How flexible are you in the mornings
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Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
I have just been diagnosed with a similar problem. After years of back problems, the doctor prescribed a scan last week. Seems I have a huge hernia in the lower spine - it wasn't suspected because it didn't show up in the X-ray and I don't have sciaticia. I'm having physio-therapy and, like you, the pysio has taught me stretching exercises to do preferably twice a day. He says my hamstrings are very tight - and that if I don't stretch they'll get tighter and tighter and I'll eventually have a crooked back. Quite a scary thought - so I do his exercises every day without fail. In the morning I can just reach my knees - in the evening I can reach just below my knees. I can't reach my ankles - hopefully I'll be able to in the not too distant future. Apparently, cycling can cause this tightness because the leg isn't fully extended. My physio-therapist tells me that cycling is good - but only if accompanied by plenty of daily stretching and a proper warm up before and after a ride.
Arsen Gere
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- North East, UK
reiver,
From what I have read the level of flexibility is partially determined by your genetics and then by use. I am always stiff first thing in the morning ( I can't wait for the replies to this).
I can touch just below my knees on the first stretch, then about ankles then after a few goes my toes. This is forcing myself in to that position and it hurts like hell. I can't touch the floor without a lot of effort. I do stretches everyday too. I've been like this since I was at school.
A physio noted my knees don't go straight, when I am sat flat on the floor, my legs don't fully extend as you describe.
What you need to bear in mind is that the 'stiffness' can be due to the muscles and ligaments or it can be because of the neurological paths too.
Neurons shorten as you get older and stretching them can cause some pain. They can be freed off with physiotherapy.
Try this, hold your arms out at each side 90 degrees to your body, turn your finger tips up and your palms away from you, you can feel a pull in your wrists. Now move your head from side to side, it hurts your wrists more - right!
But there is no bit of your hand attached to your neck or head, this is because the neurons are being pulled tighter.
Women usually have less muscle mass and are naturally more flexible, she is not a good reference.
If you can do what you need to do, without pain, thats the best reference. But keep stretching it does prevent injury.
From what I have read the level of flexibility is partially determined by your genetics and then by use. I am always stiff first thing in the morning ( I can't wait for the replies to this).
I can touch just below my knees on the first stretch, then about ankles then after a few goes my toes. This is forcing myself in to that position and it hurts like hell. I can't touch the floor without a lot of effort. I do stretches everyday too. I've been like this since I was at school.
A physio noted my knees don't go straight, when I am sat flat on the floor, my legs don't fully extend as you describe.
What you need to bear in mind is that the 'stiffness' can be due to the muscles and ligaments or it can be because of the neurological paths too.
Neurons shorten as you get older and stretching them can cause some pain. They can be freed off with physiotherapy.
Try this, hold your arms out at each side 90 degrees to your body, turn your finger tips up and your palms away from you, you can feel a pull in your wrists. Now move your head from side to side, it hurts your wrists more - right!
But there is no bit of your hand attached to your neck or head, this is because the neurons are being pulled tighter.
Women usually have less muscle mass and are naturally more flexible, she is not a good reference.
If you can do what you need to do, without pain, thats the best reference. But keep stretching it does prevent injury.
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
I should be called that. Consulted a surgeon today. Looks like my back is worse than I thought. I'm going to have an operation to sort it out. If I don't, I could spend the rest of my life taking pain-killers - apparently in the worse case scenario I could even become paralysed.
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
I'm glad I found this thread - it's nice to hear from people who have had similar experiences to me. Do you find that cycling helps you? I have personally found that every time I go out on my bike, I come back feeling better. I guess it depends on where the damage is.
In my case, I'm actually very lucky. Two weeks ago, though, I thought was very unlucky indeed. As I said above, the damage I have is such that if I were to leave it, I could end up paralysed (worse case scenario). But as it is, the damaged disk is the one that is the easiest to repair, and where post-operation recovery has the best chance. Had the damage occured in the disk above, it would have meant a life-time taking pain killers - that's why I say I'm lucky. I'll tell you what, though: all of this is a great lesson to me. I've always had tremendous sympathy for people who suddenly find themselves handicapped - but now I can empathise a bit more - I have a greater appreciation for just how traumatic it must be to suddenly find that you have to spend the rest of your life in pain or in a wheelchair. I'm very lucky - looks like I'm faced with the best scenario and my life will get back to normal - I'm thankful for that and I think it'll give me a new perspective on just how important good health is in the future.
I do wonder, though, how much of all of this could be averted if kids learned how to look after their muscles and joints in PE lessons at school. I mean, PE teachers know all this stuff - they have to. They know how to stretch and warm up. But I never learned any of it - and now my son isn't either. I'm not one to say "kids should learn this and that at school" - I think we already give teachers too much to do, and blame them for every social problem we encounter - but I really think that in this case school could make a difference. Perhaps a few hours could be taken off the enless football lessons and long-distance running they all have to endure and more time given to teaching them how to look after their bodies better. When you see how much bad backs cost business and the economy, and how badly it affect people's lives, surely we could put this onto the PE calendar? It'd be very interesting to hear a PE teacher's perspective on this. Anyone?
In my case, I'm actually very lucky. Two weeks ago, though, I thought was very unlucky indeed. As I said above, the damage I have is such that if I were to leave it, I could end up paralysed (worse case scenario). But as it is, the damaged disk is the one that is the easiest to repair, and where post-operation recovery has the best chance. Had the damage occured in the disk above, it would have meant a life-time taking pain killers - that's why I say I'm lucky. I'll tell you what, though: all of this is a great lesson to me. I've always had tremendous sympathy for people who suddenly find themselves handicapped - but now I can empathise a bit more - I have a greater appreciation for just how traumatic it must be to suddenly find that you have to spend the rest of your life in pain or in a wheelchair. I'm very lucky - looks like I'm faced with the best scenario and my life will get back to normal - I'm thankful for that and I think it'll give me a new perspective on just how important good health is in the future.
I do wonder, though, how much of all of this could be averted if kids learned how to look after their muscles and joints in PE lessons at school. I mean, PE teachers know all this stuff - they have to. They know how to stretch and warm up. But I never learned any of it - and now my son isn't either. I'm not one to say "kids should learn this and that at school" - I think we already give teachers too much to do, and blame them for every social problem we encounter - but I really think that in this case school could make a difference. Perhaps a few hours could be taken off the enless football lessons and long-distance running they all have to endure and more time given to teaching them how to look after their bodies better. When you see how much bad backs cost business and the economy, and how badly it affect people's lives, surely we could put this onto the PE calendar? It'd be very interesting to hear a PE teacher's perspective on this. Anyone?
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
It's the L5 that's causing me trouble (that's the lowest one, isn't it?). Apparently, it's not so easy repairing L4. It sounds like you have a lot to put up with. Have you consulted a surgeon? I'm so glad I did - mind, I think it is easier in France than in GB right now. Between having a scan and having an appointment with the surgeon only 5 days went past- and my operation is at the end of August. I know things aren't so fast at home, but maybe with a bit of pushing. You're into hillwalking too, eh? Yes, I used to do a lot of that - it was my life before. Finished now, though. Can't carry rucksacks anymore and my physiotherapist tells me that walking on an uneven surface could be bad. Still, at least cycling doesn't do any damage - so long as the bike is set up properly. I'd never thought of Pilates - might give it a go. I've tried Tai Chi - but I found it too slow. It's supposed to be good for the back, though, and there is a lot of stretching involved.
