Stiff Lower Back
 

Past 2 weeks or so, started getting a stiff lower back (near tail bone area/area where the hips horizontally lines up) when I wake up from sleep and also from sitting at my desk for prolonged hours. When I wake up, right leg cramps up, likely getting poor blood circulation?

My problem with the stiff lower back is whenever it's stiff and I move around to loosen it up, particularly push the lower back/hips forward, it cracks once. I'm typically worried about it over long run if that'll create any issues down the road with the cracking. Never had this back cracking before like this.

To alleviate the lower back stiffness, I've been using a heat pad the past two nights on my lower back before I rest and placed a pillow under my thigh area, which has helped. Also sleeping on the side really helps.

Not sure if I need to have better diet and exercise tons more. I am 30.

Anyone experience something similar?

Just go to a chiro and get checked out. I ignored that same issue for years until it blew up. Turns out I have minor scoliosis (where the spine has a small S curve side to side. You should have seen the x Rays). It’s been a few years now with no real issues other than the occasional few days of pain.

I suggest a sports medicine chiro since they usually can often suggest a bit more in depth stretches and exercises to do. Also weight. Not sure if you’re thin or chubby. Over the last two years I’ve put weight on and I feel it in my back. No bueno :(

Edit. I’m almost 29, and back cracking is just fine.

Given that it is winter, and assuming your heater is running at night, it could be drying you out.

Try drinking more water throughout the day to ensure you are properly hydrated. If need be, invest in a humidifier. I find that it helps in the winter when the heater is running at night. Without sounding gross, the easiest way to know if you are hydrated or not is the colour if your urine. If yellow, you need to drink more water. If it's clear, you're good to go.

Additionally, ask yourself how old your mattress is. It may not be providing the support your body needs, for a number of reasons, such as a mattress being too old etc. I changed my mattress and it was a night and day difference.

Physiotherapy and yoga will help your lower back problems.

I threw out my back a few years ago and occasionally have lower back issues with shooting pains. Those two will usually fix them within a day or two.

Booked an appointment for this upcoming weekend to see a Chiro. Going to try this route first and see how it goes.

I've only been going to a massage therapy previously for upper body muscle tension buildup due to poor posture of my desk job.

Argh, feels like as one gets older have to sacrifice time from other things to allocate to healthier lifestyle. E.g. More time to health awareness / exercising.

You might have pelvic tilt / misaligned hips.

The same happened to me a few months ago. No idea how it happened, but thats what it was. My lower back was sore, legs would get really sore after driving to and from work. After doing some youtube stretches, it went away 90% in a few weeks.

try these:

https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/m...xsacroil_3.jpg

i've had a lot of problems with my lower back and it seems a lot of my problems relate to my hips and SI joints, i was pretty much done a few months ago, nothing helped, chiro, massage, etc. these stretches got me back going in a week or so

Nice I sprained my SI attempting a deadlift PR 3 weeks ago, and it's STILL fucking sore. I'll be doing these every day now, hope it gets better soon so I can get back to it

Today, I've only cracked my lower back once. Gosh it felt so good to release the tension/buildup.....I tried not having the cracking habit until I figure out what's the issue.

Yeah, I've been trying to do some stretches today.

Yeah bit plays a big part of it. I have a slight flat foot on one side, which is fine if I don’t get lazy. Yesterday when snowshoeing on the side of a hill my left side was a good 3” lower than my right. Gave my hip a good amount of pain and my lower back is hurting

After my bike accident I found the biggest relief to my back/neck pain came from regular chiro visits every month or so and a weekly/bi-weekly hot yoga session.

I do believe the yoga has been the biggest benefit to my back recovery and reduced overall inflammation in other joints.

I hurt my back 2 months ago working out with weights and not helping the matter is I sit at a desk for hours at a time. The stretches pictured above really helped me along with doing different variations of planks to strengthen my back muscles. I religiously did situps for years but doing the stretches and planks for just the past month I found it has really helped with my core strength, back mobility, and posture. I know many people that have had good results seeing a chiro but personally I did not see much benefit until I started doing all the stretching and planks.

Update. Issue is gone now mostly. I started doing stretches in the morning before I head to work and after work, definitely help relieve any tension buildup. As our bodies are designed to be mobile, it's recommended to keep moving around every here and then, rather than sit long hours straight.

Definitely try the planks also because they will also condition your back to avoid future strain and injury. There are a ton of youtube videos but you can start with the basic on the elbow planks until you can do about a minute then try to add in some alternate side planks, spiderman planks, planks raising one arm and one leg, planks on an exercise ball, and go from there. I have been doing the planks for about 1 month every night and I love them :thumbsup:

as someone with AS (ankylosing spondylitis) i hear you, when i wake up i some times have that as well. or if i lay in bed to long... lean down to get pants and crack the stiffness is gone.. from the docs they say thats normal nothing to worry about the cracking tohu

One thing i know that helps when i sleep is to put a pillow underneath your knees and keep them bent close to 60 degrees or so? really helps take tension and pressure of the lower back

stretch your hips

mhmm not necessarily always the best thing to do.

Strengthening is sometimes better

I have had on and off lower back issues for years, which culminated in a required visit to a chiropractor where, much to my surprise, he actually put pressure on one point of my hip for 30 minutes with his elbow and it was like I was a new man. Had nothing to do with my actual back, hip was pulling on the muscles.

Now, chiros are always a temporary fix... they alleviate the problem but the issue is present and will come back. I started fixing my own back because I remembered where he pushed and was able to get rid of the muscle pain whenever it seized up on me, but that's super annoying and the issue was coming up more and more often and I was in a lot of discomfort.

Wanting to improve my situation, starting a month ago, I started doing a set weights routine with a different body focus each day (working Mon/Tue, cardio Wed, working Thurs/Fri... Sat/Sun are also rest/stretch/cardio days depending on what kind of shape you're in) and there are some back-related exercises in that routine... and ever since I started doing this routine, my back is brand new, I have never felt better. It's all to do with strengthening your back muscles as far as I can figure (barring you having a herniated disc or something wrong with your bone structure that is).

I am a 9-5 office worker, slouchy sitter, pretty active and I am not overweight (6 feet, 180lbs) just for reference. If you're interested, this is the program I am doing.. note that there is a dedicated "back" day but also some back-related exercises on other days too the lower body days like the hyperextensions and cable woodchoppers especially... the first time I did this, it felt like someone had spent all night punching me in the kidneys, no mobility issues, just "bruised" feeling... but once my muscles acclimated, I was feeling 100x better almost immediately. This routine may seem like a lot, but you can bust each one out in half an hour if you're motivated. If you don't know what an exercise is, I recommend YouTube... Scott Herman Fitness is a good guy for proper posture and moving if you can deal with his constant shirtlessness EleGiggle

Also, FWIW, I crack my back all the time... I don't believe it has a negative effect on you. My back actually stops cracking if it does seize up, I always knew I was in for a solid week of pain if my back stopped cracking.

Monday – Back
Weighted pull ups: 4 sets of 4-6 reps
1-arm dumbbell row: 2 sets of 4-6 reps
Seated cable row (preferably with wide-grip): 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Lat pull down – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Cable crunches – 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

Tuesday – Chest
Incline press: 4 sets of 4-6 reps
Dumbbell bench press: 3 sets of 8 reps
Cable crossover – 2 sets of 10-12 reps
Face pulls- 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps

Wednesday – Rest
Rest. Stretch. Do some soft tissue work. Optional cardio.

Thursday – Lower body
Deadlift – 3 sets of 4-6 reps
Lunges – 2 sets of 6-8 reps per leg
Leg press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Calf raise (seated or standing) – 5 sets of 10-15 reps
Hyperextension – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cable woodchoppers – 3 sets of 10-15 reps per side

Friday – Upper body
Seated dumbbell press – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Weighted pull-ups – 3 x 6-8 reps
Cable crossover – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Side delt raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Rear delt raises – 2 sets of 10-12 reps
Barbell curl – 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
Overhead tricep rope extensions – 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps

inversion table might help

-do downward dog on knees, stretch your lower back.
- if you sleep on the side, rise ur outside leg knee and use pillow under
- if u drive long distances, stretch, same goes when u sit for long time. knee raises

i have very tight hamstrings and glutes and limited flexibility, as a result, my lower back compensates and fires when I deadlift and squat due to limited ROM

my physiotherapist taught me how to engage my glutes and hamstrings instead of my lowerback (really have to be self concious and squeeze and engage your core)

1 - stretch !!!
2 - hip thrusts or (google any exercises that will strengthen your hamstrings and glutes) , make sure u feel the burn there and nothing in your lower back , form is very important

Whatever treatments u guys end up trying for pain, dont try the one in this article:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/health...pain-1.4257677

Planks + CBD oil. Helped me quite a bit.

Imo strengthening and stretching are the only cure. This coming from somone who has had back issues for 10+ years now.

Also eating clean, garbage and refined carbs and sugars cause a lot of inflammation for me and I notice it within an hour of eating that pain is back.

tight glutes is a big factor for lower back as the glute criss crosses up into the lower back (right glute to left lower back and vice versa)
using a lacrosse ball to loosen tight muscles (works on other parts of the body especially the back up against the wall or on the floor) I find relieves lower back pain.
I use a lacrosse ball throughout my workout to release tension.


better than foam rollers.

it's accupressure so you will feel some pain at first (especially if you haven't done it before) and as the tension releases it feels much better.
when i've used it on my back between shoulder blades, on my traps,calves etc. ive almost fallen asleep its that good.