Like everybody else who walks upright, I have had my problems with low back strain over the years. I have worked to avoid it, building up my muscular strength, not only in the LS area, but the abs, obliques, and hips. Learned to lift from a squat and not bent over. I usually pay attention. And yet, now and again, I manage to pull something. Like today. Out raking leaves, and I went to move my wife's exercise machine back into the house from under the eaves. It's one of those walker things that you stand on and replicate the motion of cross-country skiing upon. Not all that heavy, and I moved it by bending my knees and lifting straight up. But: As I cleared the front doorway, I extended my arm out, away from my body, and Achieved the Bad Angle. Thing weighs, I dunno, sixty or eighty pounds, and had I kept the weight next to my torso, no problem, but opening the door with one hand and lifting the machine up and pushing it through with the other hand?
Bad move.
There's the instant catch, the stab of pain, and the sudden inability to bend over from the waist and come back up without climbing your own leg with your hands ...
Not that awful -- I've done it much worse -- but it allows me to feel great sympathy for folks who are walking around -- or lying around -- with blown out L-4 and L-5 disks ...
Hello, ibuprofen!
walk if you can stand it, even if it hurts somewhat bad... there's something about walking that straightens stuff out in that region.
ReplyDeleteI often find that even when I have crazy pain, walking makes it go away.
Walking is okay. Walking the dogs is mostly okay -- until they see a squirrel and hit the end of the leash at speed. Then you realize that those low back muscles that are knotted up are necessary -- and get unhappy with such activity ...
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