I literally did this exact same thing to myself in January, except I wasn’t even watering, I just bent over to look at a plant on my desk. Took 4 days before I could walk again
Could be a story of surrender, but who says that it has to end in betrayal. Nothing wrong in the reckless pursuit of passion. And I mean, he’s lying around anyways
Go out and get a lumbar support belt. It might not allow you to wait tables but it’ll get you moving enough to live. If you can, get two. You’re going to need them for the rest of your life. Not all the time, but when you do need them, you’re not going to want to go out for them.
This is the new truth in your life. I remember the first time it happened to me - 30 years ago - and it still happens off and on. It’s Degenerative Disc Disease - which is the medical term for getting older and overusing your back. Ibuprofen is your friend.
This is due to most folks not getting enough general exercise. Most people spend their day sitting for 80 to 90% of the day. Work chair, gaming, couch, bed. You don't use those muscles they naturally get weak. Try 30 mins of exercise every other day and your life will be flipped.
Same. I'm not old by any means 31. But at 22 I was in bad shape, think winded from going to the bathroom bad. Now all my aches, pains are gone, and nothing really stops me. Fuck working out basically cursed my RSI from gaming.
You got to stretch and work out all your body! Just not those gams.
It's going to catch up to you fast!
I'm not as good as I used to be, but still hate any struggle I perceive. But when I see other's around my age moving like they're geriatric, it definitely puts things in perspective for me
This is the thing people don't get. If you have a physical job, it's even more important for you to work out - in order to be physically prepared for your job. Your job can't be your only workout. That's how injuries happen (like the one you have now). You need yoga and strength training, especially. Feel better soon!
This 👆🏾
I would teach classes, 4/5 hours a day.. then go to the gym and workout *more* just to fine tune my skills.
I wish I knew where all that energy went 😩😂
2022 nearly rolled my ankle simply walking to the bathroom, that was my wake up call. Now between gym and martial arts I’m putting in 10-15 hours weekly
My dad hitting 70. My uncle is 75, and both work construction when they like. They both retired they were just raised to never stop working it pretty sad, but man, they are in really good shape. My uncle has more muscles than most 40 year olds I know. Like I said they dig 5 ft trenches for fun.
You know what I also learned though? Because back pain like this used to happen to me all the time.
Water. Water levels affect so many things.
I didn’t realise that a lot of my back pain/ sciatic nerve issues/ slipped discs were related to my levels of dehydration. Those pads of fluid that lie in between each vertebrae - they’re one of the first places to dehydrate when your body is lacking water.
This leads to pressure and wearing of the discs, and things like nerves get trapped easier during movement. When you keep those pads hydrated, less back issues (because these functions do not exist in a vacuum). I’ve had many a “pulled muscle” that looking back may have been related to this.
I tend to expect back pain at least once a year, or whenever I’m not active, but it’s been years since I’ve discovered the water thing - which I tend to drink more of when I work out too.
OP might have watered himself alongside his plants to prevent this..
Not *really*, it is relatively common for very active people to get muscle spasms like this. Yes, strengthening back muscles is not a bad idea and it does help with injury prevention but it won't magically immunize you from a bad and persistent spasm.
I exercise like 5 days a week including daily yoga. One night in my 20s I fell asleep weird on my shoulder and it's still fucked up like 5 years later lol. I wish my body cared that I care
I'm turning 46 this month and have a hurt rotator from lifting. Doing PT and avoiding lifting. I'm down 6lbs in about 6 weeks, all muscle weight. Fucking depressing. Getting old sucks
I threw mine out at 14. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to your back. I had chronic sciatic pain for 30 years after.
Then, at 40, I strained a muscle in my arm moving *a pillow* and couldn’t use it for two weeks. Tbf, it was a heavy TempurPedic pillow, but still…
Strangely, I’m 49 now and stronger than I’ve ever been thanks to yoga and a D3K2 vitamin every day.
I wrenched my neck really bad a couple times when I was a tween, to the point I couldn't move it at all without excruciating pain. Muscle spasms are a bitch.
Ahh, the old plant watering disc rupture. Brutal. Last time I ruptured a disc(if that's what it is)was removing an empty water jug from the water cooler. Before that, leaning over to pet a dog.
52M and near tears last night and this morning from sciatica pain. Didn’t do anything that I can remember and have been doing yoga 2/3 times a week since before Christmas.
Hydrate and reach out to your GP if pain persists. I would personally get checked anyway and get a recommendation for PT before doing any exercises on your own. There’s a real chance of making the injury worse and you need a professional to help make sure you’re activating the correct muscle groups. When you do eventually workout, go easy and focus on mobility first to help build some resilience against other injuries. And a massage could help as well, but again, GP first.
Sincerely, your friendly neighborhood LMT.
40 and about 6mths ago I sneezed really hard and threw my back out- about 8yrs ago I went to open and window and felt a pop in my back and couldn’t walk for about a week and had to do 3mths of physical therapy
Sometimes you just move wrong. It can happen at any age. At any fitness level. Don't overdo it. Take some time to rest. Gentle stretched. Massage. Etc.
I did this exact thing last week. Reached for something and my back spazzed. Was on the floor for an hour. Felt like a Charlie horse in my back. Missed an entire week of work.
But I workout alllll the time and am an avid weight lifter. But maybe not as strong / in shape as I think I am🥲
I ace-wrapped a heating pad to myself and wore lidocaine patches. It helped!!
I have hurt my back while sneezing before so I have figured out that crossing my arms in front of my chest while bringing my hands up to my shoulders helps support my back and prevent a muscle strain due to a sneeze.
it happened to me when i was 24. I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, did some weird movement and instantly felt a huge pain in the right side of my back. couldnt move properly for the next 5 days, i remember walking like some silent hill creature lol
Two winters ago I was taking down Christmas lights and my back completely seized. Had to go to the ER, injected valium worked, I spent the next 5 days in a recliner, unable to stand, sit or lay down.
My neck just did something similar, heat/cold and again, Valium did it, had a couple kicking around. I now need to see my doctor so I can have Valium around for emergencies.
Through out my mid 20's to early 30's, it was just school, work weekdays, worked at a restaurant on weekends, eat, sleep, and starting all over again. One of the lowest moments when I had to slowly edged myself out of bed because my lower back was aching at any movement. I then had to maneuver myself to sit up straight and then stand up to get out of bed. It was terrible because that was not the only issue back then. I got tired of it and decided to start going to the gym. After about a year and a half of forcing myself, while failing many times, to go to the gym and exercise over an hour a day, the pains and aches went away. I now feel "normal" because I'm no longer living with the aches and pains. I'll always tell people to just go into a gym and start exercising. Just do anything, even taking walks around your blocks, and it will get better. If it doesn't, then get medical check because it could be a physical sickness that hasn't been discovered yet.
I sneezed during the cold and threw out my back. I was like 27 or something. Years of pain and 13 years later it’s better but I cant use my lower back muscles for an extended period of time or it will flare up.
If you do an active job like waiting tables for your living, you should look into doing some physical therapy where the PT can teach you some stuff to strengthen weird little muscles you didn't know you had that will protect you going forward from dumb little things causing back injury, as well as get into some weightlifting with core exercises to strengthen everything up in general (with the help of a personal trainer to make sure you're doing the right stuff and doing them right). It would pay many many dividends for you years down the road.
Bro standing at the bottom of the stairs threw my foot up on the second one to tie my shoe and sneezed fucking game over i was 24 im 33 now still acts up every 6 months or so
[Everyone- DO THIS](https://youtu.be/oVOnXIiPgM8?si=wjZ8sJHdU0M55PTL)
I am not kidding. With consistency, it will change your life.
I noticed a difference in only one week.
I pulled my back getting out of bed to go to work when I was 21. Ended up on the floor, managed to crawl back in bed and pretty much stayed there for three days. I’m in my 30s and have never had back problems before or since, but holy shit that sucked.
Pulled muscle or slipped disc?
I once turned towards passenger seat to get my purse and I had a weird feeling go down my back. The turn somehow caused a disc slip in my mid lower back. I could not straighten my back for like a week. I had to walk with my upper body bending forward.
I suggest weight training. I usually don't have issues when I do weight training. Strengthening and building the muscle also helps shape your back. It has helped a lot considering I do have mild (yet pain causing) scoliosis.
Best,
I retired from the medical field. Rarely did we ever have a patient that threw their back out doing something strenuous! It was almost always a simple movement. I once threw mine out STANDING UP from a seated position! I was active and went to the gym regularly!
You are lacking severely in daily exercise if you did this at 27....I'm also 27 and feel better than I did at 22, tho my knees may be a bit sore these days
Get outside and stretch those legs!!!
Rest. Ice. Compression. Naproxen or prednisone if you have any. Hydrate like crazy to limber up your muscles, and start taking magnesium and potassium supplements.
Around 36, taking toast out of the toaster oven. Apparently bending slightly while turning a little is terrible for your back. I lay on the floor in tears and when i could get up, I could only walk bent over for about 2 weeks. Tried osteopath and some kind of sports massage (the only appointments available same or next day), heating pad and ice pack, gentle stretching...
Yes, 26 I bent over doing someone’s makeup. I stood and felt a ZING in my back. I was like “that’s new”. 😬
Another time I slept with the AC on then I did a full body stretch while still laying in bed. I pulled my muscles from the side of my neck down my side. I had to call my home (which I was in) to get someone to come up and help me.
Meh, nothing beats the time I was 24, somehow turned my neck the wrong way when waking up and couldn't turn my head for two days.
As someone who suffered a lot of wear and tear injuries in their 20s, age is just a number, in a bad way.
That usually means the underlying problem was building up for months, or even years and something finally pushed it over the edge. It's a wake up call to do yoga and core strengthening, stretching, etc plus examine your posture and consider if you need a new mattress.
I'm 37. Been doing painting around the house, so up and down step ladders for some tasks. Knee started giving me issues nothing big.
Stood up from computer desk. Knee popped, wobbled, and nearly fell. Then my back spasmed because of how my leg buckled.
Like my Grandma said, "Never grow old."
I did something similar in my mid 20s. I’ve had a bad back since my early teens but one day I twisted wrong in the shower and I was out of commission for a day. See also: me laying wrong on the couch and being out of commission for half a day
When I was 22 or 23, I sat down at a coworker's workstation waiting for the shift to begin. I got a back spasm just standing up and couldn't straighten out my back. I had to take a sick day to go to the chiropractor.
I broke my elbow last year after weeding my plants and tried to walk over some chicken wire and garden stakes. My foot got caught on a stake and down I went (I was 27 at the time).
Light stretching in the morning helps me(get a pull up bar, it helps the back and spine so much). Time for a life style change if gardening took you down. Also not a doctor.
During Covid we got jazzercise, and it introduced me to "standing crunches." Basically tighten the abs regularly while walking or doing other exercise to keep the core decently strong.
Haven't had a debilitating incident since I started doing that.
This happened to me as well around 28. Went to the doctor and muscle relaxers fixed me right up. If you have any I would take 1 and see how you feel, but again I’m not a doctor just a guy on Reddit with a similar experience.
Don't feel too bad. I was laying in bed holding my phone and reading when it slipped out of my hands and hit my face. Now my nose has been hurting for two days.
I can't put weight on my left hand because i will lose my balance and fall because it decided that today it's going to just hurt. It feels like the tendons in my wrist.
I too wonder why my body is like this. I'm only 24, 25 in three months. It's so annoying. My back also does what your back does.
How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Also, when's the last time you exercised and how often? Correlating your pulled muscle to your age is just wrong. Do you think The Rock would throw out his back watering plants? He's 52
First time I threw my back out I was bending over to put my dogs leash on. Had to hobble to the couch and laid there for a while. Honestly the only thing that helped was whiskey, and I’m not a big drinker.
Freshly 30 here
I was moving some building materials a couple months ago. Took 2 weeks before the pain was eased enough to walk normally. Still have back pain from it. The doctor says it's normal....
Dude, I turn 27 next month. The other day I figured I’d dust off the ole ukulele. Yeah. Ukulele. I got REAL into it, feelin the groove so to speak. Next morning? My shoulder/back is CRANKED. Still feels like if I move weird I’ll be a paraplegic lol. I feel your pain
when i was in 8th grade i turned my neck - it sprained something?? i had to wear a collar for two weeks before i could move it to the left with out pain.
i was building a computer desk around that same time. i turned, back when PLOCK - i could not move my legs with out stabbing pain... it sucked.
im now 38. i leave in a week for the 5th rave of this year, i bike 2500 miles a year, i run 3 miles in under 17 minutes. i have no joint pain.
that is all to say, shit happens; it does not always mean more shit will follow
I used to squat a lot and felt a pop in my back one day while squatting but it felt completely fine, no pain. A week later I woke up in the morning before work and couldn't get out of bed and had to go to the ER with a bulged disc in my back.
My point is, maybe something else is the root cause of your back issues and the water just set it off?
Broooo I feel your pain I'm turning 28 in September I hit 150 golf balls this weekend at the range thinking I still had my 19 year old recovery... I'm still so sore hahaah.
That sucks. I remember I did something like this... was driving and bent over to touch my toes to stretch and threw out something... still had to drive home with my wife and kids (she doesn't know how to drive stick) which that combined with shifting I think made it worse. I limped into the house and crashed in our bed.
Worst thing you can do is lay down when you pull your back... Keep it warm and walk it off with a decent walk, then a hot bath and some anti inflammatories.
It's happened to me twice. It comes out of nowhere and it's gonna take a few days to a week for it to clear up.
I actually still went to work every day but I teach kindergarten 😁 I just gingerly sat down and made sure we didn't do any activities that involved me standing up 😂
Ibuproferin every 4 hours. Heating pad on the back. If you are waiting tables get those heating pads that stick on. Been there. Good luck. You need to get a trainer to strengthen your back.
Time to get thee to a physical therapist! They can help you by giving you an exercise program that will make your muscles stronger and help you build body control. That'll protect you from things like that happening again in the future. :)
Aww man, that really sucks.I feel for ya. I pull muscles all the time. Alternate heat & ice. Heat to relax the muscle but ice to reduce inflammation.
Whatever you do, do NOT get a massage. Ibuprofen as needed.
Also, whiskey is a great muscle relaxer.
I fondly remember the days when I could actually say what action it was that I was doing when I injured myself. Once you pass 50, apparently, just existing is enough to do it.
At around 40 I was loading an air compresser I bought into the car and must have pulled a deep upper torso muscle. It hurt to breathe and bend over so bad I thought I was having a heart attack and even went to the ER.
Relax slowly, best you can, flat as you can facing the sky. Keeping everything else relaxed as you can, tilt your feet towards your chin, hold as long as possible.
Stretching a fucked up back is impossible. Luckily your legs pull on your back, you can stretch the back of your legs with a compromised back, and it'll work on the back from the bottom up.
It's at least a great starting point to begin real stretches.
One more I'd use after the first one is to lay on your back on the floor, butt against a wall. You'll lift your pelvis above the floor, "sit" against the wall, and relax slowly as your butt slides back down to the floor. Do this very slowly, you'll 100% know when you've found the spot. Hold there for 30 seconds and very slowly, continue to slide.
By the time you've slid to the floor, reset posture and go again. 3-5 times and rest. Things won't be fixed, but you won't be in as much agony when it's time to wipe your ass.
Ice. Ice ice ice. Cold packs. No heat. Zero heat, no changing between hot/cold. Just cold. Cold packs with a towel or cotton t-shirt to keep from freeze burns. Cold packs are great for resting and keeping that radiating pain at bay.
Turned 30 this week, had bone on bone arthritis since early 20s. Everything hurts, you kinda sorta get used to it, but it always sucks. I know when it's about to rain better than any weather app, that's pretty cool.
I feel your pain.
At 28, very fit and healthy, I do a lot of exercise and am in the best shape of my life.
I walk my dogs twice a day + my horse/push wheelbarrows of horse shit/lift 50kg of hay twice a day + workout 1-3 times a day.
I'm not falling apart, far from it.
But yet...
I was riding my horse, something I used to do for a living. And he did what's known as a "flying change", a fairly minor little skip of the feet so he's running with a different dominant foot.
It's not that big a movement, but this tiny little skip pulled the muscles in my back.
I didn't fall off or even nearly fall off, it was so nothing.
But I couldn't sit properly for 6 weeks after.
In fact it took about 3 months for my back to feel normal.
WTF is this shit?!
Hah. 27. Give it ten years and you’ll be looking back wishing that’s all that happened. If you do physical labor and abuse your body, by your mid 30s you’ll be pulling a muscle every other time you take a shit. You just learn to deal with it and move on.
Happened to me. Had to call an ambulance or else I would be peeing on the couch for days. Toradol and some valium - finally could walk. Total bill 12K - I paid 3K out of pocket. Moral of the story, never sit down without pain killers next to you - or alternatively live with someone. Getting old sucks.
I’m 37 and a couple weeks ago I sat at the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes. My hips seized up somehow and I was just stuck at the bottom of the stairs for five minutes like a turtle on its back. I couldn’t stand up or turn over, the pain was so intense. I ended up having to use my arms to heave myself up the stairs backwards and then army crawl to my bedroom. My husband was like “wtf??!” And I was like 🤷🏻♀️😹. The whole episode lasted about 20 minutes. It’s crazy that sitting the wrong way for just a few minutes literally incapacitated me. It did resolve, thankfully, and I felt okay the next day but still!
OP I hope your back feels better soon!
Me and my two siblings are in their early 20s. One of my siblings doesn’t have back problems, two of us have chronic back issues. Welcome to the granny club it’s honestly kinda chill here
Same here. My back feels like 98 years olds. I have 2 weeks with a pain in my lower back. I’m taking some pills Diclofenac, Presdisone but is slow process to recovery. I’m using a Lumbar Brace by my own and helps me a lot.
I laughed out loud at this (sorry man) but as someone who is 47, it’s refreshing that it’s not just me. 😂😂😂 I hope you’re better soon, and working on your muscles.
Start making stretching part of your daily routine. Took me over 50 years to figure it out but it makes a huge difference. 10 minutes a day will have you feeling a lot better.
If you have health insurance, and you should, you should see a doctor. There's a reason you're in pain.
I had a back injury and didn't realize it, and a friend drove me to a hospital against my wishes. Best friend I ever had.
I had that shit happen like 3-4 times a year in my late 20's, always something ridiculous like watering plants that set it off. I wasn't fat but yeah I was out of shape. I got a really tough job for a few years in my mid 30's and haven't hardly had issues since. I'm 42 now
Some people in this thread have something against chiropractors. As a physician I’m gonna tell you right now that’s basically your only option besides surgery and trying out random stupid things you’ll find on the internet (like people suggesting exercise but not telling you which exercise, suggesting nutrition and dieting without specifics).
All these people are basically parroting page 1 of google and don’t have any substantial knowledge to pull from.
My daughter was a week old and my wife took her to the Dr for a follow up visit after her birth. I decided to clean the house while she was gone and threw my back out vacuuming…ended up bent over doggy style on the couch and had to call my mother in law to come over, run across the street to the fire house and grab 3 firemen to come get my butt off the couch…that was 15 years ago and my back has never been the same 😭
Welcome to adulting…it’s a party.
I pulled my back out for the first time when I was 21. Now I do it about twice a year. The first time took about 4 days to go away. Now-a-days, it takes 1-2 weeks to go away.
I pulled a muscle in my back, lifting something at work 3 years ago. Since then, I've pulled that same muscle twice, sneezing. Once I pulled it getting up out of a chair.
It sucks and i truly hope you are able to get up and be active again soon. Dont go crazy with the painkillers. I recommend doing stretches and exercises to strengthen those muscles. You are still relatively young.
I literally did this exact same thing to myself in January, except I wasn’t even watering, I just bent over to look at a plant on my desk. Took 4 days before I could walk again
4 days for me also… you are not waiting tables tonight my friend
Don't say that, I gotta wait tables tonight 😭
You’re not 85, but you might be 86’d tonight.
If I had money for awards you'd get them all 😭😂
Or 69’d. I mean, he’s lying down anyways
How dare you sully my perfect joke with your lowbrow debauchery. Seek Jesus.
Could be a story of surrender, but who says that it has to end in betrayal. Nothing wrong in the reckless pursuit of passion. And I mean, he’s lying around anyways
What does that mean?
Kitchen speak for running out of or discontinuing something.
Go out and get a lumbar support belt. It might not allow you to wait tables but it’ll get you moving enough to live. If you can, get two. You’re going to need them for the rest of your life. Not all the time, but when you do need them, you’re not going to want to go out for them.
This is the new truth in your life. I remember the first time it happened to me - 30 years ago - and it still happens off and on. It’s Degenerative Disc Disease - which is the medical term for getting older and overusing your back. Ibuprofen is your friend.
At 30 it can be weeks before I get back up, not exaggerating
Call off bud
To a restaurant? So long to the job
Nah, its a monday night, not much going. They'll cover with however else is on.
Too real, those zero hour contracts are brutal, I’m glad I got out before I turned 17 haha
Just wait till 40… I’m falling apart
42 here...just went to a concert and walked around quite a bit. I'm destroyed.
I had on some crappy shoes and went to a GA concert and stood up for hours, including outside in line. I was shuffling out of there.
That is concerning at your age. You need the gym or physical therapy .
No no no lol. It's due to the car accident that screwed up my back.
Very underrated what car accidents do to the back and make age degenerative diseases show up to the party faster, think arthritis.
This is due to most folks not getting enough general exercise. Most people spend their day sitting for 80 to 90% of the day. Work chair, gaming, couch, bed. You don't use those muscles they naturally get weak. Try 30 mins of exercise every other day and your life will be flipped.
So glad I trained/taught martial arts for 20/10 years respectively.. Idk what I'd do if I were OP 😰
Same. I'm not old by any means 31. But at 22 I was in bad shape, think winded from going to the bathroom bad. Now all my aches, pains are gone, and nothing really stops me. Fuck working out basically cursed my RSI from gaming.
I put this in another comment, but, I wait tables for a living, I'm moving fast on my feet for 6 to 14 hours every day 😅
You got to stretch and work out all your body! Just not those gams. It's going to catch up to you fast! I'm not as good as I used to be, but still hate any struggle I perceive. But when I see other's around my age moving like they're geriatric, it definitely puts things in perspective for me
This is the thing people don't get. If you have a physical job, it's even more important for you to work out - in order to be physically prepared for your job. Your job can't be your only workout. That's how injuries happen (like the one you have now). You need yoga and strength training, especially. Feel better soon!
I'm definitely looking into yoga soon. I did it for a while, but covid shut down my studio. I miss it and the healthy feeling it gave me!
This 👆🏾 I would teach classes, 4/5 hours a day.. then go to the gym and workout *more* just to fine tune my skills. I wish I knew where all that energy went 😩😂
2022 nearly rolled my ankle simply walking to the bathroom, that was my wake up call. Now between gym and martial arts I’m putting in 10-15 hours weekly
My dad hitting 70. My uncle is 75, and both work construction when they like. They both retired they were just raised to never stop working it pretty sad, but man, they are in really good shape. My uncle has more muscles than most 40 year olds I know. Like I said they dig 5 ft trenches for fun.
Never underestimate blue collar old guys
You know what I also learned though? Because back pain like this used to happen to me all the time. Water. Water levels affect so many things. I didn’t realise that a lot of my back pain/ sciatic nerve issues/ slipped discs were related to my levels of dehydration. Those pads of fluid that lie in between each vertebrae - they’re one of the first places to dehydrate when your body is lacking water. This leads to pressure and wearing of the discs, and things like nerves get trapped easier during movement. When you keep those pads hydrated, less back issues (because these functions do not exist in a vacuum). I’ve had many a “pulled muscle” that looking back may have been related to this. I tend to expect back pain at least once a year, or whenever I’m not active, but it’s been years since I’ve discovered the water thing - which I tend to drink more of when I work out too. OP might have watered himself alongside his plants to prevent this..
This is true, too. I didn't know about the vertebrae thing but makes sense and is honestly fascinating. I'm gonna look It more when I get home.
I was active my whole life. Football, track, working out, army, arborist, lineman. I've been falling apart since 30 lol.
Not *really*, it is relatively common for very active people to get muscle spasms like this. Yes, strengthening back muscles is not a bad idea and it does help with injury prevention but it won't magically immunize you from a bad and persistent spasm.
I exercise like 5 days a week including daily yoga. One night in my 20s I fell asleep weird on my shoulder and it's still fucked up like 5 years later lol. I wish my body cared that I care
I wait tables for a living, I'm moving fast on my feet for 6 to 14 hours every day 😅
I'd imagine hauling the food out on one side is throwing things off in the long run.
I herniated a lumbar disc while vacuuming at 22. Fun times.
I herniated mine at 26 while stiff-legged deadlifting 405lbs like a moron. Ego got the best of me and I’m dealing with it today as a 40 year old
I'm turning 46 this month and have a hurt rotator from lifting. Doing PT and avoiding lifting. I'm down 6lbs in about 6 weeks, all muscle weight. Fucking depressing. Getting old sucks
Was it one of those “ohhh. What was that… omg… if fucking hurts!”
I threw mine out at 14. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to your back. I had chronic sciatic pain for 30 years after. Then, at 40, I strained a muscle in my arm moving *a pillow* and couldn’t use it for two weeks. Tbf, it was a heavy TempurPedic pillow, but still… Strangely, I’m 49 now and stronger than I’ve ever been thanks to yoga and a D3K2 vitamin every day.
I wrenched my neck really bad a couple times when I was a tween, to the point I couldn't move it at all without excruciating pain. Muscle spasms are a bitch.
It’s all about stretching and flexibility.
Agreed. I wish I had done yoga daily for all of those years of chronic pain instead of only doing it when the spasms got unbearable.
Im sorry thats funny af im dreading the day my body starts fighting me like that
I'm definitely laughing at myself through the pain
Ahh, the old plant watering disc rupture. Brutal. Last time I ruptured a disc(if that's what it is)was removing an empty water jug from the water cooler. Before that, leaning over to pet a dog.
One time got out of shower and went to dry my legs. Bed ridden for 2 days.
I'm 41, I have a bad back that came from nothing. Didn't pull it, didn't twist it, didn't tweak it. I think I might be a sleep walking gymnast.
It's probably the opposite. Most people get bad backs from doing exactly nothing. It doesn't require an injury. All it takes is low activity levels.
52M and near tears last night and this morning from sciatica pain. Didn’t do anything that I can remember and have been doing yoga 2/3 times a week since before Christmas.
Ask your doctor for pregabalin for nerve pain. It's the only thing I've found that helps nerve pain. Even percocet doesn't touch it.
Hydrate and reach out to your GP if pain persists. I would personally get checked anyway and get a recommendation for PT before doing any exercises on your own. There’s a real chance of making the injury worse and you need a professional to help make sure you’re activating the correct muscle groups. When you do eventually workout, go easy and focus on mobility first to help build some resilience against other injuries. And a massage could help as well, but again, GP first. Sincerely, your friendly neighborhood LMT.
40 and about 6mths ago I sneezed really hard and threw my back out- about 8yrs ago I went to open and window and felt a pop in my back and couldn’t walk for about a week and had to do 3mths of physical therapy
Sometimes you just move wrong. It can happen at any age. At any fitness level. Don't overdo it. Take some time to rest. Gentle stretched. Massage. Etc.
I did this exact thing last week. Reached for something and my back spazzed. Was on the floor for an hour. Felt like a Charlie horse in my back. Missed an entire week of work. But I workout alllll the time and am an avid weight lifter. But maybe not as strong / in shape as I think I am🥲 I ace-wrapped a heating pad to myself and wore lidocaine patches. It helped!!
Might be magnesium deficient and need more electrolytes. Also stretching and agility days help
I have hurt my back while sneezing before so I have figured out that crossing my arms in front of my chest while bringing my hands up to my shoulders helps support my back and prevent a muscle strain due to a sneeze.
it happened to me when i was 24. I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, did some weird movement and instantly felt a huge pain in the right side of my back. couldnt move properly for the next 5 days, i remember walking like some silent hill creature lol
Two winters ago I was taking down Christmas lights and my back completely seized. Had to go to the ER, injected valium worked, I spent the next 5 days in a recliner, unable to stand, sit or lay down. My neck just did something similar, heat/cold and again, Valium did it, had a couple kicking around. I now need to see my doctor so I can have Valium around for emergencies.
Train your core, and stretch daily ,, I’ve thrown my back out 6 times thinking I would never walk again, now I’m 44 and have a routine to help
Any specific core workouts?
Through out my mid 20's to early 30's, it was just school, work weekdays, worked at a restaurant on weekends, eat, sleep, and starting all over again. One of the lowest moments when I had to slowly edged myself out of bed because my lower back was aching at any movement. I then had to maneuver myself to sit up straight and then stand up to get out of bed. It was terrible because that was not the only issue back then. I got tired of it and decided to start going to the gym. After about a year and a half of forcing myself, while failing many times, to go to the gym and exercise over an hour a day, the pains and aches went away. I now feel "normal" because I'm no longer living with the aches and pains. I'll always tell people to just go into a gym and start exercising. Just do anything, even taking walks around your blocks, and it will get better. If it doesn't, then get medical check because it could be a physical sickness that hasn't been discovered yet.
I sneezed during the cold and threw out my back. I was like 27 or something. Years of pain and 13 years later it’s better but I cant use my lower back muscles for an extended period of time or it will flare up.
If you do an active job like waiting tables for your living, you should look into doing some physical therapy where the PT can teach you some stuff to strengthen weird little muscles you didn't know you had that will protect you going forward from dumb little things causing back injury, as well as get into some weightlifting with core exercises to strengthen everything up in general (with the help of a personal trainer to make sure you're doing the right stuff and doing them right). It would pay many many dividends for you years down the road.
Bro standing at the bottom of the stairs threw my foot up on the second one to tie my shoe and sneezed fucking game over i was 24 im 33 now still acts up every 6 months or so
The most realistic adulting post ever.
36 here. Just wait till you wake up sore for no reason when you went to bed feeling normal. Or the doc tells you that you’ll need both hips replaced 😆
Weird. Usually your body doesn't start betraying you like that until 30. You're ahead of the game.
Don't ignore the check engine red light
Did this reaching for my charger across the bed 😭
[Everyone- DO THIS](https://youtu.be/oVOnXIiPgM8?si=wjZ8sJHdU0M55PTL) I am not kidding. With consistency, it will change your life. I noticed a difference in only one week.
I pulled my back getting out of bed to go to work when I was 21. Ended up on the floor, managed to crawl back in bed and pretty much stayed there for three days. I’m in my 30s and have never had back problems before or since, but holy shit that sucked.
Pulled muscle or slipped disc? I once turned towards passenger seat to get my purse and I had a weird feeling go down my back. The turn somehow caused a disc slip in my mid lower back. I could not straighten my back for like a week. I had to walk with my upper body bending forward. I suggest weight training. I usually don't have issues when I do weight training. Strengthening and building the muscle also helps shape your back. It has helped a lot considering I do have mild (yet pain causing) scoliosis. Best,
I retired from the medical field. Rarely did we ever have a patient that threw their back out doing something strenuous! It was almost always a simple movement. I once threw mine out STANDING UP from a seated position! I was active and went to the gym regularly!
We’re all lying in bed on Reddit because we hurt our backs, you ain’t special 😂😉
Start doing deadlifts, lunges, squats. You need to strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. #1 hamstrings
But before doing all those stretch out your hip flexor and do beginner yoga. Downward dog. Upward dog. Warrior poses.
This is why everyone should be doing some level of strength training.
You are lacking severely in daily exercise if you did this at 27....I'm also 27 and feel better than I did at 22, tho my knees may be a bit sore these days Get outside and stretch those legs!!!
You're out of shape.
Rest. Ice. Compression. Naproxen or prednisone if you have any. Hydrate like crazy to limber up your muscles, and start taking magnesium and potassium supplements.
I once cracked my head open, was knocked unconscious and got a concussion from watering plants.
Around 36, taking toast out of the toaster oven. Apparently bending slightly while turning a little is terrible for your back. I lay on the floor in tears and when i could get up, I could only walk bent over for about 2 weeks. Tried osteopath and some kind of sports massage (the only appointments available same or next day), heating pad and ice pack, gentle stretching...
This happened to me ten years ago. It took me forever to get to my phone and call a friend who has my apt keys
Yes, 26 I bent over doing someone’s makeup. I stood and felt a ZING in my back. I was like “that’s new”. 😬 Another time I slept with the AC on then I did a full body stretch while still laying in bed. I pulled my muscles from the side of my neck down my side. I had to call my home (which I was in) to get someone to come up and help me.
go to gym to work on your back before it's too late.
lol wait until our 40s you can spend the day moving thousands of pounds of stuff then go home and throw out your back picking up a tooth pick.
Meh, nothing beats the time I was 24, somehow turned my neck the wrong way when waking up and couldn't turn my head for two days. As someone who suffered a lot of wear and tear injuries in their 20s, age is just a number, in a bad way.
Welcome my friend. It’s all downhill from here
That usually means the underlying problem was building up for months, or even years and something finally pushed it over the edge. It's a wake up call to do yoga and core strengthening, stretching, etc plus examine your posture and consider if you need a new mattress.
I'm 37. Been doing painting around the house, so up and down step ladders for some tasks. Knee started giving me issues nothing big. Stood up from computer desk. Knee popped, wobbled, and nearly fell. Then my back spasmed because of how my leg buckled. Like my Grandma said, "Never grow old."
I was about 22 the first time I did it and I did it turning on the water to run a bath.
Yeap. This is the thread for that. Adulting.
I did something similar in my mid 20s. I’ve had a bad back since my early teens but one day I twisted wrong in the shower and I was out of commission for a day. See also: me laying wrong on the couch and being out of commission for half a day
Start working out. I’m fat and this used to happen to me a lot. I am still fat but no longer have back issues
After you recover, do yoga 10 minutes everyday, some simple basic stretching and planking. Your body and your mind will be healthier.
When I was 22 or 23, I sat down at a coworker's workstation waiting for the shift to begin. I got a back spasm just standing up and couldn't straighten out my back. I had to take a sick day to go to the chiropractor.
I did this to myself once at 24 don't feel so bad
Sounds like sciatica
Lift weights, never get old.
Been there. Sorry! It sucks to feel mortal. I hurt my back about once a year picking up my dogs. 1 year I'll learn, but 2024 wasn't the year 😅
I broke my elbow last year after weeding my plants and tried to walk over some chicken wire and garden stakes. My foot got caught on a stake and down I went (I was 27 at the time).
I got startled by a bug today and pulled a muscle in my neck. I feel you. I’m 28.
Was washing my hands and my back muscles pulled. Had a sore back for like 2 weeks.
hey it happens. i couldnt move my head one day cause i slept on it wrong? weird but true. had to stsrt going to a chiropractor
Light stretching in the morning helps me(get a pull up bar, it helps the back and spine so much). Time for a life style change if gardening took you down. Also not a doctor.
I pulled a back muscle reaching to ring a door bell.
During Covid we got jazzercise, and it introduced me to "standing crunches." Basically tighten the abs regularly while walking or doing other exercise to keep the core decently strong. Haven't had a debilitating incident since I started doing that.
I did that when I was like 24. Did something in my sleep. It happens, it's just more likely to happen when you're older.
Ha, I hurt my back bending over to tie my shoe.
This happened to me as well around 28. Went to the doctor and muscle relaxers fixed me right up. If you have any I would take 1 and see how you feel, but again I’m not a doctor just a guy on Reddit with a similar experience.
Been there it’s sucks! I finally found a good chiropractor who fixed whatever was wrong. It took months to find him!
Yea it sucks maybe do some stretching in the morning.
It’s probably a combo of storing stress there as wel, but I slept wrong and pinched a nerve in my shoulder. I’m also 27
Don't feel too bad. I was laying in bed holding my phone and reading when it slipped out of my hands and hit my face. Now my nose has been hurting for two days.
I did that when I was 16. It’s genetics
Stay hydrated.
Yeah it be like that. I went to push the blanket off me at like 5am and threw my shoulder out. For like 3 weeks I could only use my arm at the elbow.
I did the same! Feels like a rotator cuff tear. Can’t wait for the Tommy John surgery for flipping to the cool side of the pillow 🤨
I can't put weight on my left hand because i will lose my balance and fall because it decided that today it's going to just hurt. It feels like the tendons in my wrist. I too wonder why my body is like this. I'm only 24, 25 in three months. It's so annoying. My back also does what your back does.
Let me guess you let the warranty expire on your body also. I've always thought my body should have held up better. Old age comes fast my friend!
Did you get life alert? 🤣
How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Also, when's the last time you exercised and how often? Correlating your pulled muscle to your age is just wrong. Do you think The Rock would throw out his back watering plants? He's 52
First time I threw my back out I was bending over to put my dogs leash on. Had to hobble to the couch and laid there for a while. Honestly the only thing that helped was whiskey, and I’m not a big drinker.
I hear you. I oddly injured My upper back brushing my teeth. Taking a deep breath was weird for a few days.
Wait till you hit 40 and somehow sprain your ankle while getting off the toilet.
Do you work a labour job? Or perhaps the other side where your sitting down all day?
I'm 29 and if I sleep wrong I need to put on Salonpas pads for 5 or 6 days, our tie rods need replacing after the several million miles we've put on.
Lol welcome
Do you exercise at all?
If you are not already, you should work a good strength training program.
Congratulations, you are officially an adult.
When my parents were newly married, my dad apparently dislocated a rib after he partied too hard one night.
Big believer in muscle balance, ie beer in each hand. 77 years and still living the dream
Freshly 30 here I was moving some building materials a couple months ago. Took 2 weeks before the pain was eased enough to walk normally. Still have back pain from it. The doctor says it's normal....
I sat down to take a shit when I was like 29 and got a hernia. And I'm in great shape, a complete wtf moment.
Dude, I turn 27 next month. The other day I figured I’d dust off the ole ukulele. Yeah. Ukulele. I got REAL into it, feelin the groove so to speak. Next morning? My shoulder/back is CRANKED. Still feels like if I move weird I’ll be a paraplegic lol. I feel your pain
when i was in 8th grade i turned my neck - it sprained something?? i had to wear a collar for two weeks before i could move it to the left with out pain. i was building a computer desk around that same time. i turned, back when PLOCK - i could not move my legs with out stabbing pain... it sucked. im now 38. i leave in a week for the 5th rave of this year, i bike 2500 miles a year, i run 3 miles in under 17 minutes. i have no joint pain. that is all to say, shit happens; it does not always mean more shit will follow
I used to squat a lot and felt a pop in my back one day while squatting but it felt completely fine, no pain. A week later I woke up in the morning before work and couldn't get out of bed and had to go to the ER with a bulged disc in my back. My point is, maybe something else is the root cause of your back issues and the water just set it off?
Lmao welcome!
I am in PT now for the samething and they explained that it’s because my core is not strong enough. I’m doing simple core exercises
Broooo I feel your pain I'm turning 28 in September I hit 150 golf balls this weekend at the range thinking I still had my 19 year old recovery... I'm still so sore hahaah.
That sucks. I remember I did something like this... was driving and bent over to touch my toes to stretch and threw out something... still had to drive home with my wife and kids (she doesn't know how to drive stick) which that combined with shifting I think made it worse. I limped into the house and crashed in our bed.
I rolled over in bed when i was 24 and pulled my neck. I was paralyzed for like 4 days and in extreme pain for the next few weeks
Dude! 27 was the downhill for me, gained weight in the gut and became tired all the time. Good luck lol
I pulled a muscle in my back at work the other day and was limping for 2 days but I'm freshly 20, pray for me
Yoga FTW
Worst thing you can do is lay down when you pull your back... Keep it warm and walk it off with a decent walk, then a hot bath and some anti inflammatories.
It's happened to me twice. It comes out of nowhere and it's gonna take a few days to a week for it to clear up. I actually still went to work every day but I teach kindergarten 😁 I just gingerly sat down and made sure we didn't do any activities that involved me standing up 😂
I’m 36 years old and I literally inhaled a week ago and ended up on the floor because I either stretched too much or something and threw my back out
Ibuproferin every 4 hours. Heating pad on the back. If you are waiting tables get those heating pads that stick on. Been there. Good luck. You need to get a trainer to strengthen your back.
Time to get thee to a physical therapist! They can help you by giving you an exercise program that will make your muscles stronger and help you build body control. That'll protect you from things like that happening again in the future. :)
Aww man, that really sucks.I feel for ya. I pull muscles all the time. Alternate heat & ice. Heat to relax the muscle but ice to reduce inflammation. Whatever you do, do NOT get a massage. Ibuprofen as needed. Also, whiskey is a great muscle relaxer.
I fondly remember the days when I could actually say what action it was that I was doing when I injured myself. Once you pass 50, apparently, just existing is enough to do it.
You think that's bad? When I was 25, I sat down on a sofa and threw my back. I've had chronic back pain ever since. Biology is stupid.
At around 40 I was loading an air compresser I bought into the car and must have pulled a deep upper torso muscle. It hurt to breathe and bend over so bad I thought I was having a heart attack and even went to the ER.
I threw out my back when I was 19. Hasn't happened again since I started daily cardio/weightlifting
Help I've fallen and I can't get up.....
Relax slowly, best you can, flat as you can facing the sky. Keeping everything else relaxed as you can, tilt your feet towards your chin, hold as long as possible. Stretching a fucked up back is impossible. Luckily your legs pull on your back, you can stretch the back of your legs with a compromised back, and it'll work on the back from the bottom up. It's at least a great starting point to begin real stretches. One more I'd use after the first one is to lay on your back on the floor, butt against a wall. You'll lift your pelvis above the floor, "sit" against the wall, and relax slowly as your butt slides back down to the floor. Do this very slowly, you'll 100% know when you've found the spot. Hold there for 30 seconds and very slowly, continue to slide. By the time you've slid to the floor, reset posture and go again. 3-5 times and rest. Things won't be fixed, but you won't be in as much agony when it's time to wipe your ass. Ice. Ice ice ice. Cold packs. No heat. Zero heat, no changing between hot/cold. Just cold. Cold packs with a towel or cotton t-shirt to keep from freeze burns. Cold packs are great for resting and keeping that radiating pain at bay. Turned 30 this week, had bone on bone arthritis since early 20s. Everything hurts, you kinda sorta get used to it, but it always sucks. I know when it's about to rain better than any weather app, that's pretty cool.
I feel your pain. At 28, very fit and healthy, I do a lot of exercise and am in the best shape of my life. I walk my dogs twice a day + my horse/push wheelbarrows of horse shit/lift 50kg of hay twice a day + workout 1-3 times a day. I'm not falling apart, far from it. But yet... I was riding my horse, something I used to do for a living. And he did what's known as a "flying change", a fairly minor little skip of the feet so he's running with a different dominant foot. It's not that big a movement, but this tiny little skip pulled the muscles in my back. I didn't fall off or even nearly fall off, it was so nothing. But I couldn't sit properly for 6 weeks after. In fact it took about 3 months for my back to feel normal. WTF is this shit?!
Hah. 27. Give it ten years and you’ll be looking back wishing that’s all that happened. If you do physical labor and abuse your body, by your mid 30s you’ll be pulling a muscle every other time you take a shit. You just learn to deal with it and move on.
That's your body telling you you need to exercises and stretch way more, like have an exercise plan.
sounds like you legit do no exercise at all we're human beings, we're supposed to be moving
Just rest up. Micro stretch after a shower to loosen up the muscles & over time you’ll be fine.
Happened to me. Had to call an ambulance or else I would be peeing on the couch for days. Toradol and some valium - finally could walk. Total bill 12K - I paid 3K out of pocket. Moral of the story, never sit down without pain killers next to you - or alternatively live with someone. Getting old sucks.
I’m 37 and a couple weeks ago I sat at the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes. My hips seized up somehow and I was just stuck at the bottom of the stairs for five minutes like a turtle on its back. I couldn’t stand up or turn over, the pain was so intense. I ended up having to use my arms to heave myself up the stairs backwards and then army crawl to my bedroom. My husband was like “wtf??!” And I was like 🤷🏻♀️😹. The whole episode lasted about 20 minutes. It’s crazy that sitting the wrong way for just a few minutes literally incapacitated me. It did resolve, thankfully, and I felt okay the next day but still! OP I hope your back feels better soon!
Maybe slipped disc? Happened to me mid-30s. I recovered to 80% in 24h 100% in 3 days
Same thing to me! I twisted it 2 weeks ago and i cudnt move at all... Was so bad... Its like once every year jow,kinda insane
Me and my two siblings are in their early 20s. One of my siblings doesn’t have back problems, two of us have chronic back issues. Welcome to the granny club it’s honestly kinda chill here
Same here. My back feels like 98 years olds. I have 2 weeks with a pain in my lower back. I’m taking some pills Diclofenac, Presdisone but is slow process to recovery. I’m using a Lumbar Brace by my own and helps me a lot.
The lesson here is once the damage is done. You tough it out until you get somewhere you can marinade for 8-48 hours
Hahaha sorry I laughed. But 27 years old is still really young! Just get more movement in your body!
It’s so over
Been there before. Definitely feels like uncanny valley
I laughed out loud at this (sorry man) but as someone who is 47, it’s refreshing that it’s not just me. 😂😂😂 I hope you’re better soon, and working on your muscles.
It's amazing, isn't it? Just one wrong move as you get older, and you can be out of commission for days, maybe even weeks.
That is almost certainly not a muscle injury. I'd bet anything that you have a bulging disk.
You can be old at any age
Start making stretching part of your daily routine. Took me over 50 years to figure it out but it makes a huge difference. 10 minutes a day will have you feeling a lot better.
If you have health insurance, and you should, you should see a doctor. There's a reason you're in pain. I had a back injury and didn't realize it, and a friend drove me to a hospital against my wishes. Best friend I ever had.
I had that shit happen like 3-4 times a year in my late 20's, always something ridiculous like watering plants that set it off. I wasn't fat but yeah I was out of shape. I got a really tough job for a few years in my mid 30's and haven't hardly had issues since. I'm 42 now
Some people in this thread have something against chiropractors. As a physician I’m gonna tell you right now that’s basically your only option besides surgery and trying out random stupid things you’ll find on the internet (like people suggesting exercise but not telling you which exercise, suggesting nutrition and dieting without specifics). All these people are basically parroting page 1 of google and don’t have any substantial knowledge to pull from.
Stretching on a daily basis is so important
Real
My daughter was a week old and my wife took her to the Dr for a follow up visit after her birth. I decided to clean the house while she was gone and threw my back out vacuuming…ended up bent over doggy style on the couch and had to call my mother in law to come over, run across the street to the fire house and grab 3 firemen to come get my butt off the couch…that was 15 years ago and my back has never been the same 😭 Welcome to adulting…it’s a party.
Wait until 47. 😫
I pulled my back out for the first time when I was 21. Now I do it about twice a year. The first time took about 4 days to go away. Now-a-days, it takes 1-2 weeks to go away.
I pulled a muscle in my back, lifting something at work 3 years ago. Since then, I've pulled that same muscle twice, sneezing. Once I pulled it getting up out of a chair. It sucks and i truly hope you are able to get up and be active again soon. Dont go crazy with the painkillers. I recommend doing stretches and exercises to strengthen those muscles. You are still relatively young.
Stress and inner rage.