[Monolith]

For the past 10 years (most episodes occurring in latter years) I've been plagued by bouts of excruciating lower back hell.
After pulling on during the warmup phase on very easy ground at the wall yesterday, I stepped through, reached left and tumbled groundward in absolute agony. Last night was a hellish night with painkillers and ibruprofen doing very little to ease things.

Just now, I managed to bite my lip and get painfully into the shower. Whilst in there, I looked down and noticed my abdominal muscles seem to slant quite drastically out of line with my centreline. Looking in a full length mirror this seems quite drastic to me and upon doing a google search for 'twisted spine' being something of a drama queen, I discovered the topic of Scoliosis. It has often been commented by people walking behind me that it appears as if I'm limping (possibly hip related?) and I notice this can be a feature of said condition.

Is there a chance that as my lower back muscles appear pretty damn inflamed, my posture is 'seized up' on one side and hence giving the current postural appearance? I do have bad posture, am just over 6ft 2ins and despite my best recent attempts to begin drastically improving my core and lower back strength, this does seem to be a reoccurring (and very very painful) episode for me.

Any useful advice is hugely appreciated. I'm guessing going to the doctor might be a good place to start once I can move out of bed properly.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yes, get to the bloody physio as soon as possible mate. I had some problems a while back with lower back pain (nothing as bad as yours by the sound of it) and it turned out it was 100% down to bad posture. Mainly from sitting at a desk but also from other normal day to day activities where I just wasn't moving properly and exacerbating the situation.

Could be this, could be something else but either way you need a proper diagnosis to make sure whatever you're doing / not doing is making it better rather than worse.

[Dolly]

Go and see a physio.
There are lots of potential causes, some of which may be separate or inter related.

4 years ago I could only walk leaning over to one side and with a pronounced limp. Full strength prescription codeine just to move. 3-4 weeks of lots of exercises and being careful I was back to near enough normal.

[tomtom]

Mines just flared up this last week.. not as bad as yours Mono - but causing me some discomfort at night and makes it hard to bend down for things. Used to have lots of lower back probs, but climbing seemed to really help (stretching and core work)..

This seems to be linked to trying the Pit Problem at Trowbarrow (powerful body tension move pulling hard on a high right heel)....

Sorry - just realised that my moaning doesnt help much!

[Monolith]

Thanks guys. Ordinarily I'd speak to my main man and physio par excellence Matt Donnelly but he's safe from the grasps of injured climbers in Asia at present.

The confusing thing is that I've been paying attention to core conditioning and this happens warming up for it!

It's hard to admit this but the pain was so bad I was in tears on the floor at 4am this morning. Really not liking the look of this postural image and hoping to high heaven it can be easily fixed. Will sort act out asap.

Tom, get better soon mate! It's hell I know.

[tomtom]

And us tall guys get all that crap from the hobbits about being able to reach holds blah blah...
They never see the downsides.. What do they know... 

[Monolith]

Tell me about it! 

[a dense loner]

Monolith you've said despite drastic recent attempts to train core and lower back. Could this be the cause of the recent spate? You need to go and see someone in the know asap

[Boredboy]

It's usually one of two possibilities or a mixture of both: a lumbar shift due to a disc problem and / or muscle spasm will make your hips out of line with your shoulders and give you a limp. A Physio should recognise that and a good self help book which explains it well and gives you appropriate exercises is : Treat your own back by Robin McKenzie - about £8 from amazon or a book shop. Good luck with it.

[SA Chris]

Monolith you've said despite drastic recent attempts to train core and lower back. Could this be the cause of the recent spate? You need to go and see someone in the know asap

My initial thought too. I get lower back problems on and off, I think most people of normal stature (6ftish or more) Have problems at some point. I know I have and my brother gets it a lot too. I have been to a physio about it and know the exercises I need to do should I feel it coming on. Get a book especially the one recommended, but I would also see a professional physio too.

[tomtom]

Monolith you've said despite drastic recent attempts to train core and lower back. Could this be the cause of the recent spate? You need to go and see someone in the know asap

My initial thought too. I get lower back problems on and off, I think most people of normal stature (6ftish or more) Have problems at some point. I know I have and my brother gets it a lot too. I have been to a physio about it and know the exercises I need to do should I feel it coming on. Get a book especially the one recommended, but I would also see a professional physio too.

I find hanging (as in straight arm deadhanging) - relaxing the back really helps. Kind of streches everything out...

[Richie Crouch]

Sorry to hear Tom. I found the progressive lumbar/pelvic tilt exercises and tips on posture joe shows on his videos really helpful for sorting mine out when it crept back last year after going a couple years back.

http://climbingphysio.blogspot.co.uk

Check his post from 8th march. Hope it gets better but definitely go and go see a physio!

[Muenchener]

Get to a physio.

My somewhat arthritic left knee is nowhere near as debilitating as a back problem, but it was getting pretty painful and limiting after a few Xmas-New Year weeks of visiting family and neglecting the exercises my physio prescribed for it. Got back on the wagon and did the exercises five days out of seven last week, and I'm already miraculously fully mobile again.

[webbo]

 I have long term lower back problems and I'm not tall. I do a routine of lower back stretches including Mckenzie exs and exs shown to be by various physios and osteos. I also see the osteo about once a month for a tune up or to sort out any issues.
Despite all this my back will go in spasm sometimes for no obvious reason, however when I ask the osteo why this might be he just laughs and points out my body is not really designed to do what I try and make it do.

[dave k]

I had lower back issues for years. Weeks off work, loads of sodium dicloflenac. I solved/massively improved things by a few month visiting a chiropractor. In the last decade I have managed to keep my back pretty sweet with a daily routine of 5 mins stretching in.the morning and evening. I

Ok if I forget to do it for a few days then I start to tighten up, and then I just get back to stretching and it sorts it out quickly. I have not missed a day off work in 10 years due to back issues.

So daily stretching _lieing down- left knee to chest, right knee to chest, both knees to chest, side to side with knees, roll over- probe cobra stretch, stand up - a couple of attempts to touch toes. Done. Works for me and my misses.

[Monolith]

I've been too slack with frequency of doing these stretches. Absolutely must readdress my weekly training schedule for things other than just board and fingerboard training. I'll go with the mass consensus to see a physio!

Thanks for the link too Rich. When the initial inflammatory pain subsides I'll get straight onto stretches. Tried earlier but was simply too painful to do even the most basic leg lift.

[SA Chris]

Desk jockey job doesn't help either.

I've been recommended by my physio to get one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mckenzie-Original-Airback-Lumbar-Roll/dp/B0056PTVNQ/ref=pd_sim_d_4

but never bothered.

[tomtom]

Mine was much better after sleepign in my own bed last night.. but still stiff..

Went to Logport wall over lunchtime to see if that would ease things off.. it feels a bit better after a very gentle hour.. but was jarring when I jumped off problems - which is the first time I've ever had that Ho Hum...

[Plattsy]

Bad times Mono/TT. I know how it feels.

I get a mild version of this every time I go to Font as I throw myself at overhang after overhang. Last time for some reason (the 12 hour drive back) it was so bad I had to have a day off work as I could barely get out of bed and I couldn't reach my feet to put socks on or tie my shoes. The pain almost unbearable.

Sphinx and cat stretches helped a lot to fix it. Underlying cause is posture I reckon.

TT - I suspect the jarring thing is due to 'forgetting' to bend the knees to aborb the fall and bending the back instead. At least that's what I've noticed.

I'm doing an hour an half of yoga a week and sitting up straight at work when I remember.

Sent from an office desk sat as posturally correct as possible.

[SA Chris]

i always avoid jumping off as much as possible, downclimb a ways if I can, my knees and back have limited shelflife. Good at falling off though.

[Johnny Brown]

I've had various bouts of back pain, debilitating spasms and sciatica over the last ten years. Had lots of physio, which can give short term relief (acupuncture recommended), but long term back health has come from doing yoga regularly. An hour a week is enough. Climbing will give you bad posture, and hence back problems, if you don't balance things out with something.

[Monolith]

There's no excuse for me not to head to the yoga class next door to my office at least once or twice a week. It's become apparent that this should become a top priority. Good shout JB.

[SA Chris]

And a boot up the arse as a reminder I should get to the one next door to me once every week or two for our (subsidised) classes. No excuses other than I'm a lazy cnt.

[Monolith]

Three days in bed is killing me. Don't get in this boat Chris - attend a class tonight I urge you mate!

[a dense loner]

What did the doctor say?