear from the post.
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A couple of quick, easy steps:
1. Lose weight. That sysadmin/coder's gut is pulling your back the wrong way.
2. Excercise. Flab doesn't hold your back together the way toned muscle does.
3. Posture. Sit and stand so that you don't stress your back. Get a good chair and lose that gut!
Sex, like any other form of exercise, requires precautionary measures. I started having lots of sex without first consulting my family physician, or even doing pre-sex warm-up stretches, and now I've got to have surgery for my hemorrhoids. :-)
But lower back pain? Gone!
"Smear'd with gumms of glutenous heat, I touch..." - Comus, John Milton
The House Between - Original Sci-Fi Series
I have been dealing with back pain for about 10 years. Here is a quick summary of my experiences.
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:-( This chair has definately helped my back, but my habits diminish its effects somewhat since I slouch and slide down quite far on my chair (resting on my neck and lower back instead of my bum). As an aside, I also bought gel wrist supports for keyboard and mouse and that cleared up my strain injuries almost immediately (FYI).
CHIROPRACTIC: I have seen at least 8 different chiropracters. Four of them have given me noticable results, and two of them have claimed to be able to "fix" me. There are at least three different styles of chiropractic that I have encountered. The most common is the manual adjustment type where the chiropracter uses his/her hands to adjust the spine. These adjustments are most often accompanied by a popping sound (like cracking your knuckles). Many chriopracters also have a masseuse in the office. I have just left seeing a chiropracter who uses a device called an "activator". This is kinda like a spring loaded finger which is used to administer the adjustments. Symptomatically, I improved from its use, but I felt that it was impersonal and was _only_ dealing with the symptoms. My wife started seeing a chiropracter who uses "active release technique" which involves vigorous massage at the same time as the adjustments are done, plus a very comprehensive set of exercises and stretches which are a requirement for the treatment. I have just switched to this doctor and I am very impressed. Many chiropracters do not prescribe an exercise regimen even if it is requested. I have felt that this is a major flaw in the common practice of chiropractic. The three times I have seen chiropracters who have recommended an exercise program, I have noticed improvements and while I do my exercises those improvements are maintained, even if I stop seeing the chiropracter.
SHIATSU MASSAGE: When I worked at Sun for a short time the division I was part of brought in a Shiatsu massuese for anyone who wished it. These felt _fantastic_ and were very energizing, and would temporarily make my back feel better. Again, though, I felt like this was mostly addressing symptoms rather than root causes.
ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE: Up until a year ago I had never even heard of this. My mother has been receiving treatment and training for the past year. She raves about it as directly addressing the root habits which cause back and other structural problems (which in turn can cause some other symptoms of ill health). She has given me two treatments to demonstrate it. I feel that if I had the time I would definitely pursue it, however it is a very intense course: 4 hours a day five days a week. Basically, it is a very mental process in which you are made aware of your mental control of your physical condition.
EXERCISE: Lets face it - most computer professionals or geeks are basically not living a lifestyle compatible with regular systematic exercise. Probably this is "bad" and "should" be changed somehow, but it won't be in the foreseeable future. I am lucky enough to work from home full time where I can easily get up from my work many times a day without anyone asking stupid questions. If you can, the minimum exercise you should get is to do many different small stretches during the day while you are working, ideally every twenty minutes to half an hour. The real ideal of course is to also get true cardiovascular and strengthening exercise every day, and eat lots of veggies and fruit, and spend time outdoors, and, and
MARTIAL ARTS: I just started taking Kempo Karate which is karate with strong chinese influences. I found that the regular exercise made me feel great but it didn't help my back much per se. Rather, on ocaision, I would do something in class which would put my back out more! In other word, _be_ _careful_. All that said, for general physical fitness and usefulness and mental discipline, not much beats a martial art!
CHAIR AND OTHER EQUIPMENT: Last summer I developed a pretty serious case of repetitive strain injuries in my wrists and fingers. So I decided to get serious about my home office environment. I purchased a good chair with a high back and (for me) comfortable lumbar support. Very adjustable, but not an Aeron
http://www.oomind.com/
Helping with organizational effectiveness is our job.
If you're interested in attacking the cause of the problem rather than just the symptoms, you might want to investigate Alexander Technique .
:-) But with patience and the help of a skilled teacher, progress can be made.
;-)
The basic idea behind the technique is that we build up bad habits of usage in our bodies, and that they are what lead to these problems - so if we can correct these usage patterns then we can prevent problems rather than just treat them. Unfortunately it's hard to correct our habits, because they're, er, habitual.
Painkillers, massage, chiropracters, etc. are all well and good, but ultimately you're only treating the symptons. This is true even of massage - sure, you might get rid of the tension that's causing the back pain, but if it's you that's putting that tension there, you're going to put it back there and start the cycle again. Alexander Technique is about breaking the cycle.
My experience: I'm a programmer, and I've sufferred from both back pain and wrist pain increasingly over the last couple of years which is why I went looking for a solution. I've been a student of the technique for about six months now, and it's definitely helping me. It's put me in touch with my body in that I can now recognise when and where I'm holding excess tension, and it's also teaching me how to go about correcting it properly. (Half of the problem is that we have a "deranged" sense of what our own bodies are doing, so very often the right thing to do feels wrong, and the thing that feels right is actually wrong!).
These days my back and wrists simply don't hurt me as much as they used to. That's not the end of the story though, because it's a holistic process. For example, I also discovered that when I'm driving, I clench my jaw, ramming my tongue up behind my teeth. There's no good reason for doing that, so I'm learning to stop. It's a long process, but it's definitely working - and helping.
The only problem with the technique is that it's pretty expensive (mainly because it's taught one-to-one) - but I consider it to be an investment in my future health, and hey, as a programmer I can afford it.
If you're really serious about sorting out your back pain or RSI, I heartily encourage you to give it a shot.
Best of luck,
-Andy
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http://www.gimbo.org.uk/
Ill keep things natural and suggest cannabis.
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yush
Get all the excersize you can.
You can laugh without eating a sandwhich, but you can do both if bring one.
Legal advice from Slashdot? Folly at best.
Medical advice from Slashdot? Dangerous.
Despite this, I'll dispense some wisdom anyways ... I have a herniated disc and am quite familiar with back pain ... If your experiencing back pain you *MUST GO TO THE DOCTOR.* It could be something serious. Go to the doctor right now, when your back and hes confirmed you don't have a serious condition, continue reading :) So heres what I've learned about backs :
You *MUST* excercise every day [Alot of slashdoters have told you this already but its worth repeating]. Excercise is crucial when you sit for 8 - 12 hours a day. Excercise dosen't have to be at a gym either -- go walk a couple miles per day.
If you have a disc problem *don't lift ANYTHING*. When you feel you can lift again, you must lift correctly (with the legs -- I'm sure you can find a website on proper lifting technique).
Your back is WEAKEST when your spine isn't straight, IE when your leaning. Never lift anything when your leaning, and try not to lean!
Lastly, its difficult to excercise your back muscles but you must do this. Theres two things you must do -- take a cylinder like a pipe or (my favorite) a wooden clothes hanging bar form your closet. Take this bar -- rest it on your shoulders behind your head, and bring your arms up and around it. Use the bar to strech by twisting left and right and up and down and every way inbetween -- its a very gentle excercise and it will help. Second of all, you must excercise your abs! Your abs support your back! Be carefull though -- alot of ab excercises are dangerous for people with back injuries. Just try situps :)
Lastly, PLEASE go to the doctor. Instead of that next GEForce card or effects processor -- or whatever your into, invest in your health. I injured my back when I was 17 with a herniated disk. I resisted going to the doctor but eventually had to when I would wake up most mornings *not being able to walk or stand.* Believe me you don't want that.
Best of luck, OD
Free Techno/Jazz/DNB/MI Music by guys obsessed with monkeys!
...that I would recommend chiropractic, proper stretching techniques, and massage long before I would recommend drugs. Pain killers and muscle relaxers don't fix the problem, they just mask it. Most people who sit a computer all day have poor posture and much of their pain would be relieved if they corrected their posture.
Here is a bad analogy for you: If the CPU fan in your PC started making a bunch of noise, would you rather put head phones on so you can't hear the noise or would you rather fix the problem before the fan dies and your CPU overheats?
I can't speak as intelligently on the topic as a DC yet so I will offer you a few links to people who can:. html b ack-pain.htm
http://www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/backpain
http://www.holisticonline.com/Chiropractic/chiro_
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html
The last link above may prove to be the most useful as it looks at the problem of back pain not only from holistical view but also from a medicinal view.
I bet you will find that 90% of the companies out there will let you buy your own chairs and whatnot so that you don't get a bad back. Its worth it...so go do it.
Add/Remove Software->Unistall Windows 9X/NT/2000
Select "Yes," and then 10 subsequent "Are you really, really sure that you want to uninstall Windows?" dialogue boxes
Presto! No more lower back pain.
Glad to have been of help.
But worry not, according to Behind The Music, 9 times out of 10 this crippling addiction starts right before the rock star in question becomes blindingly famous.
So, good luck.
And Happy Memorial Day
I started doing yoga when I was 7 and unaware of the physical benefits, stopped for a long time and went back a few years ago. I've had a lot of different yoga teachers. Some were great and some were clueless.
This is probably true of all forms of excercise, but with yoga, it is VITAL that you learn from a good teacher. Many of the postures in yoga are deceptively powerful (because the work the muscle in both directions simultaneously.) This is particularly true for the postures in a newer style of yoga that they call "power yoga"
If you don't do the postures properly, or with sensible modifications, you WILL hurt yourself. You may not feel anything at the time, but you will pull and possibly damage your muscles in ways you did not realise were possible. Thus, unless you are very aware of your body and your muscles, don't even think about learning yoga from a video.
It's highly unlikely that you will be able to do every posture to its full extent. A good yoga teacher will watch what you're doing and help you modify and correct yourself so that you get benefit without hurting yourself. A good teacher will also carefully explain which parts of the body are at work so that you can gain a better awareness of what you are doing to yourself.
Yoga is very individual -- everyone has different physical abilities, and so most postures and movements must be modified (to increase or decrease the intensity) to match your own needs. A good teacher is aware of this, but there are many bad ones who aren't.
I think yoga is one of the best things you can do for yourself, but I know too many people who say "Yeah, I tried yoga, but the next day I hurt so much I couldn't move." Yoga should not be this painful, and whoever you learn from should help you ensure this.
I can spell. I just can't type.
as it says, man, nothing beats the drugs :)
The common kind of back pain is not directly related to "hunching over a keyboard and coding away". It is caused by pushing yourself too much, and being disconnected from other parts of your life.
Back pain is associated with weak abdominal muscles. If you strengthen your abdominal muscles, the most common kind of back pain will go away.
Bush's education improvements were
True. It is also good for wrist pain & neck/eye strain. Yoga emphasizes that there is a counter posture for every posture your body can get into--whether it be hunching over a keyboard or swinging a golf club. When you practice yoga, you will slowly strengthen your abs and spine. You will learn how to breathe properly, something we all "forget" on the path to adulthood. Proper breathing can cure or prevent asthma, chronic bronchitis, and colds. You will also feel a subtle but positive increase in your level of physical energy.
I find it ironic that insurance companies in the U.S. won't pay for my yoga classes, but they are more than happy to pay for addictive drugs with unsavory side effects (a/k/a prescriptions).
Ewige Blumenkraft!
Ewige Blumenkraft!
Wow! Your back must be really flexible! :\
CrazyLegs
"Pork!!" said the Fish, and we all laughed.
I have a good chair at work which i have tweaked every which way until it suits me. At home I do not notice the pain. I do not know if that is because I have the whole thing suited to me, or if it is because I am too engrossed in what I am doing to care. As for pain when I am not in front of the computer, I have noticed that when I am physically active, my back pain is significantly reduced. I take tae-kwon-do several times a week, and, as it is interesting to me, I stick with it. My recommendation is to find a physical activity that you like and go to it, do your thing, get in shape.
-CrackElf
"Blake is an idealist, Jenna. He cannot afford to think." - Kerr Avon, Star One, Blakes 7
I tried all of them, pain killers, chiropractor, etc. I do agree completely with the idea of getting a good chair. That makes a huge difference. As far as exercise is concerned, you might try yoga. I found that my back pain went away completlely after developing a yoga practice.