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[Chimera911]

I've returned to exercising regularly after taking a short break from it to enjoy the first 50 lbs. I lost. While vanity does play a small role in my weight loss, I also want to be sure that my spinal cord has all the protection it needs, i.e. strong muscle supporting my back. The way I see it, the less I weigh, the stronger my core, the less I have to worry about hurting my back. I even went as far as procuring a Live Journal fitness community in order to keep on the ball without distraction.

Because of my injury, when I don't move regularly I experience pain in my lower back, numbness in my legs, mostly the right leg from time to time. I honestly don't want to have my pain get in the way of my work once I return to it so finally here's my point/question: Does anyone here suffer from any severe back pain, numbness/tingling in the lower extremities, sciatica? If so, how do you personally deal with the pain or discomfort?

[Chimera911]

ANY feedback would be helpful lol.

[SWVAEMT]

First of all, I'm not a doctor or a physical therapist. I'm just some monkey on the internet but I suffer from the same symptoms as you. At it's worst, my pain is almost completely debilitating. But if I'm good about doing my stretches and exercises, I can ALMOST completely alleviate the pain.

The stretches I find most helpful are:

1) Modified Superman:
Lay on your stomach, arms by your side. Raise your upper body as far as you can and hold for 10-12 seconds. Relax. Start with three of these and gradually increase to 10-12 (I do 15).

2) Press-Ups:
Lay on your stomach, palms down next to your shoulders. Push your upper body up off the floor, straightening your arms as much as possible. Keeping your hips on the floor. Hold for 10-12 seconds. Relax. Again, start with three of these and gradually increase to 10-12 (I do 15).


I also do some weight training for my back. Here's a link to some good exercises http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Lower+Back My personal favorite is the Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift.

Some other links that may help:
http://www.1backpain.com/
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/booklet/view_exercise.cfm?Thread_ID=18&topcategory=Spine
http://www.back.com/
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/con01.html
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1998/298_exer.html

Hope this helps,
SWVAEMT

[Chimera911]

I'm familiar with a few sites you've listed. I'm just more curious to know if anyone suffers from the same ailment and works full time. Stretches are a life saver half the time. As I stated before, I find that the more I exercise the better I feel. Thanks so much for the info, and for saying anything at all. :)

[EMT_Chick]

Gosh I feel your pain... Literally! LOL
I ended up getting a SI block. The epidural takes about a week to kick in and lasts about a year. Greatest thing since sliced bread LOL..

[Wingnut]

My husband has this problem and he's a full-time deputy with the sheriff's Dept. He doesn't do his exercises, His treatment is sitting on the couch for 2 days with a bag of oreos and me pouring him an endless supply of milk.
I've been telling him for years, showing him what to do, printing info out for him, taking him to the doc for the lecture, he just isn't having it. And when he has the pain and is on duty, he works through it with aleve. There have been a handful of times it was so bad he went to the doc for painkillers, but at least he doesn't do that until he absolutely can't stand it anymore. Then he gets the lecture again.

Funny enough, I have an anxiety disorder and get really bad panic attacks, and tachycardia. Exercise actually reduces my symptoms, along with limiting my sugar intake and not drinking any caffiene. I'm still medicated for them, but all of those combined pretty much eliminate my ailments.


It's amazing what a little exercise can do.

[CaptainPanic]

Also proven to help with depression...... and why is that everytime I see that excercise of the day on CrossFit that mentions running my heart sinks......

[Chimera911]

Gosh I feel your pain... Literally! LOL
I ended up getting a SI block. The epidural takes about a week to kick in and lasts about a year. Greatest thing since sliced bread LOL..

Usually when the pain begins to effect my legs I just take it easy. It's not often, just when the weather's very bad and I over-exert myself. I hope I don't have to do anything drastic once I return to work though. :sad:

[Chimera911]

My husband has this problem and he's a full-time deputy with the sheriff's Dept. He doesn't do his exercises, His treatment is sitting on the couch for 2 days with a bag of oreos and me pouring him an endless supply of milk.
I've been telling him for years, showing him what to do, printing info out for him, taking him to the doc for the lecture, he just isn't having it. And when he has the pain and is on duty, he works through it with aleve. There have been a handful of times it was so bad he went to the doc for painkillers, but at least he doesn't do that until he absolutely can't stand it anymore. Then he gets the lecture again.

Funny enough, I have an anxiety disorder and get really bad panic attacks, and tachycardia. Exercise actually reduces my symptoms, along with limiting my sugar intake and not drinking any caffiene. I'm still medicated for them, but all of those combined pretty much eliminate my ailments.


It's amazing what a little exercise can do.
Oh man, it's the worst when men (or ANYONE you care about for that matter) are stubborn about things like this. I tend to be a bit stubborn myself about it, but when the pain starts twinging, I listen lol.

I suffer from panic attacks and depression, too. But since I started working out again I realized that both have eased a good deal. Along with that, my back is getting stronger, so my spine won't be so easily injured if I'm careful... at least, that's what I'm aiming/hoping for.

[Celtictigeress]

I have to keep muscle tone in my back and legs I HAVE to work out three years back I fractured my neck and back... as well as quite a few broken bones, because of the wya my verterbrae healed the sciatic tends to get caught between the two fused verterbrae and pinched Ive found that by doing the weight bench and stretches it keeps the nerve from catching.

I actually have several routines, I do yoga... I have two tapes that I do two days a week I have bellydance classes 3 days a week and I incorporate weights... Id rather be safe then sorry not to mention there are enough unhealthy people I dont need to add to it

[Chimera911]

Id rather be safe then sorry not to mention there are enough unhealthy people I dont need to add to it
^_^ It's incredibly refreshing to hear another EMT say this, and I totally agree -- it is our job to care for unhealthy people, not become them (if it can be helped, of course). I'm so used to people in EMS taking little or no care of themselves so that they end up getting burned out, injured, and just plain sick all the time. It concerns me quite a bit...

[Celtictigeress]

I learned after having to lift a 300+ pt onto the back of an ambulance how one wrong move.... Yeah Ill stay healthy I want to be the one driving and tending not riding and being tended.....

of course I spoke with the First responders...and batted my eyes...got the big guys to do the lifting for me...

[nyc.ems]

I Agree With You Chimera,all The Time We Tell Our Pt To Eat Well And Get Enough Excercise But You Can Tell Some Of Dont Say What We Preach.i Think All Ems Personnel Should Stay Health.i Know Its Hard Working 12 Hour Shifts,especially In New York!!,but We All Need To Monitor Our Selfs,and Set Examples.....how Are You Doing With That Anxiety You Talked About?

[Beegers]

I know how it feels...I'm out on medical right now for my second back injury (literally a year after my first).:sad:

It's not fun and I am currently having a difficult time controlling it. I'm on muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories but may change tomorrow. I've already had the relaxants changed once since this injury. Tomorrow they may change them again. :wacko:

I'm currently in physical therapy (started this past weekend) and he has me doing those pressups previously mentioned. We're prolly going to be doing more this week but so far I'm feeling much worse than I did going in. :wacko:

I can only offer my sympathy and hopes you do well.

[Chimera911]

I Agree With You Chimera,all The Time We Tell Our Pt To Eat Well And Get Enough Excercise But You Can Tell Some Of Dont Say What We Preach.i Think All Ems Personnel Should Stay Health.i Know Its Hard Working 12 Hour Shifts,especially In New York!!,but We All Need To Monitor Our Selfs,and Set Examples.....how Are You Doing With That Anxiety You Talked About?
My anxiety has lightened recently, but I suspect that once I start certification for NJ it'll come back. The most stressful thing about working as an EMT in Manhattan was the DRIVING lol! Anyway, I'm hoping that won't be the case, or that if it does that all the exercise and sports activities I've been engaging in will help ease it. Thanks for asking. ^_^

Where in NYC do you work?

[Chimera911]

I know how it feels...I'm out on medical right now for my second back injury (literally a year after my first).:sad:

It's not fun and I am currently having a difficult time controlling it. I'm on muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories but may change tomorrow. I've already had the relaxants changed once since this injury. Tomorrow they may change them again. :wacko:

I'm currently in physical therapy (started this past weekend) and he has me doing those pressups previously mentioned. We're prolly going to be doing more this week but so far I'm feeling much worse than I did going in. :wacko:

I can only offer my sympathy and hopes you do well.
Oh god. :sad: Here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

They kept switching up medicine on me, too. I was surprised I didn't crap a pharmacy! I really loved physical therapy though -- it was administered by this big Russian guy. Just take it easy and don't overdo it, and if something hurts say something. They can't have you do things that hurt, what could will that do for your back and the pain it's in??

Again, feel better. Keep me posted if you like.

[Chimera911]

I learned after having to lift a 300+ pt onto the back of an ambulance how one wrong move.... Yeah Ill stay healthy I want to be the one driving and tending not riding and being tended.....

of course I spoke with the First responders...and batted my eyes...got the big guys to do the lifting for me...
Ah, yes. That's always a good lifting technique. :lol: But it works better when yer purdy (so it didn't always work for me). :P ;)

[Jon]

Ah, yes. That's always a good lifting technique. :lol: But it works better when yer purdy (so it didn't always work for me). :P ;)
Got ya all beat.

When I was down for Katrina, we had a transfer from a "special needs shelter" (Big nursing home shelter). Lady was well over 300 lbs. My crew (2 BIG guys) was with another crew from Philly. They were somewhat smaller and female. They got the first run, the REALLY BIG lady.

Getting the patient off of the bed she was on and onto the strecher was a challenge, took the 4 of us and 3 DMAT folks. Then we got the strecher up 2 notches off the floor (bed was low). We got the strecher outside, and had 4 very nice National Guardsmen, my partner and myself lift the strecher up and in. BEST LIFT ASSIST EVER! (The female Guardsperson was left holding the guns ;) ).

Jon

[Beegers]

Well they took me off Cataflam and put me on something else...Can't remember what though...the script is getting filled.

He has me stopped on Soma and gave me Vicodin.

This should be interesting.

[Wingnut]

Be warned beegers....only take it if you need it, I'm currently suffering from 8 months of pain management atm. I'd give anything to feel the pain instead of this.:sad:

[Beegers]

I'm not planning on taking the vicodin right now....I'm going out drinking tonight so that should be my 'drug therapy' for tonight.

And the other med I didn't remember is Lodine.

[FFEMT1764]

Well I have been lucky, the only time I hurt my back was changing an M cylinder out, and I only pulled a muscle...my shoulder is a different story...messed up the rotator cuff good...no tear just impingement syndrome...6 months of Lortab 10, Mepergan, and cortisone shots!!! I'm glad its all healed now...I hated the spaced out feeling the meds gave me, but the pain was severe if I tried to lift my arm above my waist...so just try to take the pain pills sparingly.

[nyc.ems]

chimera i know what you mean about driving in manhattan.that'll give you anxiety any day! i work for a private company affiliated with the fire dept. working 911 in the bronx.you think driving in manhattan is bad...try driving in the bronx!!!

[FFEMT1764]

I drove in Chicago once...and swore to never get off the Tri-State in Illinois ever again...the bigger the city the worse the driving...and if you are in the south watchout...cars bought down here must not be equipped with turnsignals!

[Jon]

I've had the pleasure of riding with some New York City EMT's (Brooklyn, no less). I really wanted to know who they stole their certification cards from, and who taught them to drive.

They thought that, if no one let them enter the intersection in 5 seconds (leaving a gas station), that turning on the siren was OK...

Jon

[FFEMT1764]

Oh boy...thats about as bad as down here if we are responding to a call then get cancelled by dispatch and we turn in at the McDonalds, etc- people call the county administrator and complain that we ran red lights and sirens to go eat!

[emtff376]

Ouch! Dang! Safe and speedy healing to everyone!

I, too, suffer from lower back pain. MRI said degenerated L5/S1, which causes me unbearable pain down one or both legs. I have to do exercises 6x/day because I refuse the drugs. Most narc. have adverse effects on me (puke fountain for days after taking one). I have found that strength training combined with cardio keeps me symptom free. I also go to massage therapy every other week. That is woooooooooooooooooonderful. :)

I hear ya on shoulder injuries also. I've had both of mine reconstructed. Three screws in the left. The rehab kinda sucked, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have opted for the surgery again. I dislocated my left shoulder over 100 times before I got it operated on. The Ortho wouldn't let me get that bad with my right. Three dislocations and she had me on the operating table. I'm 100% now. I can't believe what the Orthos can do. I can't thank her enough.

[FFEMT1764]

Well thankfully no surgery here, and things seem to be a ok too...but I always call for lifting assitance now if I need it...plus the volly FD's here love to come and help...so it works out well! Glad to here you are 100% though...most times you never get back to that.

[emtff376]

Yeah, surgery was after exhausting all other options, PT, etc. and it was affecting my general life. I'd be walking down the stairs or jogging or whatever and my shoulder would come out of socket.

My left was the worse of the two. The front and bottom of the socket were completely gone, rotator torn, labrum torn, capsule torn, etc. etc. etc.

Right just had a small labrum and small capsule tear and a slight stretch to the rotator.

[FFEMT1764]

OUCH!!!!:sad: Not cool...how did you manage to tear them up that badly??

[emtff376]

I play rough. and naturally lax joints. Great for gymnastics, sucks when you injure them.

Initial injury to my left - snowmobile wreck.

Initial injury to my right - jumping off a waterfall.

[FFEMT1764]

Gee and I messed my sholder up when a cot tipped over with a pt on it...I tried to stop it from falling-bad idea- hurt my shoulder and workers comp ignored me...and the lawyer I had working on it kinda forgot about me...so I guess that was that...but hey at least I am better.

[emtff376]

Glad to hear you're better.

My snomo wreck was on my way to an accident. I ski patrol also. Driver of the snomo lost control and wrecked us. He got a concussion, I got broken ribs and screwed up shoulder. The pt. we were responding to CC was back pain. She walked out of the hospital while I was waiting for my xrays.

[FFEMT1764]

Nice...dont ya love pts that are discharged before you complete your paperwork!

[emtff376]

no kidding. waiting for a face sheet or sig. from the nurse and there goes the whiner out the door. Grr..

[FFEMT1764]

Hey, I cant even get half way though my narrative before some leave. either discharged or AMA cause they have to wait in triage!

[emtff376]

How lame!

Take a cab if it's not that much of an emergency!!!

I love it when parents sign their kids off of the BB because "there's nothing wrong with them" even though they have AMS, vomiting, etc.

Grr. again.

[FFEMT1764]

The AMS is from the lead chips in the paint...oh wait, didnt, eh, EPA ban that?

[emtff376]

lol!

"they're just faking it" ~disgruntled parent who wants to go ski some more

[FFEMT1764]

Well I am lucky if I can get a parent on the phone when I get to a sick kid...most of my sick kids though are traumas with an RTS of 6 or less...I am the :censored::censored::censored::censored: magnet!

[nyc.ems]

to understand new york you have to work in new york,you have to live in new york.but i agree there are some who scare me too when im teching that day the drive

[Chimera911]

Well they took me off Cataflam and put me on something else...Can't remember what though...the script is getting filled.

He has me stopped on Soma and gave me Vicodin.

This should be interesting.
I wouldn't take Vicodin again if you paid me. I'd have to be near death with pain to even consider it.

[Beegers]

What happen? Did you have an allergic reaction or something?

I took half a pill last night...Definately assisted in making me drowsy and took the edge off....I slept ehh good. Little more solid than the past two weeks. But still woke up unreasonably early and very groggy for a hour or two after.

[FFEMT1764]

I am allergic to pain! I preferred the NSAID's to the narcotics though...and the steriods where a nice touch for my appetite!

[Chimera911]

What happen? Did you have an allergic reaction or something?

I took half a pill last night...Definately assisted in making me drowsy and took the edge off....I slept ehh good. Little more solid than the past two weeks. But still woke up unreasonably early and very groggy for a hour or two after.
No, but I became horribly dependent. They did make me feel nauseated half the time. Soma and Vicodin somehow managed to zap the life out of me. Despite the fact it would ease my pain, I felt like a shell.

[FFEMT1764]

The good thing is you are working through this now, and hopefully we have helped end you dependency for narcotics...however you may needed antidepressants and such after some of us drive you crazy...j/k:rolleyes:

[Chimera911]

chimera i know what you mean about driving in manhattan.that'll give you anxiety any day! i work for a private company affiliated with the fire dept. working 911 in the bronx.you think driving in manhattan is bad...try driving in the bronx!!!
OMG! Those people are completely unphased by a lit, screaming, speeding bus. It's unreal. I mean, fine, they're NYer's and all, but geez! At least have the courtesy to duck out of the way when I'm on my way to an emergency.

[CaptainPanic]

I was put on steroids for two weeks, after about 3 days- I noticed I started getting a little edgy and with the way I workout, after the two weeks I noticed I had gained some muscle in my arms (from lifting weights and from throwing bumpers for the dog)

-CP

[Chimera911]

The good thing is you are working through this now, and hopefully we have helped end you dependency for narcotics...however you may needed antidepressants and such after some of us drive you crazy...j/k:rolleyes:
HAHA! I think I might need sedatives instead -- you all might get me hyped up. :P