lower back injury --> is this normal???

  • Thread starter Thread starter meldamb
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meldamb

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Hi everyone,

I injured my lower back lifting heavy suitcases the last week of July this past summer. It had been steadily getting better, and I was told it would heal in about 6-8 weeks, but it's now been 13 weeks and it's still not healed. It doesn't give me constant discomfort, but if I sit too long in certain positions or do exercises that place a consistent stress on my lower back, I'll feel some stiffness and pain on just the side that was injured. Sometimes the stiffness lasts a whole day, and then just disappears. Is this normal??? How long do lower back injuries really take to heal? Or have I in effect injured myself permanently? Is there anything I can do at this point?

Just for reference on the severity of the injury: it was just the right side of my lower back, and at the time of the injury, I spent the first night unable to sleep from the pain, the next few days unable to sit or stand comfortably, and roughly a week barely able to walk around for extended perioRAB of time. It got better over the next few weeks to the point where I could exercise lightly (power walking, swimming) with minimal to no pain afterwarRAB (none during). In Septeraber (~week 6), I still had pain upon exercising that muscle or sitting without resting my back for too long, but i've been able to function normally otherwise.

Any help would be much appreciated!!
 
It sounRAB like you strained your muscles on that side of your back, and when you are at rest, they are tightening back up into spasm, after you have exercised, walked etc., using them again. I was told by my physical therapist that our muscles have a memory, when he was explaining to me why my neck muscles would be fine, then get bad again seemingly out of the blue, if I turned my head wrong, over extended myself too much. Physical therapy took care of my problem. I had my problem for 6 months and was still having flareups untill I went to therapy. They knead the knots out so they dont come back. This is soft tissue work, not exercises as exercises can aggravate the problem. So yes, a physical therapist who specializes in soft tissue injury can help you. good luck to you
 
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