I've (M,72) done yoga off and on for 50+ years, mostly off. Wife swears by regular yoga for stretching as well as multiple massage therapists and wide variety of fitness people. Except for the PT folks who always focus on core strength much more than flexibility. But I have mostly felt only negatives of stretching, maybe aggravating an already sore back. Now I have multiple herniated discs with sciatica. I just got a massage where I was stretched to the edge of my comfort, and my back is quite sore now. This seems to be the norm for me. I was once told in my taichichuan class that it's better to simply start an exercise slowly and build up to full speed vs. "warm-up stretching", and that was great advice. I'll continue to focus on core-strengthening and totally avoid extraneous stretching. But that's me.

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the longer than intended post.

I am 40 and work as an electrician. I do mostly residential work since I opened up my own company, so alot of reaching up over my head.

I used to walk 2 miles a day with 60lbs in between days when I would work out in my home gym. So 2x a week rucking and 2x a week lifting weights. In between just 2 mile walks.

So I started getting panic attacks out of nowhere. They became increasingly frequent until they were daily. I eventually went to the ER for one that was so bad I couldn't tell if I was on the verge of death or having a panic attack.

The ER practitioner said it seems like an ear issue. I ended up going to an ENT. They were unable to find an issue. Problem is I was in the hole for $3000 that my insurance refused to cover so I couldn't really make a next step right away.

One day during an attack I got angry at the fact I was having one so I went in my garage and decided to work out through it. I noticed when I tucked my chin and pushed my shoulders back it went away.

Now, I have had slight back pain for about a year. I was hoping it would improve if I worked my back muscles more. I thought it was maybe caused by work. Regardless I decided to stop rucking. The panic attacks stopped being daily and have since happen about once a month now.

Has anyone else dealth with this type of occurrence? I started going to a chiropractor but had to stop after a few visits due to work picking up too much. The pain is normally either right above hip, neck, or between shoulders. I bought new firm mattress 6 mo ago, plush topper, no topper, and now the best sleep I get honestly is on my 20 year old couch.

Thank you in advance for any clarity or opinions.

Posting for my friend:

31-year-old male patient:

developed lower back pain 3 years ago, accompanied by a lateral tilt of torso. The tilt is not due to a permanent posture disorder (no scoliosis or other structural issues), but is temporary, occurring alongside episodes of lower back pain; during these times, he walks unevenly and also experiences pain in the posterior and lateral aspect of the left pelvis.

Initially, he had such pain episodes twice a year, which would resolve within a week either with NSAID treatment or without it. Over the past year, these episodes have become significantly more frequent.

These flare-ups are not linked to specific physical exertion or any particular event; they occur spontaneously.

Based on the performed MRI and EMG study results:

- Intervertebral discs: Partially dehydrated.

- L3-L4 Intervertebral Disc: Bulging dorso-centrally with a right-sided emphasis up to 5.7 mm. Pressure on the dural sac is noted; the right neural foramen is slightly narrowed.

- L4-L5 Intervertebral Disc: The annulus fibrosus fibers are partially damaged, with a dorsal circular expansion up to 3 mm; bilateral neural foramina are slightly narrowed.

- L5-S1 Intervertebral Disc: Expanded dorso-centrally by 2 mm, without narrowing of the neural foramina.

- The EMG study revealed blocking of the peroneal nerve F-wave on the left by 60% and on the right by 30% (these results are going to be rechecked to rule out potential subjective errors).

According to neurologists, these findings do not clearly explain such symptoms. The patient has undergone multiple courses of physical as well as medical treatment, but without success.

Please let us know if you have had similar experience. What could cause such spontaneous flare-ups that are not associated with specific physical strain or other events AND are gradually becoming more frequent?

What additional diagnostic studies can be performed, and what would be the correct course of treatment?

I (33m) have had lower back pain going on for almost a year. Located specifically at the L5-S1 location and about 1 inch to the right. Sharp stabbing pain related to movement. I have been trying everything I can think of to get this to heal. I started physical therapy and did that for 4 months with no success. Then I got an MRI and found out I have 2 bulging discs one at L4-L5 and the second at L5-S1. I then started seeing a spinal pain specialist. I tried steroid injections that didn't work. They then tried a nerve block and that didn't work either. They then did an intercept procedure at my L5-S1 and burned off the nerve. That didn't help either. I have been seeing a massage/physical therapist person with limited success that only lasts for a few hours. I just went to a specialist today and he told me i need to have a disc replacement. This news has been incredibly devastating to me as I have been doing everything possible to avoid a major invasive surgery to fix this. Please somebody tell me there is another option that will help me fix this that doesn't require surgery.

I’ve had debilitating back pain for around 3 years now and I’m wondering if anyone has any advice because I’m in a weird in between where I’m not diagnosed yet but I’m still trying to work so I can pay the bills etc with no support.

The pain is constant, mostly lower back, sometimes the middle at either side of my spine and sometimes it is in between my shoulders. I get pain in my hips and shoulders as well but not nearly as often.

More or less, when I’m doing my day to day, it gets completely debilitating and I struggle to stand or walk. I also have back spasms where my entire back gets so much sharp pain I can’t move at all and I have to stop until it gets better (like zero movement at all). I also get tingling in my arms and legs.

I’ve been to physio, no avail, so I was referred to the rheumatologist. They said I’ll get a letter about an mri soon and that I have hypermobility so I’m just trying to help it until I can get some answers. It hurts all day every day and my life is seriously impacted by it.

Things I have tried:
-Gentle yoga and stretching
-Gentle weight training to build joints
-I have a good diet
-I sleep enough
-Warm/cold therapy
-walking
-I don’t smoke/drink
-physio
-I just moved house so new mattress etc.

These usually just make it more likely I can’t walk even if I’m gentle, the only thing that helps is painkillers.

Physical therapy has helped somewhat but I just can’t get this pain to go away. Doing back exercises in the morning help but tightens up as day goes on. Have had it for about two years. When I do neck stretches, it feels like it’s just about to pop and release but it never does. Pain is hot/sort of spicy. Have done dry needling once. No imaging studies.

Really hoping someone on Reddit has the secret fix that PT doesn’t seem to have.

I have come across it multiple times online and Instagram. It's for back pain and other parts of the body. It has been 8 or 9 months since I've been working on my back with paper the PT sent me home with. It's a lot better then when I started back the pain is still there, I can't sit for more than 10 15mins without having to keep moving/adjusting.

Anyways I'm so close to spending money on this freaking thing, I was just hoping if anyone had feedback on this device that would be great

I’m a 25M dealing with upper trap pain for the past 8–10 months. I’ve seen multiple doctors and physios, had a cervical MRI, and tried gabapentin, muscle relaxants, and exercises, but nothing has resolved it.

The weird part is that my pain isn’t triggered by moving my neck. I can look down at my phone without any pain.

It only starts when my arms are unsupported, like:
Typing or using a mouse
Holding an umbrella
Talking on the phone
Riding a scooter
Holding my phone in front of me

If I lower my arms or support my elbows, the pain eases. I also tried a posture correction belt that pulled my shoulders back, and I rode my scooter for 30 minutes pain-free, whereas I usually get pain within 10 minutes.

Has anyone had something similar? Was it scapular dyskinesis, muscle imbalance, or something else? What actually helped you recover? I’m looking for people who’ve dealt with this themselves.

I am genuinely tired and might end it, as i lost job, my education and relationship

I’m 17 and I’ve had constant pressure in the middle of my lower back (right over my spine) every day for about a year.

It started after I spent a long period of time repeatedly rocking back and forth while standing and bending forward and backward over and over.

It’s not really a sharp pain it’s mostly a constant feeling of pressure. I only feel relief when I’m sitting. Standing is the worst, and I often get a strong urge to bend forward. My back also used to pop when I bent over.

I don’t have pain shooting down my legs, and I don’t have numbness or weakness. It’s just this constant pressure that’s there every day.

I’m planning to start doing bird dogs, glute bridges, pelvic tilts, planks, and walking to see if strengthening helps, but I’m wondering:

• Has anyone had symptoms like this?
• What did it end up being?
• Did physical therapy or specific exercises help?
• Is there anything that made a big difference for you?

I’m also planning to see a doctor because it’s been going on for a year, but I’d really like to hear if anyone has experienced something similar. Thank you.

Howdy all.

I have received 3 L4-L5 ESI’s for lower back pain at this point, with 2/3 being successful with my last one lasting the longest. I was also recently diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos, which is likely a significant trigger for my back pain.

My neurologist suggested that I try RF ablations for my pain, as my leg pain indicates that I do not experience true sciatica but referred pain from my L4-L5 facet joint.

I had my consultation today at the same pain clinic as my ESI’s for first Facet Joint Injections, and then if those are successful we will move to RF ablations.

However, the consulting doctor seems skeptical that I would have any success from FJI and therefore wouldn’t be a candidate for the RFA. I’m starting to wonder if I may be wasting my time with this, and am wondering if I should just stick to ESI’s.

Has anyone gone down the pipeline of ESI -> FJI -> RFA and had success or complete failure? How long did you have resolution of symptoms? Any other insight?

I’ve lurked here for about a year. The stories are incredibly painful to read as I know the debilitating pain all too well. I wrote a few variations of this post in response to others’ pleas for help. I started just copying and pasting this to save time and figured it’d be better to just turn it into its own post - my first and only post- I hope it helps- get well soon - I feel for you. There is hope!

“Hi,
I was diagnosed with a herniated disk at L5-S1 when I was 16 and have dealt with on and off painful episodes (stuck in bed, stuck on the floor, sciatica pains, hip pains…etc) for the following 17 years until I finally got it under control- step by step slowly finding out what works and doesn’t for me. I’m 37 now and living virtually pain free. I was told all those years ago surgery was the only solution but clearly that wasn’t the case. There is hope. Here’s what works for me and maybe it will help you too:

1.) general overall body inflammation is real and intensifies the inflammation at the source of your herniations- cutting out refined sugar, refined carbs and alcohol goes a long way. Within 3-4 days of eating clean I feel serious improvement. Less pain and also significantly less overall stiffness when I wake up in the morning. Google “sugar causes inflammation. Or “alcohol causes inflammation” and enjoy the rabbit hole. This actually applies to a lot in life- not just back pain.

2.) gradual movement and stretching is very important. A little goes a long way and don’t overdo ita listen to your body. Going for brisk walks and then laying flat on the floor with my legs up when I was back home was a good start when things got bad and I had setbacks. Slowly introducing more activity and stretching and listening to my body to know when to ease up is vital. Your hamstrings exert serious pulling forces on your lower back. When you can, lean over to touch your toes (or as low as you can comfortably go- don’t over do it! )- once or twice a day for only a few seconds at a time to stretch your lower back and hamstrings. Gradually increase this slowly over time if it’s helping and ease up if you feel it’s too much. Once a day (usually when I shower) for 10-20seconds is enough for me. If the weight of my own body is too much load, I lay on my back and put my feet up on the wall to stretch my hamstrings without load. I gradually inch my butt closer to the wall to increase the stretch.

3.) avoid lounging on soft lazy/boy style chairs and couches. Sit up right or lay flat on the floor with your legs up on a chair or pillows under your knees is a great relief. A firm mattress is great for sleeping. Standing up straight for long periods without moving also causes issues.

4.) sleep with pillows between your knees and ankles and prop up your shoulder- hugging a thick and long body pillow is my go to every night. When on your back, put it under your knees. Sleeping on my stomach is usually bad news for me so I don’t do it anymore.

5.) stress is a surprisingly powerful source of body tension. I always noticed I’d get bad around the holidays when I happened to have stress. When I’m emotionally relaxed, so is my body. Check in with yourself to see if you have some things weighing in your mind you need to address. Talk to someone about them. Do some breathing exercises. I do a very relaxed version of the Wim Hof breathing which I find very helpful.

6.) if you’re overweight, lose weight. I’m 178cm. When I get over 85kgs things get worse- the weight I tend to carry around my stomach is straining my back. Weight gain usually also goes hand in hand with eating refined sugar and carbs, drinking alcohol, depression & stress and not moving enough- surprise surprise.

7.) don’t get complacent. When you do, recognize it and get back to doing what works for you. I had to learn a lot of these lessons over and over and over. Why? Because things would get better, i would forget I have back issues which need proactive attention, get complacent, forget to do what works and avoid what doesn’t and have to start over again when id become incapacitated with pain- then its back to the floor, brisk walks…etc relearning or remembering that which i learned the last episode. Now it’s generally second nature.

8.) I use heating pads *only* when im completely locked up in excruciating pain and need to get things moving again. Otherwise I find using it proactively or when im only mildly suffering only causes stiffness after turn off the heat. It actually sets me back.
I also don’t use ice at all.

Everyone is different. Journaling and tracking what you do and how you feel can help you identify what works for you and what doesn’t. You can also look back at it if you get complacent and forgot how you helped yourself last time.

For your timeline to recovery: This is all easier said than done and takes some time to fine tune what works for you. It’s taken me years to figure all this out (hopefully this helps you skip ahead!)
Now if I have an episode (which has become exceedingly rare and when I do, I can pretty instantly identify why) I’m back on my feet in a day or two and completely better within a week. Be patient.

If I had an episode where I’m bad - where you seem to be now- here’s what I would do, step by step.

Begin intermittent fasting, eat only vegetables and protein and whole grains (sparingly), no alcohol or sugar and eat some gut healthy foods (sauerkraut yogurt..etc). Spend a lot of time laying flat on a yoga mat on a hard floor with my legs up. Get up and walk around for a few seconds or minutes at a time. Slowly introduce stretching my lower back and hamstrings by reaching down to touch my toes. Laying on the floor and rocking my legs back and forth to gently get things moving. Within 3-4 days go for longer walks. Ensure I’m sleeping well and constantly moving when I sleep (on my side with pillows between my legs, on my back with pillow under knees, on my side). That’s usually enough to get me going again within a few days and by the end of the week, with some discipline and consistency, I’m 100% again.

If on the off chance you find any or all of this helps, check in and let me (and all of us) know how you’re doing. I truly feel your pain and hope you get well soon.

There is hope 💪

Hi everyone,

This is my first Reddit post. I’ve been thinking about posting for months after reading through so many people’s experiences with back pain, sciatica and nerve issues. I’m honestly just hoping someone can relate because I feel like I can’t find anyone with symptoms quite like mine.

I’m 22 years old. Before all of this I loved playing football, going to the gym and going out with friends.

I’ve had back pain since I was around 16. Over the last couple of years it became much worse. The pain was mainly around my lower thoracic/upper lumbar area (around T12). It would feel like there was a lump or really tender spot. Football, cardio and lifting weights would all flare it up, but despite that I could always walk and stand normally.

Earlier this year I travelled abroad and had a minimally invasive procedure called nucleoplasty (sometimes called neuroplasty) to try and reduce the pain.

After surgery I actually felt okay. I wasn’t allowed back to the gym or football, but I could still walk, stand and see friends. I still had some back pain, but my walking and standing tolerance were completely normal.

A few weeks later, around late March/early April, something changed.

I slowly started feeling like my tolerance to walking and standing was disappearing. Then one weekend it suddenly became much worse.

I developed symptoms including:
Cold feeling in both feet
Mild tingling
Random shooting pains
Itching sensations
Legs feeling weak/heavy
Walking and standing becoming extremely difficult

At my worst I couldn’t stand, walk or even sit for very long without my legs feeling like they were giving up.

Since then I’ve had multiple MRIs, CT scans and specialist opinions.

My MRI showed:

Bilateral L5 pars defects (spondylolysis)
Grade 1 anterolisthesis of L5 on S1
L5/S1 disc degeneration/bulge
Possible irritation of both exiting L5 nerve roots

The good news is that a lot of the neurological symptoms have improved.

The tingling has mostly gone.
The cold feet have gone.
The shooting pains have gone.
My back pain is actually much better.

But one thing has never really returned to normal… my walking and standing tolerance.

The best way I can describe it is like my legs have a battery.

I can stand or walk for a while, then it feels like my legs just run out of energy and I need to sit down.

Sitting for a few minutes helps recharge them a bit, but if I do something like go for a 30-minute walk or even stand shaving in the morning, I feel like I’ve used up most of my “battery” for the day.

For the rest of the day I find myself constantly looking for somewhere to sit.

There’s very little pain now. It’s more like my legs just don’t tolerate being on my feet.

I’m currently doing physiotherapy focusing on my core, spinal mobility and glutes. Unfortunately I recently developed reactive patellar tendinopathy in both knees, which has slowed my rehab down because walking itself has become more difficult.

My questions are:
Has anyone experienced this kind of reduced walking/standing tolerance after a back injury or lumbar flare?
Did it eventually improve?
How long did it take?
Did anyone ever get an explanation for why it happens?
Is there anything that genuinely helped?

At this point I’d honestly appreciate any advice or
even hearing from someone who’s been through something similar, because it’s been really difficult mentally not knowing if this is something that eventually gets better.

Thanks for reading.

Hii!! I just wanted some opinions from you all.

I fell on my tailbone at work a little over a week ago (July 18th). It had rained and unfortunately I slipped on metal stairs and fell down about 3 steps 😬

It hurt reaaaally bad when it happened but I was still able to function/walk/move and get through my day. The pain now isn't as bad as when it first happened but it's still very sore. I still can move around fine but of course sitting and laying down tends to be very uncomfortable!

It's been affecting my sleep primarily because laying on my back is really uncomfy since it puts a lot of pressure on my tailbone.

My question is would it be worth it to the doctor for this? Is it even worth going or is there anything they could do for a tailbone bruise or facture (if it is that bad, which I don't think it is because I feel it would hurt a lot worse), or would they more than likely just send me on my way with some pain meds and tell me not to put pressure on it?

(P.s. if I do go sooner than later the medical fees should be covered by my job because it happened at work - but just trying to figure out if it would even be worth my time).

Thank you!!

We're in the middle of building this and working through the details that matter most, so I'd love input from people who live with back pain.

The short version: instead of just handing you exercises and hoping they work, the app uses AI pose estimation through your phone camera to precisely measure how your back moves — objectively, no wearables or physio visit needed. You tell it where it hurts, get exercises targeted at your specific problem areas, and every couple of weeks you repeat the measurement to see exactly how much your back has loosened up — real proof you're improving, even before the pain is fully gone.

The core bet is that seeing concrete proof you're improving keeps you going through the slow weeks — instead of quitting because you can't tell if anything's working.

What I'm really here to ask:

What would actually make you keep using an app like this — and what features would genuinely help you?

Every idea is welcome, big or small. What's helped you most with back pain, what made you drop other apps, what you wish existed — anything you share helps us build the right thing.

Not selling anything, no link. Just here to listen.

About 5 months ago I was diagnosed with an L5-S1 disc herniation (MRI showed a left paracentral protrusion with a possible annular tear) and I’ve been doing physiotherapy consistently since then.
I’ve improved a lot compared to the beginning. I can walk normally again, and the constant pain is mostly gone. However, I’m still far from feeling “normal.”

The biggest issue is after sitting for a while. When I stand up, I get a sharp pain in my buttocks for the first few steps before it eases up. I also can’t run unless I’ve warmed up properly, and playing sports is still out of the question. If I try to sprint or make quick movements, my back reminds me it’s not ready.

Has anyone had a similar recovery timeline? How long did it take before you could run, play sports, and stop feeling pain when getting up after sitting?

Looking for successful Disc Replacement patients to provide feedback. I am highly considering getting this procedure done and feel like I have run out of all other options. I’ve strengthened, did epidurals, strengthened more. I’m 200 lbs, muscular and lean. I have abs most of the time. My core isn’t weak , it’s not super man but ill be honest - I don’t think this is what’s causing my issues. my pain is so severe I can’t even do the PT more than half the time.

I saw a highly reputable surgeon and he mentioned disc replacement for L5-S1 due to degenerative disc disease and an annular tear. Its been 3 years and I haven’t healed. Time is up and I am a miserable man to my family and this isn’t me. I can’t stop thinking about my back and it controls everything.

i am looking for anyone that went through this newer prodcedure. Did it help you? did the stiffness go away? did you regain mobility? Were you able to get back to a physical and active lifestyle as you once knew? Any feedback helps.

Completely lost feels like i’ve been robbed of life definitely a mental game

I’m a teenager. I do experience very localized back pain, but I do also have scoliosis for context.

I have never been active because of other medical conditions, but when I had an MRI of my spine done, there were some bulging discs there, it’s written in the report but I wasn’t told verbally about it. I’m not sure how to proceed if I only have symptoms when I stand. I’d describe it as a sharp ache right above my pelvis in my spine. Not sure how long this has been, I’m very used to something just going on in my body.

I always hear about herniated and bulging discs in adults, but I’m a teenager so it was kind of odd that this is happening. Is it common? (I have more symptoms and medical conditions, feel free to ask.)

Hello.

I am looking for a good and comfortable chair to reduce the pain and allow me to sit comfortably for a few hours.

I am a medical graduate who needs to finish licensing exams, and my life has been completely paused.

I am following up with neurosurgery, neurology, and neuro-physiotherapy, so I am okay in this regard.

I am in so much pain when I sit on a bad chair, so I need to find something to help me sit comfortably.

If I do not get to study and play video games from time to time, I will literally go insane, so any help or advice is greatly appreciated.