I'm going to make this short and sweet since some of my posts are long and boring.
Situation: I've recently started to get bad lower back pain lately and I believe it is partially do to poor posture in general (not only from lifting/turning/catching patients falls and so on)
Question: do you wear any type of back brace to work or if you experience low back pain?
I have heard that some use a back brace at work and sometimes in their daily life to remind them to keep good posture and to help lower back pain.
Question 2: if you don't use a back brace for your lower back pain, what do you use that helps you?
Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.
Get someone with a lot of experience with lifting and transfers to show you how they use body mechanics to take the load off his/her back. Use transfer boards. Get comfortable with using lift equipment. Ask for help.
Get someone with a lot of experience with lifting and transfers to show you how they use body mechanics to take the load off his/her back. Use transfer boards. Get comfortable with using lift equipment. Ask for help.
^^^^^ I forgot to mention stretching. PT And my chiro suggested some stretches. I've learned that everything is irritatingly connected. My pain will actually start with my legs being stiff/in spasm. If I don't get them under control, it'll go into my glutes and low back, and if I really don't control it, it'll go all he way up as high as my neck. I've been proactive, so it hasn't gotten that bad in a very, very long time. Every night I do my leg stretches and I stretch my traps and neck just in case.
The same exact thing happens to me. My legs start to spasm, then my hips start to feel sore, then my lower back, up to my shoulder blades, and eventually I have a headache. It literally moves up my body. Well, I guess this calls for a trip to the doc. Yay
I work in a cardiac cath lab, which basically means I wear lead aprons all day. I wish I had worn a back brace because I now have a torn vertebrae and disc problems (at the age of 28!!!). The thing is, if you wera a back brace incorrectly or for to long the msucles in that area, essentially your core muscles, can become weak and disused - essentially giving you the opposite of what you want.
The best thing to do, according to my physio (who specialises in backs) is to go to a physio, learn core strength exercises, stay a good weight, and get fitted with a brace for only long shifts or sore back days.
The same exact thing happens to me. My legs start to spasm, then my hips start to feel sore, then my lower back, up to my shoulder blades, and eventually I have a headache. It literally moves up my body. Well, I guess this calls for a trip to the doc. Yay
If you happen to get unexpected news, please feel free to pm anytime. It was a bit earth shattering for me for awhile.
The night shift on my psych unit has started refusing to give me back rubs. The professionalism around here has really started going downhill. Next they'll stop changing my depends.
The night shift on my psych unit has started refusing to give me back rubs. The professionalism around here has really started going downhill. Next they'll stop changing my depends.
If you happen to get unexpected news, please feel free to pm anytime. It was a bit earth shattering for me for awhile.
Thank you so much for your support. My work schedule has been so super crazy and I just switched facilities so my benefits here don't kick in for another month :/ but as soon as I find something out, I will let everyone know.
Hopeful that it's just because I need to get fit and strengthen my core muscles. We shall see.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
ixchel- I would put off the back surgery as long as possible.
-Love,
Not a Doctor.