Evil Bad Back

Well, I guess it happens to 90% of people at some time in their lives. Acute lower back pain.

Yesterday, Barkworth Green was singing two songs before the Ottawa AIDS walk, and on a freezing blustery day to boot. May and I went down to the car to pick something up, and when we got to the top of the steps at city hall I felt this stabbing pain on my lower back at the left side, with a nasty and excruciating muscle cramp as well. It stopped me in my tracks for sure. Soon the initial stabbing cramp passed, but I was left with an aching back, and no possibility of leaning forward without more stabbing pain. I then lay down for about 45 minutes, but that didn’t really help. Then I sang two songs in front of an audience like that, thankfully no stabbing during the singing.

I watched a movie with the crowd last night, while lying on the floor. Sleeping was barely OK. I did kind of half-wake to move around, but still felt rested this morning.

This morning things were still very sore, but no sign of the stabbing pains which was good good good. Then I decided to have a shower. This was a good idea I think as the heat was nice, but then I began to have thoughts about how probably the muscle tension was about the only reason that I was not feeling ok. So I relaxed my back and deliberately bent to pick up the soap. I was fine on the way down… but then more stabbing crampy pain. Bad plan. This was a bit of a setback, but I’ve been mostly lying down since then, and things are pretty much back to the this morning state at this point.

I’ve done some research on the internet about acute low back pain. here is an excellent reference. (It helps to know that radiculopathy is a pinched nerve, and I do not have this or any of the things that have long latin names.)

Interestingly, long bed rest is no longer advocated. It seems it harms more than it helps. So I am getting up and walking around every half hour or so. They recommend 2 days or so of rest, followed by a gradual return to activity with care to operate only within the bounds of comfort.

What seems so unfair is that I was not lifting anything at the time, I wasn’t being bad to my back, I just walked up the stairs! Really! Anyway, I probably set myself up for this with recent canoe lifting, etc. I’m now considering a return to Pilates when I’m feeling better because of its fantastic effect on abdominal and back tone, a key aspect to preventing relapses of back spasms. Also I need to work seriously on my posture.

Is this a wake-up call? I certainly feel that way today. Hopefully I’ll be able to carry this through when I’m fully back in action

return to cmh blog

› health     2004-09-19 19:08   ...0