Hey Monkeys - not seeking medical advice here, but wanted to hear if anyone is currently or had gone through some rough neck/back pains and what you've done to resolve/relieve the issue.
For the past 2 years, I've been going through neck and back pains. The pain was minor in the beginning then slowly (recently), it's been getting worse. I'm getting muscle cramps around the shoulder area that eventually leads to the neck and I need to constantly wobble (?) my neck left and right and literally massage the whole area myself for temporary relief. I never got into a sports accident nor have I injured my neck or back that could have caused this, so that's scratched off the list. I work in finance/banking with little to no travel, which means I'm at my desk looking at my 3 monitors back and forth for a good chunk of the day. That being said, it could be posture. I fixed my posture the past year, but pain is not going away.
I went to the doctor and he didn't seem too helpful. He said with my working conditions, it could be stress and posture. I fixed my posture and even bought a new mattress and pillow to help with my sleeping. Stress isn't something I can fix overnight but I try to be as stress free as possible. Doctor suggested some physical therapy, but I'm a bit skeptical of how much that can help. It's roughly $300 for an hour session and I'm just not sure if it's worth all that money to simply get some stretches and education on posture. I may be totally wrong here though. I also mentioned to my doc about getting an MRI and seeing if these muscle aches are derived from a whole bigger issue, like a spine disorder or anything more critical than just a neck/back ache. Doc personally said MRI is only recommended if you are going through severe, intolerable pains, or else you won't see much in the results, in the end wasting your money. FYI, MRI is expensive and is only covered in your health plan after you meet your deductible. I have a high deductible so that means most of the cost will need to be paid out of pocket, so that's another dilemma. MRI is roughly $2.500.
Apologies for the long post, but if anyone could share their stories and what they did to solve/relieve the pains, that would be great. Thanks in advance everyone.
I’ve had chronic upper back pain since I was 15. It’s a full body skeletal imbalance actually. You could never tell by looking at me. I’m actually a spectacular physical specimen. Pretty sure my mom caused the issue because she thought I had crooked legs or some shit when I was a baby in Ukraine and had a chiropractor (scam artists) do “adjustments” and “massages” on me for months. I never saw any evidence of this, but that’s another story. She said, 'I'd never heard a baby scream so loudly before.' If anyone’s curious, I can get into the details. But here is what I do every day to maintain:
-Foam rolling back, quads, IT bands -Have very loose and flexible pecs and shoulders. You should be able to grab a towel with a shoulder-width grip, hold it out straight in front of you, and move it to be behind your back without bending elbows. This stretch is best done on a pullup bar. I have a pullup bar up at all times in my house. -Dead hangs. Hang until your hands give out. At least once in the morning and once before bed, after foam rolling. Sometimes do slow leg raises. Do scalpular retractions as you hang. Slowly all the way up, and slowly all the way down until all the popping stops. Each time, you should get looser. -Inversion table. This is actually just a part of my weekly workout routine. Wednesdays, I superset reverse hyperextensions with situps on an inversion table. Alternate weeks going to failure each set with trying to hit the same amount of reps each set and increasing when you do. This decompresses your spine while also strengthening your spinal erectors and a bunch of other shit. Important to do abs as well in order to maintain balance. I would do ab wheel as well, but it will cause injury to my right shoulder due to my imbalance. -Inversion table. Hang by your feet for ~5 minutes -Walk every day for at least an hour. Preferably barefoot/in vibrams and not on pavement. -Reduce systemic inflammation as much as possible. Diet and lifestyle. I could write a small book on this. Thankfully, it's all out there already for free. My go-to source is marksdailyapple.com, but I try not to be dogmatic. -Do yoga -Whatever you do to strengthen your chest and shoulders, do more for your back -Bodyweight squats seem to help. I do 10-20 reps every time I piss. -I sleep on the floor on a yoga mat flat on my back. I realize this is extreme for most, but you asked. -Do not sit all day. Get a standing desk. Sitting will negate all of these efforts. -Be able to do 15-20 pullups and 20+ dips. Do that weekly. -Be able to touch your toes and then wrap your arms around your heels comfortably. -Weed helps. Drinking causes systemic inflammation, so don’t do it too much. That puts me in a pretty good place. Probably more I’m missing
+1
Thanks for long detailed post, I really appreciate it. I haven't done any quality stretchings besides doing the basic leg stretches. I'm going to give some of the things you mentioned a try. Thanks again.
It’s a long, long game. And you have to do it continuously. But you know, I don’t mind it. It’s almost an excuse to be as healthy as possible. Which feels fucking amazing. Most people are like, “I feel fine.” But they don’t know what it’s like to feel like energy is fucking erupting from every cell and you’re so excited for everything life has to offer and can’t wait to just kill it. You can’t feel that way being unhealthy. At least I can’t. I’ll just get anxiety. That energy is going somewhere.
"-Bodyweight squats seem to help. I do 10-20 reps every time I piss."
Must make for an interesting urinal session.
well if I'm alone in there, which is often. been walked in on a bunch doing my little exercises. i just stare into their eyes for a second and walk out
lol yeah wtf is that
In addition to this, foam roll your glutes and hip flexors.
Both of these muscles get very tight from sitting all day. They're extremely connected to back pain (especially lower back).
Golden I fed your description to a police sketch artist and this is their interpretation of how you describe yourself:
Thansk fo your repy. It very informative for me.
not a doctor (obviously), but here are some things that have helped me. I've had back problems on and off, currently they're off, and I've done a lot of research in the past year after suffering a grade 2 tear on some of the fascia around my thoracic spine. I'm 99% healed (injury was about 9 months ago), I don't take painkillers, and I work a desk job.
see a DO instead of a MD. they may be more holistic and help with some things. I had bad back pain and my DO did some holistic analysis of me and found I had a muscle imbalance. years of golf and baseball had made one side meaningfully stronger while the other atrophied somewhat. training can fix this.
ensure your posture is on point. there's a great group called myodetox that has a bunch of PTs and chiropractors on instagram. they constantly post stuff to help out. there are plenty of people who do this stuff on instagram but I've found their stuff is pretty quality. I've yet to go to one of their clinics but I intend on making trip one of these days.
check out foundation training by dr eric goodman. I discovered him through a couple of surfing websites I frequent. he had a bad back injury when younger and found that the traditional american lifestyle is not good for back & posture. he developed a training regimen to combat this. he has accredited trainers around the country as well as tons of youtube videos (as well as ted talks where he explains his thesis).
yoga. a long muscle is a happy muscle. get more limber, even if it's just 5 minutes a day. a couple of sun salutations pre shower is more than most people are doing.
mattress. I'm not an expert here, but I know this makes a difference.
your feet, take care of them. this one was a little out there for me but I think it's helped. the feet are the root of your posture (duh), so if you have unhealthy feet, weak muscles, weak arches, etc., your posture will suffer. you don't need to go barefoot everywhere, but strengthen your feet. the shoes we wear essentially insulate our feet and allow the muscles to atrophy if you're not careful.
this should be a no brainer, but don't be overweight. if you're carrying too much weight, your back will suffer.
back to basics. one more note on posture. a great place to look is at other humans who haven't been corrupted by desk jobs and sitting all of the time. check out western africans' posture (you have to have good posture if you're carrying stuff on your head), as well as other indigenous cultures (http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/06/08/412314701/lost-post…).
finally, do your own research. some things may make sense to you, others may not. the wonderful thing about the internet is there's an abundance of information out there, but it's nearly impossible to decipher. so ask yourself "does this make sense to me?" and if it does, ask "if this is wrong, how could it negatively impact me?" you may see articles talking about shock therapy or some other devices. that's something that could be helpful, but could also be bad if it's bad information. that's why I prefer to stick to things like yoga, being strong, and posture.
if nothing helps, see a doctor. I don't think behavioral things like losing weight, getting strong, doing yoga, and thinking about your posture can hurt, but at some point if you notice no changes you need to seek medical attention.
+1
Appreciate the detailed input! My doctor is actually a DO, and not an MD, which I initially thought could be a concern. (I won't start the whole MD vs DO conversation). I haven't tried yoga yet, but I'm going to give that a shot. Thanks again.
Find a good accupuncturist.
I have actually tried getting acupuncture. Unfortunately, I haven't felt any relief and it was from an acupuncturist that was referred by many. Maybe my body just didn't take it well or I need to go for more sessions.
We all sit too much, don't work out enough. I'd guess you still have terrible posture based on where your pain is. These problems were PROBABLY created by lifestyle. Thus, the can be corrected by lifestyle changes. Get some good massages and start some yoga. After a month of that, good barbell based strength program will do you a world of good. Get the blood flowing to affected areas so they can heal/work.
For the lower and mid back de-compression. Weighted dips and the Reverse Hyper. For low back strength, roman chair raises (reverse situp) Pullups and chin-ups for shoulder upper back stretch/ strength.
+1 Hope it's created by lifestyle, which then I can change!
Has your dentist mentioned anything about you grinding/clenching your teeth? A few years ago, I was dealing with some stressful family shit and had a lot of tension in my upper body. Turns out I was grinding my teeth in my sleep, so I started wearing a mouth guard at night. That helped tremendously.
I dont grind nor clench my teeth, but I did have jaw alignment issues years back which was fixed by braces. Thanks for the input!
yoga for my lower back for the long periods of sitting and workout 5x a week.
Yoga teacher is also hot so that helps my eyes.
Having a hot yoga teacher would be incredibly distracting. Lol! Honestly? I would rather want a decent looking teacher so that I can maximize my focus :P
I've had weird upper back/neck pain for some time. Constantly pulling muscles or ligaments in my neck (to where I can't turn my neck and have to move my entire upper body to look in a particular direction), numbness and tingling in my hands when I have my spine in certain positions, etc.
What has noticeably helped me has been lifting heavy weight in the gym. Mainly squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench, weighted pull ups, all of which require, and hence develop, significant back and abdominal strength.
Anyone who works in an office environment is sedentary most of the day, and most likely has incredibly weak muscles in the areas that support balance and posture. The human form is designed to be on the move constantly, and only in the last hundred or so years have we departed from the conditions that defined how we evolved.
The medical establishment loves back pain. It's hard to pinpoint exact causes and so gives a great, plausible excuse to order thousands of dollars worth of diagnostic tests, physical therapy, pain medication, and in some cases, surgery. Evidence suggests none of the widely accepted treatments, including surgery, really correct back pain. I'm not a medical professional of course, but in my mind that's because none of these treatments (whether intended to be corrective, like surgery, or merely ameliorative, like pain management or physical therapy) treat the root cause, which is a widespread sedentary lifestyle and resulting weak "core" muscles.
So in my mind, it follows that strengthening the muscles that support upright posture and balance will help to correct deficiencies that may lead to pain -- and in my experience, it has helped immensely. Lifting is of course not without some risk of acute injury; that risk is mitigated by correct form but still happens to everyone. I've tweaked shit in my lower back deadlifting. It invariable heals, but heals much quicker when I only take a day or two off from the gym and then get back in to do light weights / high reps, adding weight each workout, til I'm quickly right back to where I was.
Anything that saves you money, and more importantly keeps you away from doctors and out of hospitals, has to be worth a shot.
+1
Thanks for the detailed response! You're totally right on developing core muscles that contribute to your posture. I work out 2-3 times a week, both weights and cardio, but realizing now, I only do select workout routines with not enough variety. Going to have to try changing up my routines..
What are your work hours like? Sitting a leaning over a desk can be killer for your upper back and neck.
How active are you? Along with the stretching advice given earlier I would make it a point to become more active, and try to get some standing done at work, or get an exercise ball to sit on.
I had I had terrible posture growing up, I was like lurch. I had to lay on the edge of my bed on my back with my head hanging off to help it, doctors advice.
Edited: Never see a chiropractor, once you start going it is nearly impossible to stop going because you constantly need those 'adjustments' to stop your back pain.
Lumbar pain. Went to physical therapy and it was so fucking expensive 99% of it can be done at home. For me, hyperextensions did the trick then just regular core movements.
Broseph (Joe) Rogan talks about a neck hanging device that re-adjusts your neck and works wonders.
Lololololo
Back Bridges.
Back bridges were a game changer for me. I had a nasty neck injury from a boxing competition, and it hurt every day for years. I started incorporating back bridges to my weight lifting routine and no more neck (or back) pain.
Give it a shot.
Read "healing back pain" by doctor Sarno. He has a great book about the mind-body connection and what you can do to stop certain types of neck/back pains. I know exactly what you mean about the neck pain as well. Constantly rolling your neck etc. My physician says it comes down to 1) posture and 2) stretching every 20 minutes or so. The stretching has a very positive effect on my shoulder pain for sure.
I really appreciate everyone's input so far! This is incredibly helpful. I did in fact sign up for a yoga class today at my local gym. We'll see how that goes! And I'll also try out all the exercises and stretches you all suggested. Thanks again!
I compression fractured my L2 in Summer 2015 and it took about twelves months to fully heal. I found that stretching helped a lot, but I found the most relief by sleeping on my side and arching my back like if you were trying to touch your toes. YMMV though because sleeping this way took pressure off of my L2 disk/vertibrae in the location of my fracture.
Out of nowhere I began waking up with an awful stiff neck - i couldn't move my neck past 20 degrees in either direction I kid you not.
I was recommended a book treat your own neck by robin mckenzie. I her excercises probably 5 times a day - I do it on my desk, in transit, when i wake up etc. they take 3 minutes to do, and I honestly my neck feels good as new. I'd highly recomend this book if your feeling neck pain.
Also as others have said, foam rolling IT band, hamstring, quads and stretching all help a lot as well.
going thru the same problem. I am ~6 year out of college and for the past 2 years i have had severe neck / upper back pain / stiffness. I attribute it to a tight chest / shoulders, which has then been exacerbated by constant smartphone use (hate to admit it but its the only real lifestyle change) in recent years.
Some of the best advice in the comments above I've ever read.
To echo, yoga yoga yoga. It's cliche, but of all the things I've ever started doing that truly changed my life, yoga is THE one. I prefer hot yoga, of the Ashtanga/Vinyasa variety, not Bikram, but any is better than none. The first night I went to a session, I honestly slept better than I could remember since I was a young lad.
As for the skepticism re: the physical therapist, it's not like you pay the 350 bux and they hand you a list of generic stretches and tell you to get more sleep/be mpre active. They're trained to identify muscle imbalances (in strength and flexibility), and can help you tailor a stretching/exercise program to target those imbalances.
I got an MRI like 3 months ago because I had terrible chronic headaches because of stress (results were good and got cured after a month medical treatment). I do not think I would have paid for it for a back pain, but you are the only one that know the severity and frequency of the pain. So think about it.
Or just get a chill gf and see if sex cures you. Best therapy out there for stress pains.
Some great suggestion in this thread. I just wanted to give another +1 to the foam roller idea. I got this one on Amazon a month ago, and it has made a noticeable difference in terms of reducing back pain. It also works wonders for knots in my back.
I've had this. Never believed in chiropractors ever- thought they were full of crap. Went to one 2xa week on a whim and the multiple years long problem has been solved. Appointments are only a few minutes. Also- yoga is great for people who sit all day. Best to take a couple of classes in person. Then you can do it at home via utube if you prefer.
See a chiro
get a varidesk
There is a procedure which you can do called "Atlas Adjustment", it aligns your upper spine vertebrae which helps re-align the rest of your body as well. I don't know what the cost of it would be in the US, I'm from Europe and I had it done when I was 19 and went with my parents and we paid 250 euros for a family package. If the cost of it in the US ends up being $2000+, its cheaper to travel to Europe and get it done here. I can even give you the contact info of the doctor that did mine (PM me). My mother had issues with constant reoccurring head aches - all fixed now, dad had a limping leg problem which stemmed from his back - all fixed now. I personally have slight scoliosis, I'm pretty tall and had an enormous growth spurt in 7th grade which caused me to have horrible back pain for years until a friend of my dad's recommended this. It's all fixed now thankfully. The atlas adjustment is supposed to fix any problems you may have in your body, because it fixes the nervous system, from which most issues stem from. I am not a medical expert so forgive my explanations in layman terms, if you speak to a professional they'll be able to explain in more detail
Here's a video of the impacts it has to your body
you should see some related videos that show how the process is actually done. I see that some are done with hand, some with a machine, I had mine done with a machine, it is pretty painful but nothing too serious
Appreciate the suggestion! I'll take a look.
Update 7/26 - attended an hour yoga class yesterday and it was fantastic. Highly recommended for people who have never tried yoga, which was the case for me. Lots of stretching and movements that impact the cramped muscles all over your body. I'll be going again this week and next because.....
the yoga instructor was extremely hot
and that is what we call a win win
There is an easy fix to take your mind off the back pain.
Find $15. With this $15 you can alleviate your shoulder and back pain.
Go to a paintball arena. Pay $15 to play. Take off your shirt and have someone plaster you in the back with paintballs, bareskin. You'll forget all about that other pesky pain.
It only lasts about 2 weeks though, so would be a bi-monthly treatment.
and that is what we call a win win
Definitely request a standing desk. It may take a while if you are at a larger company, but in the LR you will not regret it. Also, try doing yoga or at a minimum, stretch for 10 minutes once a day. Changing up your diet to minimize bread intake usually helps with inflammation as well. Good luck amigo. I've been there.
Would VERY highly recommend a standing desk. You can buy one that fit on top of your fixed desk and you can move up and down. Made a HUGE difference for me, fixed the problem virtually overnight.
Work out. There's no way around it. Unfortunately, no matter how comfy your chair is, I'm sure it is, we aren't meant to be sitting all this time.
Do regular stretching exercises and some basic work out on daily basis for a few months and it'll go away.
Try hanging as long as you can everyday from a pull up bar. Release your muscles slowly when you do especially when you start off, and I swear to god you will feel your entire back loosen up and relax.
I also realized that my severe neck and back pain could potentially stem from the weak muscles of my back. Can anybody post some effective back workouts that can be done at home? Also thinking of trying to install a pull up bar somewhere in my house soon.
Hey there, a bit different from your problems but i suffer from lower back pain and tightness as I work 8-10 hours a day just sitting in the chair and I am also an athlete. Ive suffered from a slight disc injury about 2 years ago as well which was an eye opener. For me, what has helped the most are various stretching techniques called myofascial release, foam rolling, ART active release therapy and yes working on posture and sitting up right. You can try to opt for a stand up desk, but its important to start slowly correcting the issue by the methods i listed above. Youtube has been my biggest resource and there are many videos that break these down. Seeing a good PT which is roughly 75 an hour has helped as well. I try to go once a month so it doesnt break the bank, but working on my overall mobility by spending 15 minutes a day has offered the best relief. Stretch, deep breathing and really having someone if you can, dig deep into knots and massage them out and use Tiger Balm/Icy hot can provide temporary relief. Also taking Epsom salt hot baths, will help as well to relax your muscles and soothe you.
My back has never been the same ever again... (Originally Posted: 06/26/2015)
Hi All..
2 years of working in a PE firm has completely broken my back to the point where the thought of sitting makes me want to scream my lungs out. I left the firm on March 31 and I though the lack of intense work would probably straighten my back and would go on to live happily ever after.
But now it's almost 3 months I don't feel like the effects have reversed. I have joined the gym (not following any specific work-out plan; I go in 3 times a week) and play football during the weekends but I don't feel the positives (?)
Is there a magic remedy for this? Is everyone going through this to a certain extend ? How I wish I had my 21 year old back!
You most likely have poor posture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT657soclws
Kelly, from the 2nd link, has a book on everything you need to know about posture and sitting correctly.
I used to follow Jen Hilman religiously towards the last few months during my PE stint. It definitely did keep my pain at bay. Are you suggesting I continue this until I completely get rid of the pain?
That's terrible OP. Have you tried physio/chiropractors/specialists? If not I HIGHLY suggest you go see one. And I agree with above, you need to work on posture. Sadly there is no magic cure, from the sounds of it you fucked it up pretty bad and might take months to get back to normal with some good physio.
how about you work out more than 3 times per week?
Dont take pain killers
Yoga. Think what you want about it, but it helps strengthen your core.
First go to your doctor and have him check your back out medically. They may refer you to a specialist or to get some scans/x-rays, but get your back checked medically to make sure you don't have a ruptured or bulged disk, disk degeneration or something that can and should be fixed before you start working out, doing yoga or following other back treatment programs that are designed for healthy backs and that could further aggravate it. The above are great for a healthy back but if you have a herniated disk you'll really screw it up even doing deadlifts with only a bar, seated rows or even light yoga. You also should make sure that you don't have another medical condition that could be affecting your back. This isn't meant as a scare tactic or to say that you have anything like this, but I worked with a guy who was a couple of years out of college and was having bad back pains that ended up being a 7 inch tumor running up his lower spine. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster that it wasn't malignant, but it could have done real damage had he not gotten it looked at when he did.
After the doc's, see what the best course of treatment is: exercise, chiropractor, yoga, PT, whatever.
And welcome to getting old.
Hi,
I met a doctor and he said there was nothing serious. Apparently it's just muscle spasm which I can get rid off by going to a physiotherapist.
He owns a clinic and advised that I get appointment there in three weeks time and yadda yadda. I think i will follow some Yoga stuff until that eventful day
btw I'm 23 so I don't think I'm at the old-spectrum (?)
Anyways thanks for your advises. I hope to feel like a million dollars soon!
A) Vicodin B) Bombay Sapphire
Both are effective.
Or this.
But is it A or B, or A & B?
Have you tried acupuncture? Totally serious, my dad swears it healed his back pain.
Take a look at this
http://www.foundationtraining.com/
The e-book is on Amazon and they have a youtube channel with some free videos. It's essentially yoga/bodyweight strengthening poses focused on improving posture and core strength.
I've had a bunch of small injuries from running in high school/lifting weights and doing these exercises have helped a ton.
In general, stretching and strengthening your lower core will greatly improve back pain.
Of course, if you have serious back pain, you should definitely go see a doctor first (chiros are often scams/not science based, so I don't recommend them).
Other resources: http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/1prg6b/update_to_the_anterior_… http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/f08rd/writeup_about_the_poster… http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/exgiu/a_guide_to_fixing_comput… http://www.exrx.net/Kinesiology/Posture.html
Is there a specific point where the pain is?
I too have had a week back since I was born but in the last 3 years I have suffered extreme pain in the trapezius muscle. This caused me severe migraines every couple of days. After sorting out my posture and seeing a chiropractor for about 3 months on a weekly basis, I have not had a migraine in 4 months and my back is slowly getting better.
If you have pain in the upper back near the shoulder blade, I will be more than happy to tell you about various exercises and lifestyle changes that helped me greatly.
Hi,
The "tension" is around the lower back area (either side of the spinal chord). I'm just glad to hear there is a solution out there. I was beginning to think working 12 hrs + a day was a biological disadvantage for me...
I would definitely consider altering my lifestyle if it's a major contributing factor to my back pain. Would be great if you could mention some of your lifestyle changes that helped.
The structural integrity of the head/neck tells a lot about the body. It probably wasnt set in a neutral position thus the migraines.
I had disc issues in my lower back for about a year. I ended up seeing a doctor who was a pain specialist who gave me two epidural steroid injections (spaced about 4 or 5 months apart). While this might seem a bit extreme, it totally worked and I have been pain free for close to 6 months. While exercise and stretching is super valuable sometimes the muscles around the messed up disc are so tight and inflamed that its hard to really stretch. When you are hurting you hold yourself more tightly subconsciously, further exacerbating the issues. The injection helps loosen everything up enough for you to move more comfortably allowing the issue to correct itself. It may seem like a quick fix but I feel like I got real long term relief from it. One thing to note, it was a bit depressing to be in the doctors office and everyone else getting treatment is 55+ (I'm 23).
Help! My back hurts from sitting too long. (Originally Posted: 06/24/2016)
Recently started working full time and my lower back has been hurting so bad. Any advice on how I can prevent this?
I can't imagine doing this for another 10 years or more...
You'll get used to it in a few weeks. Unless you're actually injured, standing up and walking for a few minutes every hour or so might make it much better.
More importantly, pay attention to how you sit: 1. Sit straight, don't sit on the edge of the chair 2. Set your chair as vertical as you can / no rocking (add lumbar support if you want) 3. Computer screen(s) are at eye level 4. Height of the seat adjusted so that your arms rest naturally on the desk and feet are planted on the ground
Stretching would be optimal but I know most of us can't - you could always do it before and after work if you're really incapacitated.
I sometimes use my masters fence to scratch my back and the pain goes away. If the aching consists then ill use barbed wire.
Tried barbed wire but it didn't help. What's next?
Stretch out your hamstrings, they play a large part in all things lower back. Also I agree that getting up and walking now is a good idea. If you go to the gym, deadlifts will strengthen your lower back. I've had much less lower back pain after I started deadlifting. You will be sore though from deadlifting, but it's lactic acid soreness, which is good.
Stretch out your hamstrings, they play a large part in all things lower back. Also I agree that getting up and walking now is a good idea. If you go to the gym, deadlifts will strengthen your lower back. I've had much less lower back pain after I started deadlifting. You will be sore though from deadlifting, but it's lactic acid soreness, which is good.
Stretch your hips and hamstrings. I've always suffered from lower back pain and constant stretching + DL's really helped - I barely feel it now.
Has anyone tried the standing desk?
Put one of these on your chair.
Get a deep tissue massage - it'll do you wonders
Another 10 years? Mate....I have bad news for you.
Common problem. Will require some effort from your end.
) 2. Start activating your glutes consciously throughout the day. You can use bands for this, too or just do it without. Here is a good article given you some ideas: http://www.elitefts.com/education/motivation/no-bullsht-the-banded-hip-… 3. Follow whatever @mrsteez has outlined re the how to sit part. 4. Ideally start some kind of fitness program, where you actually strengthen your glutes and hips to protect your lower back.
below is a simple explanation/solution for the issues you might have
loosen/reduce neuro-msucular stimulation of tight muscles with Myofascial Massage - myofascial using foam rollers, tennis balls, medicine balls, theracanes, etc, strengthen/activate loose muscles 1. Do a postural assessment (sitting leads to muscular imbalances): your ears, shoulders, pelvis, knees, ankles should be in one line, also focus on complexes in the body, lumbo-pelvic hip complex, hamstring complex, shoulder complex, etc it is almost NEVER one single muscle that causes a problem almost always 2 or more when postural issues are involved, also learn the isolated and integrated functions of each muscle -- just keep googling this stuff or read NASM's Corrective Exercises Material along with NASM's CPT material 2. Check for a forward head posture - Overactive traps, overactive pectoral minor, weak rear delts, over-active serratus anterior, if you have weak lower traps then you most probably have scapular winging 3. Check for your pelvic tilt - Anterior Tilt or Posterior Tilt - with the pelvic tilt you have to see what caused it: (i) are you overweight? or (ii)do you sit a lot or (iii) both-- (i) if you are overweight then the excess weight will lead to pressure on feet flattening their arch, which will also externally rotate your feet and lengthen the adductors/while making the gluteus medius overactive, combined with a weak set of abdominals the compensation is made by the psoas and the other extensors of the hip to pull your pelvis forward leading to an anterior tilt (ii) if on the other hand you sit a lot with your back arched it will lead to overactive set of hip flexors and this will lead to an anterior tilt but you might not have externally rotated feet 3.1. Anterior Tilt - tight/overactive quadriceps, hip flexors, weak glute maximus, shortened back extensors --- for strengthening the hamstrings with a glute bridge exercise:- (i)in the starting position (the crunch position with your arms by the sides of your torso) make sure your back is flat, (ii)bring your knees together (this prevents the back-extensors from being used), (iii)lift your pelvis using your glutes (iv) while performing this exercise never let your glutes touch the ground once you start, (v) move within the range of motion where it activates your glutes and hamstrings the most, this is usually with your glutes being a few inches off-the ground (vi) Performing this exercise with 3 second positive and 3 second negative - the tempo would be 3-0-3-0 (vii)If you want to activate the adductors with the glutes (only do this once you have successfully strengthened your glutes) you can squeeze something between your knees (a soft medicine ball) the addcutors have 3 heads: the greater the width of the object the heads closer to knee will be used 3.2. Posterior Tilt - overactive hamstrings, weak glutes, lengthened back extensors http://www.laurensfitness.com/2008/04/07/pelvic-tilts-get-them-right-2/ -- this link has a nice chart for which muscles are active and which aren't 3.3. Strengthen the core by doing:- 3.3.1. planks (variation in the plank will depend upon the type of pelvic issues you might have - for example with the anterior tilt raise your hips and draw back lower your shoulder blades, till your entire spine is almost parallel to the floor, so that you can activate the Type 1 fibers of the abdominals while IGNORING the overactive hip flexors, since the primary work of Rectus Abdominis is to STABILIZE the lumbo pelvic hip complex), 3.3.2. perform the abdominals breathing exercise -- perform this exercise while seated (elbows and knees at 90 degree angles, neutral spine, look straight ahead) or lying down: you contract your abs when you breath in (inhale) and contract your abs when you breathe out (exhale), the slower you exhale the better, you can also purse your lips when you breathe out it helps some people with slowing downing their exhaling speed 3.4. Assuming you have an anterior tilt you should superset the abdominal breathing with the glute bridges perform 3 sets, then perform the plank, after having performed the exercise, when you walk/stand, the weight of your upper body should rest on the glutes and hams NOT your quads 4. Check for the External Feet Rotation - lengthened adductors, overactive gluteus medius
Deadlifts. Call your local CrossFit gym.
Using the sledgehammer right off the bat ;)
You could, possibly, ask if they could provide you with a standing desk. I know KKR allows it. That being said, I am quite certain that you would have to provide a more substantial claim than "my back hurts" in order for your firm to classify you as someone with a permanent back issue.
Yeah like a doctors certificate...
Sitting all day in front of a monitor is definitely a slow killer. Unless you have really good sitting form, you will eventually slouch in your chair and have back problems and "hunched" shoulders. A couple solutions I've seen in the office include getting one of those standing desks (may be hard - the guy was an MD who had to haggle with the facility management services to install), or get a "backless" ergonomic chair: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/black-ergonomic-mobile-kneeling-office-… I haven't tried this myself but seems to work for those who have it.
Extensive Back Problems and GPA Dilemma (Originally Posted: 05/27/2011)
Long time viewer, but first time poster.. My apologies if this has been addressed previously. If it was I am unable to find such a post. Anywho...
I'm coming out of undergrad at what isn't exactly a target school. A few kids go to BBs after graduating but not many. So heres the issue..
My first ~55 credits (fresh and soph years) sucked balls. My GPA from those years was a 3.02. However, my GPA for my last ~60 credits was a 3.95. Keep in mind this is in the "hardest" track my school offers, atleast in the b school, although its not exactly hard. (quant finance with econ and math minors)
There's reasoning behind this however.. I went into college having just undergone extensive back surgery. Long story short, it went about as poor as poor can be, and it took ~2 years (end of soph year) and multiple surgeries to finally fix it. The majority of my first two years of college were completed either from a hospital or a bed. Most of my classes had a significant participation component, of which I'm pretty sure I never scored higher than a 10%.
So, how do I address this? Anyone had experience with this type of situation?
In a cover letter I feel like its too long, and as such a one way ticket to the garbage can.
Also, I had an interview a couple weeks back where I had put "GPA: 3.95 (Last 60 Credits)" and the guy was "sincerely perturbed by my questionable ethics regarding portrayal of academic performance and an overall lack of integrity". I kid you not, those are exact words from his secretary's follow up email. Given the guy was a deush, and I suppose its possible I did something else to piss him off, I want to avoid this in the future.
Thanks guys.
You should put Overall GPA: 3.xx Major GPA: 3.95 (assuming most people take courses related to their major during the last 60 credits). It's fine to mention but don't make the whole cover letter revolve around this issue. A few sentences tops
It is ethically questionable to write that as your gpa...the guy was right. If not u could just write something like "gpa:4.0(in select classes)"
Instead of lying, you really need to just work around it. Your overall gpa isn't even horrible! Isn't it around a 3.48? That's not miserable whatsoever, and although it "should" be higher, there's really not much you can do other than explain if asked about it, in which case you have a great story.
Just write: Cumulative GPA: X.XX Junior & Senior Combined GPA: X.XX Major GPA: X.XX (assuming it is high as your major classes tend to come in junior and senior year)
just list major gpa ... if they are interested, they will ask for a cumulative number in an interview.
Put your total GPA and your major GPA. If you omit your total GPA, they will assume it is much lower than it actually is (
Excellent perspective and something I definitely dropped the ball on. I began my freshman year by addressing this issue with one professor, who was extremely unhelpful. His solution was that if I wasn't able to attend class I shouldn't be in the class. His "help" dissuaded me from addressing any of my other professors of this issue. Looking back this was obviously a terrible decision, and a result of my state of mind at the time as well as being overwhelmed with pain and opiates.
So I agree, mention the issue, avoid specifics, and emphasize junior/senior performance and that the issue is entirely a thing of the past.
Careful regarding back issues: they dont want to hire someone who takes lots of days off. Make it EXPLICITLY clear that they are done, it's healed and never causes any problems any more, even if it does.
I broke mine at school, was the best thing that happened to me, but plagued me since. Good luck.
I personally had a similar issue where an injury during my freshman year led to a low overall. Once I mentioned this to interviewers they actually told me to just put on my resume: Overall GPA: x.xx Post-Injury GPA: x.xx.
They understand that having surgery and being pumped with oxycodone and god knows what drugs isn't conductive to high GPAs.
Ok, excellent, many thanks.
I didn't realize putting GPA for the last 60 credits was that frowned upon. I figured it was essentially the same as saying junior/senior or major GPA. 60 credits is half of one's undergrad education and as many of you stated above includes most major specific work. I guess its just more or less poor diction on my part.
To baddebt88 and possibly trazer985:
Did you mention this in your cover letter at all? I have no problem bringing such a topic up in an interview, where I could iterate that it was a problem of the past (which it is, I had a series of post surgical spinal cord infections; infection gone = no pain) but would worry that it could easily be misconceived on paper entirely and never actually get an interview.
Sed odio a laborum vitae. Molestiae et facere ut vel repellat minus. Molestias qui et eius sed. Iure sit ea possimus et voluptatibus. Pariatur nihil corporis id excepturi labore quia. Velit ad ipsa eos doloribus.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Iure perspiciatis sint recusandae ea sed commodi omnis. Voluptatibus veniam excepturi aut ratione a voluptate autem et. Natus est quis quo. Sit nesciunt voluptas optio aut et enim eos.
Dolorem dolor vel quis temporibus excepturi quia non. Aut soluta voluptatem est voluptatum consequatur est quo. Et dolorum accusamus laudantium sint.
Cumque qui et odit blanditiis debitis similique illo. Unde et officia nostrum. Pariatur velit quis earum enim illo minima. Voluptas labore laborum omnis. Quia architecto qui ullam dignissimos quia. Ab necessitatibus minima itaque vel hic laudantium ut.
Molestiae est sed et commodi ea et. Sit laborum voluptates autem sapiente blanditiis unde. Temporibus voluptatem dolore modi vero suscipit et. Dolore libero tenetur in numquam quos consectetur.
Dignissimos et fuga velit voluptas nobis hic sunt. Omnis et ut et eveniet officia ullam est ut.
Ea et qui dignissimos recusandae et soluta architecto. Et ducimus aperiam aut perspiciatis iure. Id rem maxime voluptas. Qui non eos velit ipsam.
Autem quod sed error eum impedit quibusdam. Ut aliquid aliquam suscipit sed deleniti. Velit totam voluptas quos atque numquam perspiciatis. Veniam soluta illum placeat illo illum non. Ut cumque id dolores aspernatur voluptates.
Nihil ab corrupti ratione ut. Ea quis laborum at explicabo iure dolorem veritatis dolore.
Autem eveniet maiores repellendus modi velit deserunt. Accusantium et sit est consequatur soluta veniam eveniet. Eum optio est error beatae ducimus voluptatem et.
Alias aspernatur sit ut quis doloremque. Itaque et quae laudantium laudantium animi. Eveniet sint in est qui architecto qui odit. Eaque ut corrupti exercitationem sunt quod aspernatur. Velit libero in repudiandae perspiciatis aspernatur est et. Sit fuga ut voluptatem dolores repudiandae quia.
Dignissimos animi voluptates dolor laboriosam iusto nemo. Esse architecto eos sed. Ut aperiam nisi ipsa sequi officia repellat. Non vero culpa voluptas ad.
Et quibusdam quibusdam quia ut aliquam et omnis. Aut repudiandae doloremque excepturi facere deleniti sapiente dolorem. Voluptas nihil et nihil amet est ut quia. Et officia aliquam enim et quas maiores.
Non molestiae nobis doloribus at est delectus. Officiis quam possimus quis. Officiis enim amet quam dolore sed. Amet maxime quis minima autem quia et dignissimos. Exercitationem incidunt quo autem perspiciatis voluptatem nihil. Qui velit dolore fugit quis fugiat consequuntur necessitatibus.
Necessitatibus voluptatibus veritatis enim quo omnis totam aut. Voluptatibus velit et laudantium qui nihil. Inventore qui laboriosam et eligendi. Omnis consequuntur itaque laboriosam velit ut voluptatem.
Aperiam id qui explicabo distinctio at rerum sit. Labore ad numquam explicabo suscipit.
Quos rem atque labore porro. Aut dolores maxime consequatur itaque. Omnis deserunt expedita qui ut cum quidem rerum quam.