Solving lower back pain

[MattFL]

Has anyone dealt with and solved lower back pain related to your hips?

I had lower back pain before surgery, then post-surgery I had to be on crutches for 6 weeks and had zero back pain.  Now that I'm walking on my own the back pain has returned.  It feels like the muscles, not the spine, and I think it's due to my hips not being quite normal yet.  Has anyone else had this, and what exercises did you do that helped?

[BilateralRecerf]

If just muscle weakness, try this:


Then work out the abs too to make it balanced

[MattFL]

Thanks I'll give that a try.  I'm not allowed to do anything other than crunches yet for abs, but I'll use that and see how it goes.

[MarvinB]

I had recurring back pain prior to surgery that would put me in bed or on a heat pad for a week.  Since surgery, if I overwork my back, it usually rights itself in a day or two.  Posture change maybe?

There is a wonderful stretch I use when my lower back is really bothering me.  The only equipment you need is a sturdy counter, dresser, or hip-height surface.  Saw it on a Bob And Brad (physical therapists) video on YouTube, but now, of course, I can’t find it.   >:(

1.  Place your hands flat at the edge of your sturdy, hip-height surface.
2.  Move your feet back and lean forward until you form an upside down “L” - back is inline with  your arms and the counter.  Having a window, mirror, or friend nearby to check your form is helpful.  Keep your arms and back straight and your legs straight or slightly bent.  You should feel some relief here.  You can turn your head slowly right and left for an extra stretch.  Hold for three deep breaths.
3.  Keeping your hands on the counter and your feet in place, come up to a pushup position, arching your back gently and pushing your pelvis and hips towards the counter.  You can move up to your tiptoes if you can.  Streeeetch!  Hold for three deep breaths.
4.  Slowly return to the position in step 2.  Hold each position for three deep, slow breaths.
5.  Repeat as many times as you’d like.

Hope this helps!

[MattFL]

Thanks I will try this today!

[BilateralRecerf]

Thanks I'll give that a try.  I'm not allowed to do anything other than crunches yet for abs, but I'll use that and see how it goes.

Good luck, and this is the way: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCFd87RObnz/?igsh=djdiNDB0NGg5MW5s

[fakelord99]

Yeah, I had the same thing happen. No back pain on crutches, but as soon as I started walking again, boomâ€"back pain was back

What helped was doing simple stuff like bridges, clamshells, and side leg raises to get my hips stronger. Stretching my lower back and hamstrings helped too.

[MattFL]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I've noticed that working out with weights, walking and biking has really helped resolve the back pain, I haven't even thought about it in days, maybe weeks.  The working with weights in particular, and crunches.  I'm not doing any real lower body weights yet due to being so soon after surgery, but upper body stuff really helps. 

[MarvinB]

Good things sometimes take time.   :)

[Sal]

Hi there … I am seven months out from R hip resurfacing. I am really getting frustrated with my iliopsoas pain and sacroiliac pain . At times it seems like it’s getting better but it seems like it can be aggravated very easily . Straight leg raises are still not completely comfortable and I can only do two sets of ten at a time … but then have to pay the price w pain …. And each time my iliopsoas gets aggravated my sacroiliac joint gets aggravated too… any pearls of wisdom …?

[MarvinB]

Hi, Sal!

Have you contacted Dr. Gross’s office and let them know what’s going on?  They should be able to help or make some suggestions to modify your exercise regimen.

[Sal]

I will but just wanted to know if somebody else went through this, and if anybody has any recommendations.

[MattFL]

Hi there … I am seven months out from R hip resurfacing. I am really getting frustrated with my iliopsoas pain and sacroiliac pain . At times it seems like it’s getting better but it seems like it can be aggravated very easily . Straight leg raises are still not completely comfortable and I can only do two sets of ten at a time … but then have to pay the price w pain …. And each time my iliopsoas gets aggravated my sacroiliac joint gets aggravated too… any pearls of wisdom …?

I'm trying to picture where you feel pain.  Mine was the muscles to the sides of the spine in the lower ~1/3 of my back, it was painful to twist side to side.  Is this where you feel it? 

[the_dw4rf]

Hey I know this thread is a few months old, but thought I'd share my experience.

Low back pain was the majority of my symptoms, despite my hips being absolutely destroyed.

A lot of times, weakness in the glutes, especially the medial (side glutes), will manifest as back pain.

When you walk, you lift one leg off the ground. If your LEFT foot is off the ground, your RIGHT medial glutes help to hold your pelvis level. If your medial glutes aren't up to it, your hip flexors and back muscles will often try to take up the slack. So you will center your weight a big more on right foot that's on the ground, and your LEFT quadratus lumborum and other muscles will help to hold up the left side of your pelvis.

Your back muscles and hip flexors get aggravated and tight.

Find a good physical therapist - preferably one who also works with athletes, not one who primarily works with 70 year olds.

Build strength through your abdominals, glutes, and hip flexors, and there is a good chance your back issues will recede.

[MattFL]

Thanks for the reply.  I've been more and more active and the back pain has been mostly gone, every once in a while I'll be sore for a couple of day but I haven't yet figured out exactly what's causing it.  But maybe you're right about weakness, I've been doing a lot of biking and walking but no weights with the legs yet.  I just started doing body weight walking lunges, we'll see if that helps.  I'll start with real weights at one year, due to Dr. orders.  I'll have to look for a good therapist, most around here are geared for old people.