Quote:
Originally Posted by Starlink
I'm pretty miserable with these back spasms that prevent me from doing even the smallest of tasks without having to stop and rest every 20 minutes.
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sorry for resurrecting an old thread but ^this^ has been my life too. 2 years before my first surgery I weighed 143 pounds. Today I am at a suicidal 237. It's now a year and a half since my last surgery and I'm feeling well enough to exercise. But I have the every 15-20 minute thing too so it's difficult.
Check with your doctor to make sure light exercise is ok then get yourself a big blue ball (mine is a 75cm Thera-Band but there are other sizes) Both times I've been in PT I've spent the majority of my time on the ball. Those of us with bad backs need to strengthen our core muscles, there are a bunch of them that can easily be done on the ball.
I also use it at my computer desk at home instead of a chair. Some say just simply sitting on it works the muscles in your back. I sit on it as often as I can and gently rock my hips back and forth, side to side. It's an excercise that I learned in PT and it works the lower back muscles without strain, impact or exertion.
I also work out on an elliptical machine. Most days I can do 5 pain free minutes (if its raining I can do 2 lol ) but I really think the ball is helping. I took almost 2100 steps today without needing a vicodin.
Good luck and feel better!