Back Pain -- Help!

[Star]

Sorry to hear about you pain : ( I too will often have back pain from lifting kids/running etc. I suggest taking a couple days off from intense working out and do lots of stretching. Try this: Lay flat on your back with legs down and arms straight out to the side. Take one knee up to chest and then slowly rotate your body so your lifted knee is turned to the side but have your head looking the other direction. Sorry these directions are not very clear! But this stretch does work. I also suggest using an ice pack on your back and some IB profine. Motrin IB or Aleve work well for me. Feel better!
Diona

[Pat58]

Dear Clairea,

So sorry to hear of your back pain. I'm a back pain pro, having lived with scoliosis all my life. What you describe sounds like muscle spasm from lifting your little darlings to quickly. They used to prescribe bedrest and major drugs, but it has been proven that moderate - key word, moderate - activity is better than lying on the floor, which is what I used to do. Until you work through it, I advise: a moderated walking program; then stretch gently and apply ice to the injured area (cheap frozen peas in their plastic packages are good for this) for 20 minutes; take ibuprofen at the highest dose recommended for a few days. If you don't feel better after 2-3 days of this, please call your doctor. You might need a little physical therapy. Good luck!

[BosunsWife]

I never had back problems until I carried a large baby for nine months and subsequently delivered (VB) an almost 10 pound child. I now occasionally do something to it and am in pain for a couple of days. One more thing I would add to what has already been posted is to sit on a hard chair (kitchen table type). Sitting in a soft comfy chair or couch is bad when you are having muscle spasms.

My DH has had two back surgeries (discectomies - sp) and swears by doing his stretches (prescribed by a physical therapist) every day.

[clairea]

I hurt my lower back a couple of days ago trying to carry 2 squirming children (who weigh a combined 65 pounds) at the same time. I think it is just a muscle strain -- it is just a dull ache across the middle of my lower back. My husband said he thinks I should not exercise at all (even just fast walking) for a few days until it feels better. Do you guys think this is really necessary? I just started going back to the gym two weeks ago, and I'm afraid if I stop for a few days I will lose momentum again. Until he said this, my plan was to keep working out, just avoiding things that directly affect the lower back or that seemed to aggravate it. Any thoughts?