Should I buy a back support belt/brace for lower back pain?
Discussion
I regularly suffer with a mild lower back pain, which on occasion goes into overdrive and leaves me barely able to get to my feet. Sitting makes it worse. My GP hasn't been too helpful but reluctantly booked me with the physio a while back who was able to offer a 30 minute session once every 6 weeks. Doctor had said is was 'probably' muscular. Physio only went down the route based on doctors 'probably' theory.
This week in France I got the debilitating pain of bad back in overdrive, so saw a French osteopath. She said it was a slipped disc. Anyway, whatever it is, it's not good. The bottom line is this: I fit bathrooms for a living, which means heavy lifting and awkward positions all day 6 days a week. I'm 51 and have a hip in need of replacement at some point as far into the future as possible. This was due to the hip socket breaking in a car crash. The hip consultant has said not to build muscle in that leg as it makes the operation more difficult. However I'm 12 years down the line and think the weak left leg and dodgy hip make me lift things awkwardly which of course does my back in. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
My latest thought is to buy an Ossur back support brace to keep me a bit straighter. Does anyone have experience with these or other makes? Or is there anyone on here who is qualified to say 'don't do it' because it'll make the back worse?
I should point out that I intend to do more stretching exercises but these aren't always that easy because of lack of hip rotation restricting my movements.
This week in France I got the debilitating pain of bad back in overdrive, so saw a French osteopath. She said it was a slipped disc. Anyway, whatever it is, it's not good. The bottom line is this: I fit bathrooms for a living, which means heavy lifting and awkward positions all day 6 days a week. I'm 51 and have a hip in need of replacement at some point as far into the future as possible. This was due to the hip socket breaking in a car crash. The hip consultant has said not to build muscle in that leg as it makes the operation more difficult. However I'm 12 years down the line and think the weak left leg and dodgy hip make me lift things awkwardly which of course does my back in. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
My latest thought is to buy an Ossur back support brace to keep me a bit straighter. Does anyone have experience with these or other makes? Or is there anyone on here who is qualified to say 'don't do it' because it'll make the back worse?
I should point out that I intend to do more stretching exercises but these aren't always that easy because of lack of hip rotation restricting my movements.
sjc said:
A good 1-1 Pilates teacher could well help significantly.
I think you're probably right , but I'm thinking of something that supports during work hours or at least during work hours when I'm on my knees tiling a floor etc. too. Exercises for posture and flexibility have got to be to my benefit, but like many self employed people, I put work ahead of health, which is completely ridiculous as without health I can't work!Hey, you don't think it's something to do with a 3R do you?
bernhund said:
sjc said:
A good 1-1 Pilates teacher could well help significantly.
I think you're probably right , but I'm thinking of something that supports during work hours or at least during work hours when I'm on my knees tiling a floor etc. too. Exercises for posture and flexibility have got to be to my benefit, but like many self employed people, I put work ahead of health, which is completely ridiculous as without health I can't work!Hey, you don't think it's something to do with a 3R do you?
I was/am the same as you work wise, own business etc( and we once chatted at stansted services on the way to Jetstream open day ). However, if you think about how much time and money you invest in the car compared with your help it makes zero sense.
I been doing Pilates on a 1-1 basis for 8 weeks for various physical symptoms, and the difference already has amazed me.
Either way good luck with sorting your pain.
sjc said:
bernhund said:
sjc said:
A good 1-1 Pilates teacher could well help significantly.
I think you're probably right , but I'm thinking of something that supports during work hours or at least during work hours when I'm on my knees tiling a floor etc. too. Exercises for posture and flexibility have got to be to my benefit, but like many self employed people, I put work ahead of health, which is completely ridiculous as without health I can't work!Hey, you don't think it's something to do with a 3R do you?
bernhund said:
sjc said:
bernhund said:
sjc said:
A good 1-1 Pilates teacher could well help significantly.
I think you're probably right , but I'm thinking of something that supports during work hours or at least during work hours when I'm on my knees tiling a floor etc. too. Exercises for posture and flexibility have got to be to my benefit, but like many self employed people, I put work ahead of health, which is completely ridiculous as without health I can't work!Hey, you don't think it's something to do with a 3R do you?
You may well be surprised what Pilates can do why limited movement on your hip.
'Im currently having Physio on my lower back (Also in Same trade as you). Only had one consultation and one session of treatment so far. Apparently my pelvis is out of alignment, caused by tight hamstring and IT Band on my left leg, causing an inbalance which puts stress on my lower back.
Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
Chris77 said:
'Im currently having Physio on my lower back (Also in Same trade as you). Only had one consultation and one session of treatment so far. Apparently my pelvis is out of alignment, caused by tight hamstring and IT Band on my left leg, causing an inbalance which puts stress on my lower back.
Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
Same as that, apparently my hamstrings are way too tight so another contributing factor. Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
I've been looking for 1 to 1 pilates local to me but I appear to have stumbled across a business run by women, for women between school hours only whose husbands keep them! No evenings or weekends except in large groups and that's no good for me as I don't fit the average person physically.
bernhund said:
Chris77 said:
'Im currently having Physio on my lower back (Also in Same trade as you). Only had one consultation and one session of treatment so far. Apparently my pelvis is out of alignment, caused by tight hamstring and IT Band on my left leg, causing an inbalance which puts stress on my lower back.
Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
Same as that, apparently my hamstrings are way too tight so another contributing factor. Had one session of incredibly painful manipulation and massage, felt soooo much better after just one session!!!
I've been looking for 1 to 1 pilates local to me but I appear to have stumbled across a business run by women, for women between school hours only whose husbands keep them! No evenings or weekends except in large groups and that's no good for me as I don't fit the average person physically.
I’ll ask my teacher if there’s an association that you can search via
I’ve got back problems had a flair up last week was agony!! I went to a osteopath for the first time and had a session, still in pain but she used a tens machine on me.
I remembered that I had one myself (that I use on planes because I really suffer on them) that I hadn’t used for ages so I put it on and after an hr or 2 I had to get up to open the door and I was fixed!! Only lasted a few hours though, so I kept using it and the fix started lasting longer and longer and now it’s proper gone!! in my next session the osteo said that my muscle have got a lot better and I must have been doing the exercises
It’s like somebody is actually massaging you!
I feel like grandad out of only fools and horses!!
This is looks the same as my one but I paid a lot more for it.....but I’m not bitter!! Mines from hidow uk but this is a cheaper one off eBay
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...
f
king excellent!
I remembered that I had one myself (that I use on planes because I really suffer on them) that I hadn’t used for ages so I put it on and after an hr or 2 I had to get up to open the door and I was fixed!! Only lasted a few hours though, so I kept using it and the fix started lasting longer and longer and now it’s proper gone!! in my next session the osteo said that my muscle have got a lot better and I must have been doing the exercises
It’s like somebody is actually massaging you!
I feel like grandad out of only fools and horses!!
This is looks the same as my one but I paid a lot more for it.....but I’m not bitter!! Mines from hidow uk but this is a cheaper one off eBay
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...
f
king excellent! sjc said:
Thank you. The first one I hadn't seen before, but the second is one that I contacted that can't help me. I'll get in touch with them and let you know the outcome.Can I suggest that before trying any kind of treatment you should get a better diagnosis? The NHS has insufficient budget for this kind of thing and referral to physio or "triage assessment" is the kind of thing they do to look like something is happening even though it isn't.
Go back to your GP, get a private referral to a decent specialist and find out what is actually going on. The course of action for a slipped disc is very different to the options for muscular weakness.
You will have to pay for some of this stuff but once a diagnosis is made there's nothing stopping you from linking back into the NHS system if that's a sensible option.
IANAD but I've been through this a few times as a patient and getting the medical system to work correctly for you is key to getting any improvements.
Go back to your GP, get a private referral to a decent specialist and find out what is actually going on. The course of action for a slipped disc is very different to the options for muscular weakness.
You will have to pay for some of this stuff but once a diagnosis is made there's nothing stopping you from linking back into the NHS system if that's a sensible option.
IANAD but I've been through this a few times as a patient and getting the medical system to work correctly for you is key to getting any improvements.
Steve H said:
Can I suggest that before trying any kind of treatment you should get a better diagnosis? The NHS has insufficient budget for this kind of thing and referral to physio or "triage assessment" is the kind of thing they do to look like something is happening even though it isn't.
Go back to your GP, get a private referral to a decent specialist and find out what is actually going on. The course of action for a slipped disc is very different to the options for muscular weakness.
You will have to pay for some of this stuff but once a diagnosis is made there's nothing stopping you from linking back into the NHS system if that's a sensible option.
IANAD but I've been through this a few times as a patient and getting the medical system to work correctly for you is key to getting any improvements.
Thank you. Good advice and exactly how I feel about the 'diagnosis'. The doctors pocket is more important than your health!Go back to your GP, get a private referral to a decent specialist and find out what is actually going on. The course of action for a slipped disc is very different to the options for muscular weakness.
You will have to pay for some of this stuff but once a diagnosis is made there's nothing stopping you from linking back into the NHS system if that's a sensible option.
IANAD but I've been through this a few times as a patient and getting the medical system to work correctly for you is key to getting any improvements.
Just the nature of the system I think. Back ache is one of those things that can have a dozen causes with a dozen solutions and different patients can rate the same thing with different severities; it's a no-win situation for the NHS so you ned to be a bit more proactive.
Lots of the exercise/core strength/pilates option have a lot of merit but you need to know more about what's wrong first.
I'm heading in for a nerve block procedure this week, last had it done about 8 years ago and it worked pretty well. This time round I couldn't get a direct referral from my GP so had to go via a private surgical consultant who recommended the procedure but with an MRI first to confirm no other issues had developed - all this was done back on the NHS so the cost wasn't excessive and it bypassed some of the delays.
Lots of the exercise/core strength/pilates option have a lot of merit but you need to know more about what's wrong first.
I'm heading in for a nerve block procedure this week, last had it done about 8 years ago and it worked pretty well. This time round I couldn't get a direct referral from my GP so had to go via a private surgical consultant who recommended the procedure but with an MRI first to confirm no other issues had developed - all this was done back on the NHS so the cost wasn't excessive and it bypassed some of the delays.
Steve H said:
Just the nature of the system I think. Back ache is one of those things that can have a dozen causes with a dozen solutions and different patients can rate the same thing with different severities; it's a no-win situation for the NHS so you ned to be a bit more proactive.
Lots of the exercise/core strength/pilates option have a lot of merit but you need to know more about what's wrong first.
I'm heading in for a nerve block procedure this week, last had it done about 8 years ago and it worked pretty well. This time round I couldn't get a direct referral from my GP so had to go via a private surgical consultant who recommended the procedure but with an MRI first to confirm no other issues had developed - all this was done back on the NHS so the cost wasn't excessive and it bypassed some of the delays.
Do you think an accurate diagnosis can be had without a scan? I might be wrong, but I'm not sure I can have one as I'm full of metal!Lots of the exercise/core strength/pilates option have a lot of merit but you need to know more about what's wrong first.
I'm heading in for a nerve block procedure this week, last had it done about 8 years ago and it worked pretty well. This time round I couldn't get a direct referral from my GP so had to go via a private surgical consultant who recommended the procedure but with an MRI first to confirm no other issues had developed - all this was done back on the NHS so the cost wasn't excessive and it bypassed some of the delays.
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