Best way to heal sore lower back?

Basically i pulled it or something when stretching after a workout, i was touching my toes and felt a jolt of pain in my lower back.

It happened friday, i've lifted everyday since then but today just did abs and wasn't really bothering me. Also done stairmaster cardio each day.

Usually in the mornings is when i'll feel the pain jolt, i reached down to pickup a newspaper on saturday and felt it. THen today i was brushing my teeth, bent over in the same position for 10 seconds or so and felt wicked pain.

I took a muscle relaxer before bed last night and slept really well, woke up and thought i felt good up until i brushed my teeth.

I'm gonna lay off weights for 2 days or so maybe more, should i lay off the cardio as well? Should i alternate ice/heat....i don't really have anyone to massage it anymoer :(

Should i even try stretching my lower back or just leave it be

nobody

you need to figure out if it the muscle or your spine. i had a lumbar strain and went back too soon and reinjured it. i was out for like 4 months on legs. you just have to let it heal. hope its the muscle and not something wrong with your disks.

im doing a lot of squatting and dLs so my lower back is constantly in pain... I guess you have to get used to it. If you rest it will go away

[QUOTE=derdog909;359744081]you need to figure out if it the muscle or your spine. i had a lumbar strain and went back too soon and reinjured it. i was out for like 4 months on legs. you just have to let it heal. hope its the muscle and not something wrong with your disks.[/QUOTE]

This read and find out if it is muscular or if something is wrong with your spine. Then take it easy for a couple weeks on the exercises that hurt it. Alter your workout a bit and just let it heal.

I'v slipped disks and compressed verebrats in the past it just takes time and being easy on whats injured.

[QUOTE=masterspaz;359744531]im doing a lot of squatting and dLs so my lower back is constantly in pain... I guess you have to get used to it. If you rest it will go away[/QUOTE]


You should never feel pain from exercising, the most you should ever feel in your lower back is maybe a strong tightness feeling due to it being very sore from heavy deads or something. If your pushing through pain after you squat and deadlift your doing it wrong or doing way to much weight.

i haven't done squats or deads since....i only do them once a week anyway and today would've been the leg day but i did abs and cardio instead. I do squats and deads regular and never hurt my back, the first time i felt anything wrong was simply stretching

I got through a shoulder workout then an arm workout fine. I could prob do chest tomorrow and be fine but think i may take off

should i lay off cardio too? I always do stairmaster, maybe the bike or something else would be better?

I just laid on the floor for like 90 mins with my legs up on a chair to take any pressure or weight off my back now i gotta go to work :( .... i could barely get up off the floor lol....

It's not really so much pain, its just mega uncomfortable and rare movements WILL cause a jolt of pain but i doubt its my spine i feel it more in the lower right part of my back by the waistline

but even sitting down right now, i can feel the stiffness or soreness or whatever is....so tomorrow i may just lay around on the floor all day until work with heating pads

i think thatsp rob what i'll do when i get home tonight

i think its the lower right side of my back more so then lower back in general but when i feel the jolt of pain its just too painful to nail exactly where its at....i'm just thinking "holy ****! that hurts!"

I did stairmaster slowly for like 25 mins yesterday and took off work. Spent the whole day lying on my back on a heating pad with my feet elevated. Then after an hour i'd go on a 20 min walk or so....and just kept doing that most of the day and night.

Woke up today it's still very sore and stiff. But i haven't done anything yet to feel that jolt of pain.

I was gonna do the stairmaster again and was wondering if should try stretching back at all? Hyperextensions?

Could be a lumbar sprain or strain, probably caused by the way you were stretching. When you do the 'touch your toes' stretch, you need to make sure that you keep you spine in a neutral position (keep the natural lumbar/thoracic arch intact). Going further down by letting your back slouch does nothing for the effectiveness of the stretch and really just serves to put your entire lumbar region in a very vulnerable position.

You're going to hate this but you should probably take a few days off from all exercise. Chances are it should go away after this, as it doesn't sound like your pain is too serious; when I had a lumbar sprain it took 2 months before I could squat without shooting pain in my back.

edit: I would not do anything that causes any type of pain, including stretching.

Just take the next few days off. Do nothing but eat and sleep. And if it dosent show any signs of improvment in 3 or 4 days see a specialist. Thats all i think you can do. And if your working then try and take it as easy as possible if not take it off?

[QUOTE=B18;360630391]Just take the next few days off. Do nothing but eat and sleep. And if it dosent show any signs of improvment in 3 or 4 days see a specialist. Thats all i think you can do. And if your working then try and take it as easy as possible if not take it off?[/QUOTE]

i'm probably taking the rest of the week off from work (ups)

i already went and did 20 mins of slow stairmaster cardio and did some back stretching after that i googled....laying on your back pulling one knee to your chest, and some hyper extensions. Didn't feel pain but i can def tell now its the lower RIGHT side of my back not really in the middle too much. Right now sitting w/ a heat pad on.

I've been taking flexeril (muscle relaxer) every night and i think 600mg of ibuprofen twice a day. I have some other back and body soreness pills.

Do you think doing low intensity cardio is worse then not doing anything.

yeah i pulled something in my lower back too, closer to the side of my stomach, so a muscle, but it feels bruised too?

i usally dont get that sore after my back and leg day when i take a hot bath after my workout