Back pain and chiropractors

[Superstar Punani]

I have a back pain that came up this past week. Upper spine between the shoulder blades and a couple inches down.

Not sure how I did it, but maybe it had something to do with hauling a sofa up 4 flights of stairs last week. Anyway I aggravated it today when I sort of landed a small drop in flat light and sorta hip checked/ smear turned the landing.

Usually I lay backwards on a yoga ball to crack my spine and get rid of the pain. The pain is more of an annoyance / pisser offer rather than something that stops me from doing shit (yet).

Last time I had a similar pain was an attempted backflip to head-plant. I went to the chiropractor who strapped me to his gimp table and cracked the shit out of my spine. Are chiropractors sketchy?

[L7]

Good chiropractors are worth their weight in gold. Bad ones are beyond sketchy.

I like using a foam styrofoam physio roll and working my upper back up and down that.

Also try pushups but straight arm and just use the shoulder to lower your body up and down that small range while the arms stay straight. This strengthens the muscles connected to the lower shoulder blade (lower rhomboids?) and gets muscles back in balance and may relieve the stress on your back.

[Arty50]

I'm not really keen on chiros anymore. Good ones, which are few and far between, recognize that merely realigning the spine doesn't do the trick. You have to loosen up the muscles surrounding the spine also.

When your back is out of whack, the muscles surrounding the affected area become irritated and inflamed. So if you just have your back cracked and don't deal with the muscle issue, then the tightened muscles will just pull everything out of place again.

This is why I prefer a good sports massage instead. I believe a kinesthesiologist is what they're called. Pu, this is right up your alley. Basically it's a deep massage with release. Sadly, not the kind you prefer. Basically a good sports therapist will work a deep massage to loosen up the affected muscles and release the tension they are placing on your spine. Also, I'll warn you...the massage will hurt at first. If it doesn't, then they're probably not working the muscles properly.

The great thing is, once the muscles loosen up, then the spine takes care of aligning itself. So why bother with the chiro?

[Vinman]

Su Pu sounds like you strained some muscles more than anything else. The only thing I would add to L7 and Arty's advise is to try some heat, stretching, and strengthening for the scaular muscles. Things like seated rows and lat pull downs would be the kinds of exercises to work on. but you should only do them afer the pain has started to go away (ie the initial injury is non-acute). Then begin with very light weights and moderate reps. (ie maybe 2 sets of 12-15 of a weight that seems way to light for you and you would be embarrassed to be doing such a girly man weight with your bros around in the gym)

It is pretty tough to stretch that area on your own so maybe Arty's massage suggestion would work.

Also if i recall you work a desk right? Your upper back pain could be related to poor sitting posture at work or a bad work station set up. it very comon to have these types of thing occur from poor setup and posture.

[altagirl]

I had some pain in the shoulder blade area last year. According to x-rays, apparently my back is too straight in that area. It rarely bothers me at all, but after a rough wreck or something where it feels pinched, a visit to our chiro usually fixes it. For me, I find visits to the chiropractor work best if I go right after the incident and then keep up with stretching and stuff on my own.

[Mel]

If you want to help correct poor posture or have lower back pain like myself try out the nada chair. Its an orthopedic type back sling that has worked great for me. I bought mine at www.nadachair.ca

Mel

[splat]

I prescribe a trip to Australia.

[LAN]

Here's my $0.02, SuPu:

Back when I worked in the OR, one of the neurosurgeons said that chiropracters kept him in business - hence the otherwise healthy patients that he operated on after they received slipped discs and pinched nerves.

My Mom however swears by her chiropracter, and says that it makes her back feel like a million bucks after an adjustment.

I think the biggest thing to consider is that these "doctors" are physically manipulating your spinal column. To me, that's kinda freaky, so I've never been, although I've been curious if it would help my back loosen up after long days on my feet.

I'm a definite believer in massage and acupuncture. Have you tried either? Might be worth a shot, and then if neither work, checking out the chiro.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Those that mentioned chiro ONLY in conjunction with the massage are right on. Like Arty, I don't do the chiro thing anymore. Again, I'm gonna advocate yoga again. Not only do you get the strengthening/stretching benefits but the poses teach you alot about body alignment/posture. I'm convinced that as we all get older (30s), we have to be committed to taking care of our core even when not injured. Skiing/kayaking/surfing/mtb are really rough on the back.

[warthog]

My father is a doctor. He has bad back problems. He refuses to go to a chiropractor. He stretches and gets massages. That is enough info for me. I stay away from the chiro.