Injured Your Back? Dos and Don’ts for a Quick Recovery
Angela Santini, MD is board certified in orthopedic surgery and fellowship trained in spinal surgery. She is a member of the Inova Spine Program with privileges at Inova Loudoun Hospital, which has earned the Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission for spine surgery. Dr. Santini serves as Chief Medical Director of Virginia Spine and Sports Orthopaedics in Loudoun County.
Back strains can occur anytime, anywhere, during almost any kind of activity. Luckily, “throwing your back out” is usually a temporary situation. The sudden onset of pain caused by twisting, lifting or bending is most often due to a muscle strain. As we age, we become more prone to muscle strains because our muscles lose elasticity.
Most people can identify the injury or activity that caused their pain. One minute you are bending over to tie your shoe, reaching for something in a cabinet or teeing off on the back nine. Then, out of nowhere, “OUCH!” – sudden tension and pain in the mid to lower back.
Throwing your back out can cause intense low-back pain and stiffness. It can even be an on–the-floor-can’t-move debilitating experience. Typical symptoms include muscle spasms with bouts of muscle tightening and difficulty standing up straight. You want pain relief and you want it now!
The good news is, in most cases, your back pain will go away on its own. Here are some at-home tips to help you feel better in the meantime.
DOs
Stop what you are doing and apply ice to ease the pain and inflammation. Cold therapy can be continued for about 20 minutes every 6-8 hours for the next 2-3 days. But remember – don’t put ice directly on your skin. It can damage the tissues and nerve endings.
You may find it helpful to lie flat on your back on a hard surface for support, rather than a cushy bed. This can help relax the injured muscles in the immediate aftermath.
Pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) can help. However, they may not be advisable for anyone with kidney problems or a stomach ulcer. It’s a good idea to check with your doctor about which medications you should or should not take.
Once you are upright and stabilized, do whatever you can to stay that way so your injury does not worsen. That means avoiding bending, lifting or twisting through the spine. If you need to pick up something from the floor, keep your spine straight. When you brush your teeth or wash the dishes, maintain a straight, neutral spine, bending forward from your hips.
Sleep in a position that’s comfortable for your spine. Put pillows under your knees when you are on your back or a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This helps the muscles to release.
If your pain persists after the third day, try a little moist heat. This can help reduce stiffness and improve blood flow to the injured area.
Massaging the affected muscle with firm pressure may help reduce tension. Press on the area for 30-60 seconds, then rub the surrounding area in a circular motion.
Drink water to stay hydrated when you are recovering from injury. Chronic dehydration can affect the strength and quality of your spinal muscles.
If tolerated, try to stay mobile in the first few days after your injury. Move gently. Mild movement is better than bed rest. Any lengthy bed rest can prolong your back pain.
When you are ready, engage in slow, easy stretching such as pulling your knees toward the chest. If it hurts doing any exercise, stop, slow down and try again later. Walking for short intervals can also help.
Get back to your regular activities, such as work, as soon as you can. Modify activities as needed. But remember, staying active will stimulate blood flow, increase flexibility and prevent spasms.
DON’Ts
Do not try to “play through the pain.” It is essential to let your body recover before resuming strenuous activity.
Do not sleep on your stomach. This can worsen back pain.
Do not perform heavy lifting or repetitive twisting of your back for up to six weeks. This can disrupt the healing process.
Do not ignore how you injured yourself. Make changes to the way you lift. Practice good posture and use judgement when lifting heavy items (ask another person to help you). Strengthen your core with abdominal exercises, which can protect your back. Do not sit in one position for long periods of time. Move around and stretch every 20 minutes to help prevent injury. Consider lifestyle changes such as losing weight to reduce your chances of recurring back issues.
After throwing your back out, it is natural to worry that your back will never get better. Listen to your pain and take care of yourself. You will most likely be on the road to recovery with these simple at-home solutions.
Symptoms that require prompt medical attention, but are not an emergency include:
Pain that has not reduced with at-home treatments
Pain that continues to interfere with your daily activities
Seek emergency medical attention if you have the following symptoms related to your back pain:
Bladder or bowel dysfunction
Numbness down one or both legs
Weakness or pain in your legs
Fever greater than 101.5 F, or other symptoms of illness
please let me know are you going to have any classes at inova mount vernon hospital about regading the do's and don't on back injuries
I also found that frequent, barely-audible swearing seemed to be palliative. Considering that brushing my teeth was the triggering event, I also think a stern letter to my hygienist would be in order.
Thanks for the advice!
Thank you, Frank. I have found this to be an effective intervention as well.
That is one of the funniest helpful hint I've ever read and laughed at and yes I found a little inaudible swearing does help
Even swearing out loud can help. Since I live alone, I do it.
You made me laugh out loud, which hurt really bad since I just injured my back, but I suppose it was worth it. 😂
I too wrecked my back cleaning my teeth. Not sure my swearing was that quiet
Damaged my back gardening, had X-ray which confirmed my back injuries had damaged 2 vertebrae, still waiting after a referral from my GP to a Orthopaedic consultant, @ present I’m in a 30 week queue ( have already done 14 weeks) so another 16 weeks to go. Just about controlling it but have been in absolute agony, painkillers, prescribed by my GP have a bad effect on me so had to stop taking them. Just need to know if I have to rest or book to see a physio or chiropractor.
Your comments would be valuable Mary.
Thank you
Oh my God. I'm so sorry you have to wait so long that's utterly crap. I hope you recover well.
I've pulled something in my lower back. I've got severe osteoporosis in my lumber region and hips...trying to deal with it and not imagine I have yet another serious health issue.
Good luck
I find screaming the f word helps more than the barely audible. Wish I could keep it to the barely audible level
...
Hilarious! A fun and truly helpful technique. This “personal swearing in disgust” thing helped relax my back muscles though I did have to make an effort to suppress laughs that would agitate my muscle strain. Overall a clever and thoughtful technique!
By far the most helpful resource in managing my back injury, thank you so much.. You are amazing. You’ve given me the tools and resources to nurse my back back to health the proper way and took away alot of my anxieties.
Injured my lower back hauling a water heater up stairs the wrong way. After 5 days the pain was much improved. Then I bent down to pick my socks up off the floor and retriggered the injury. Now I'm back to square one. Should I be concerned or simply continue treatment.
I'm sure you are healed by now but...I have had a few back strains from lifting weights. Mostly mild but two of them were moderate. This sounds like a moderate strain. With mild strains, they usually heal completely within a week. Sometimes just 2 or 3 days. Moderate strains can take longer. Ice for the first 3 days then heat after that. They key to avoiding reinjury is to avoid using the strained muscle so it can heal. It may feel better but that doesn't mean it is healed enough to use it. I HIGHLY recommend using a back brace during the healing phase, especially when there is still pain. After there is no pain, wait a few more days before trying to do anything that involves the strained muscle. You should be fine after 2 or 3 weeks if you take it easy and avoid reinjury.
The article stresses keeping the back neutral, but I have found this to be important only immediately after injury AND of course when doing any kind of heavy lifting. After few days when most pain is away you really need to start doing mobility exercises that put the lower back on the move and activate and strengthen the muscles there.
One example of a good exercise is stiff leg deadlift (you can easily google this), first carefully without any weights and then later with small weights, like light dumbells. You really should do this only with light weigts or no weights at all at the beginning, and always slow movements and stop the exercise if pain emerges.
Also I don't think the article stresses enough how especially lower back pain issues might be tied to tight hamstrings (a near chronical condition in modern day with how much people are sitting down), so stretching and loosening the tight hamstrings is important. Basically what happens especially when sitting is the tight hamstrings kind of twist hip front and cause lower back to be bent. This also explains why the lower back pain might disappear completely when standing upright but immediately come back when sitting down. When you are standing, the hamstrings are in short form, but when you are sitting there is an angle between hamstring buttock and hip, causing them to be flexed and hamstrings being one of the strongest muscles in human body this will pull your hip forward from below and cause lower back to be bent. You can try to force yourself to sit neutrally, but the hamstrings will always win the weaker lower back muscles in the tug of war of keeping hip and lower back in neutral position. So the stretching of hamstrings and strengthening of lower back muscles is the only solution, no amount of just resting will fix the issue unless the imbalance is addressed.
Thank you so much for this article. I’ve looked at loads of advice online and yours is the clearest. It’s the first time that I’ve ever done my back in.
Jean, I don't think you're "back to square one", although it may feel like it. I think it is just your body telling you "Don't do that! I am not healed yet!"
I know from experience of disc issues that something like reaching for something light can cause severe injury. I was in bed not able to move for 10 days after reaching for a towel. Took 6 weeks before I could go back to work
Thanks for clearly written do and don’t.
I played tennis league match on Monday, Tuesday morning, I felt pain, canceled all tennis and today is Saturday and just feel tightness in lower back. I put heating pad on few times and wrapped with good braces. That makes me to stand straight. Hope I won’t get it again. Lisa
Some advice required!
I bent down down 6days ago to pick up a towel and afterwards my back just went. Lower back pain and stiffness really struggling to walk and lift right leg any height. Done all of the above I do have problems back and forward with back pain just put it down to over use through manual work over the years. 6days on and I'm really still struggling do u thing I maybe should contact my GP. Usually they just want to give u strong painkillers which I struggle to tolerate. Any advice would be much appreciated.
I am only a teenager and I got back pain from an injury, and my doctor and my mom (who is a physical therapist) are not helping me and not taking me seriously. I am hoping rest is how I can recover, because I have been injured for almost 2 months and I don’t think I ever will get better. This pain is so intense, especially at dance class, and I just can’t deal with it anymore! I want to be normal again.
I’m dealing with the same thing right now. Injured me back playing soccer at 17 and did it again now at 22. And while I’ve felt how you’re feeling, you will get better as long as you believe you will. Stay strong and sometimes it will be hard but just believe you can and will recover and you will. Make sure your parents and doctors are taking you seriously too. Or keep looking until you find one who does. Rest might fix it but you might need to strengthen other muscles to help support you back. And in that case, too much laying down and not enough exercise could be hindering your recovery. All in all, we got this Grace. Things will get better.
I've had a back injury 9 years ago, the pain has cone and gone, but lately it's has been consistent. I've been doing stem on and off at the chiropractor office along with PT it helps for a few days. I also find that lidocaine roll on helps for a few hrs and light moderate workouts and back stretches seem to help a bit. So does hot and cold patches.
Thank you so much for sharing this information. It was really helpful!!
My back popped 12 weeks ago and still very painful in morning after I have slept. I can't sit for long.i walk in the day. Don't know what else to do for pain to go away
thank you for this! I started having lower back issues when I was doing lower body workouts and running. I can stand up wrong and throw the thing out. 3 weeks ago I went kayaking, and had lower back pain afterwards. The next day I was bending over and then I sneezed. It was the worst pain I have experienced. I couldn't walk for a day and it has been a slow healing process as I was stupid and tried to play through the pain. I'm glad I found this article!
View Comments
please let me know are you going to have any classes at inova mount vernon hospital about regading the do's and don't on back injuries
I also found that frequent, barely-audible swearing seemed to be palliative. Considering that brushing my teeth was the triggering event, I also think a stern letter to my hygienist would be in order.
Thanks for the advice!
Thank you, Frank. I have found this to be an effective intervention as well.
That is one of the funniest helpful hint I've ever read and laughed at and yes I found a little inaudible swearing does help
Even swearing out loud can help. Since I live alone, I do it.
You made me laugh out loud, which hurt really bad since I just injured my back, but I suppose it was worth it. 😂
I too wrecked my back cleaning my teeth. Not sure my swearing was that quiet
Damaged my back gardening, had X-ray which confirmed my back injuries had damaged 2 vertebrae, still waiting after a referral from my GP to a Orthopaedic consultant, @ present I’m in a 30 week queue ( have already done 14 weeks) so another 16 weeks to go. Just about controlling it but have been in absolute agony, painkillers, prescribed by my GP have a bad effect on me so had to stop taking them. Just need to know if I have to rest or book to see a physio or chiropractor.
Your comments would be valuable Mary.
Thank you
Oh my God. I'm so sorry you have to wait so long that's utterly crap. I hope you recover well.
I've pulled something in my lower back. I've got severe osteoporosis in my lumber region and hips...trying to deal with it and not imagine I have yet another serious health issue.
Good luck
I find screaming the f word helps more than the barely audible. Wish I could keep it to the barely audible level
...
Hilarious! A fun and truly helpful technique. This “personal swearing in disgust” thing helped relax my back muscles though I did have to make an effort to suppress laughs that would agitate my muscle strain. Overall a clever and thoughtful technique!
By far the most helpful resource in managing my back injury, thank you so much.. You are amazing. You’ve given me the tools and resources to nurse my back back to health the proper way and took away alot of my anxieties.
Injured my lower back hauling a water heater up stairs the wrong way. After 5 days the pain was much improved. Then I bent down to pick my socks up off the floor and retriggered the injury. Now I'm back to square one. Should I be concerned or simply continue treatment.
I'm sure you are healed by now but...I have had a few back strains from lifting weights. Mostly mild but two of them were moderate. This sounds like a moderate strain. With mild strains, they usually heal completely within a week. Sometimes just 2 or 3 days. Moderate strains can take longer. Ice for the first 3 days then heat after that. They key to avoiding reinjury is to avoid using the strained muscle so it can heal. It may feel better but that doesn't mean it is healed enough to use it. I HIGHLY recommend using a back brace during the healing phase, especially when there is still pain. After there is no pain, wait a few more days before trying to do anything that involves the strained muscle. You should be fine after 2 or 3 weeks if you take it easy and avoid reinjury.
The article stresses keeping the back neutral, but I have found this to be important only immediately after injury AND of course when doing any kind of heavy lifting. After few days when most pain is away you really need to start doing mobility exercises that put the lower back on the move and activate and strengthen the muscles there.
One example of a good exercise is stiff leg deadlift (you can easily google this), first carefully without any weights and then later with small weights, like light dumbells. You really should do this only with light weigts or no weights at all at the beginning, and always slow movements and stop the exercise if pain emerges.
Also I don't think the article stresses enough how especially lower back pain issues might be tied to tight hamstrings (a near chronical condition in modern day with how much people are sitting down), so stretching and loosening the tight hamstrings is important. Basically what happens especially when sitting is the tight hamstrings kind of twist hip front and cause lower back to be bent. This also explains why the lower back pain might disappear completely when standing upright but immediately come back when sitting down. When you are standing, the hamstrings are in short form, but when you are sitting there is an angle between hamstring buttock and hip, causing them to be flexed and hamstrings being one of the strongest muscles in human body this will pull your hip forward from below and cause lower back to be bent. You can try to force yourself to sit neutrally, but the hamstrings will always win the weaker lower back muscles in the tug of war of keeping hip and lower back in neutral position. So the stretching of hamstrings and strengthening of lower back muscles is the only solution, no amount of just resting will fix the issue unless the imbalance is addressed.
Thank you so much for this article. I’ve looked at loads of advice online and yours is the clearest. It’s the first time that I’ve ever done my back in.
Jean, I don't think you're "back to square one", although it may feel like it. I think it is just your body telling you "Don't do that! I am not healed yet!"
I know from experience of disc issues that something like reaching for something light can cause severe injury. I was in bed not able to move for 10 days after reaching for a towel. Took 6 weeks before I could go back to work
Thanks for clearly written do and don’t.
I played tennis league match on Monday, Tuesday morning, I felt pain, canceled all tennis and today is Saturday and just feel tightness in lower back. I put heating pad on few times and wrapped with good braces. That makes me to stand straight. Hope I won’t get it again. Lisa
Some advice required!
I bent down down 6days ago to pick up a towel and afterwards my back just went. Lower back pain and stiffness really struggling to walk and lift right leg any height. Done all of the above I do have problems back and forward with back pain just put it down to over use through manual work over the years. 6days on and I'm really still struggling do u thing I maybe should contact my GP. Usually they just want to give u strong painkillers which I struggle to tolerate. Any advice would be much appreciated.
I am only a teenager and I got back pain from an injury, and my doctor and my mom (who is a physical therapist) are not helping me and not taking me seriously. I am hoping rest is how I can recover, because I have been injured for almost 2 months and I don’t think I ever will get better. This pain is so intense, especially at dance class, and I just can’t deal with it anymore! I want to be normal again.
I’m dealing with the same thing right now. Injured me back playing soccer at 17 and did it again now at 22. And while I’ve felt how you’re feeling, you will get better as long as you believe you will. Stay strong and sometimes it will be hard but just believe you can and will recover and you will. Make sure your parents and doctors are taking you seriously too. Or keep looking until you find one who does. Rest might fix it but you might need to strengthen other muscles to help support you back. And in that case, too much laying down and not enough exercise could be hindering your recovery. All in all, we got this Grace. Things will get better.
I've had a back injury 9 years ago, the pain has cone and gone, but lately it's has been consistent. I've been doing stem on and off at the chiropractor office along with PT it helps for a few days. I also find that lidocaine roll on helps for a few hrs and light moderate workouts and back stretches seem to help a bit. So does hot and cold patches.
Thank you so much for sharing this information. It was really helpful!!
My back popped 12 weeks ago and still very painful in morning after I have slept. I can't sit for long.i walk in the day. Don't know what else to do for pain to go away
thank you for this! I started having lower back issues when I was doing lower body workouts and running. I can stand up wrong and throw the thing out. 3 weeks ago I went kayaking, and had lower back pain afterwards. The next day I was bending over and then I sneezed. It was the worst pain I have experienced. I couldn't walk for a day and it has been a slow healing process as I was stupid and tried to play through the pain. I'm glad I found this article!