Freaky Back Muscle Moment in the Kitchen

[happysongbird]

I was just carrying a medium large pot of water over to the stove. Something I do all the time. And singing while I work. Something I do all the time. But I may not have ever hit the exact combination of muscle tension before, as best I can figure.

As I was reaching the pot out to the burner, I took a deep breath to continue singing and it felt like a black hole opened up in the upper middle of my back and was threatening to swallow me up. I immediately set the pot down (thankfully it was over the stove) and arched my back to relieve the sensation. I was never in pain, just knew something awful was trying to occur.

Then, I made it over to the living room rug and lay on my back and curled my knees to hug them. I was a little afraid that I had popped a disc, so didn't want to overdo this movement. After a couple minutes in this position, I "felt like" kneeling at the couch, with my back still somewhat arched.

Sitting up straight didn't feel right and attempts to breath deeply were sending messages to my brain to be very careful. I still went ahead and did some slow, simple sideways stretching after a bit, then I was able to breath sitting straight.

Now, a couple of hours later, and after 2 little massages by my girls, I feel much better. I'm still going to take things kind of slow for the rest of the day. But I already accidentally picked up a laundry basket with 2 loads of wet laundry without repercussions. I do think I can ride my spinning bike as planned.

I probably did something that weight lifters know they are not supposed to do, right?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Strange. I think maybe you were getting ready to pull a muscle there, and you stopped it from happening just in time. So basically, you called it.

I have two bulging discs (L4-L5, L-5-S1) I am still trying to recover from four months later. I was at my third visit to the physical therapist's office warming up on a sit down, reclining bike. He set the tension way too high apparently, so when I started peddling, I could feel my lumbar getting tight and hot. I figured it was because I have been sedentary (from all the surgeries last year) for a year and a half at that point, so I was just weak. But when I got home, I had to stay in bed all day, all night, and then the next morning, I was bending over to show my sons some of my taekwondo moves (thinking I still had it...NOT!) when my back pulled, and I was in a lot of pain. Now, I constantly have all these little kinks and twitches and knots on either side of my lumbar a few times throughout the day when I just slightly move a certain way, so I have to be careful of every little thing I do. I think we're just getting old, and this is the way it's going to be or supposed to be. sigh. Someone, please tell me I'm wrong. I feel your pain.

 

[happysongbird]

Strange. I think maybe you were getting ready to pull a muscle there, and you stopped it from happening just in time. So basically, you called it.

I have two bulging discs (L4-L5, L-5-S1) I am still trying to recover from four months later. I was at my third visit to the physical therapist's office warming up on a sit down, reclining bike. He set the tension way too high apparently, so when I started peddling, I could feel my lumbar getting tight and hot. I figured it was because I have been sedentary (from all the surgeries last year) for a year and a half at that point, so I was just weak. But when I got home, I had to stay in bed all day, all night, and then the next morning, I was bending over to show my sons some of my taekwondo moves (thinking I still had it...NOT!) when my back pulled, and I was in a lot of pain. Now, I constantly have all these little kinks and twitches and knots on either side of my lumbar a few times throughout the day when I just slightly move a certain way, so I have to be careful of every little thing I do. I think we're just getting old, and this is the way it's going to be or supposed to be. sigh. Someone, please tell me I'm wrong. I feel your pain.

It sounds like you are in a lot more pain than I am right now. But, I have experienced extreme and prolonged pain from a neck disc bulging, so I know what you are talking about. But, yeah, trying to balance my "youthful" attitude with my less than resilient frame.

 

[NickW]

Happy, I get that same kind of feeling every now and again. Not painful, just uncomfortable and I know it means something bad is about to happen if I'm not careful. It usually lasts a couple days for me. It's only been happening every once in a while for the last, oh maybe 9 months or so. It's above where I had my two surgeries and I am afraid this could be because of the fusion I had. Basically the fusion is creating more wear and tear up higher in the back than what would be normal. Not sure what you can do for yours, I just rest mine for a day or two and it seems to get better.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

I hope is nothing and just pre-race jitters.
Whatever it is take it easy.

 

[happysongbird]

Happy, I get that same kind of feeling every now and again. Not painful, just uncomfortable and I know it means something bad is about to happen if I'm not careful. It usually lasts a couple days for me. It's only been happening every once in a while for the last, oh maybe 9 months or so. It's above where I had my two surgeries and I am afraid this could be because of the fusion I had. Basically the fusion is creating more wear and tear up higher in the back than what would be normal. Not sure what you can do for yours, I just rest mine for a day or two and it seems to get better.

Thanks, Nick. I am very grateful to be able to say that my almost nauseatingly uncomfortable feeling has already dissipated a lot. It was very intense for a few moments, then kind of scary, but I think I was able to relax soon enough to avoid anything more serious. I think I was partly thinking that there never ends up being anything good out of going to see a doctor for these things, so I just needed to deal with it and not panic. I know that is not always possible, but that was my basic mindset. I have had a "spot" on one side that has been intermittently touchy for a couple of years, trying to spasm with something so simple as being hugged, but as long as I pay attention to it right away and do some very gently stretching to loosen it, it behaves.

 

[Larry]

What was the song in question - people need to know about this so that they can take preventative measures. I wonder if Celine Dion ever did a workout video?

Glad you caught it in time.

 

[happysongbird]

What was the song in question - people need to know about this so that they can take preventative measures. I wonder if Celine Dion ever did a workout video?

Glad you caught it in time.

I think we can place the blame squarely on diaphragmatic breathing. If I hadn't learned to breath so deeply, it would not have happened!