morning stretches?

[beerman]

do you perform morning stretches? I have had some long term pain in my back, neck and shoulder that I have treated with everything under the sun and moon with very little effect. Then my massage therapist turned me on to stretching. Now I spend 1/2 hr every morning stretching before I begin my day. It was extremely painful at first but now it's not too bad and I can function fairly normally through the day now without popping lots of pain pills. So I'm wondering if anyone else has to do this? If you don't mind, include your age when you respond. I'd like to know how normal/abnormal this is for a 37 year old. Thanks

[OWC Jamie]

Well, I've worked some upper back painfull "knots" out by pullling myself up a completely vertical thirty foot ladder, (sometimes hanging off the rungs and pulling it out) so I've done basically the same thing.
No pain meds, though.
54

Possibly from sleeping too soundly (no moving).

[karsen]

I have a history of lower back issues. I'm 34. It started about 10 years ago on my wedding day, no it's not what you think! I picked up my daughter and my wife's niece and was swinging them both around dancing up a storm when – "pop!" – I was done for.

After rehabilitation I was good for about 7 years when it happened again, same spot, worse pain. It was so bad I couldn't move (literally) and I had to go to the hospital. It took two hours just to get me 20 feet to the car (probably should have just called an ambulance.) At any rate it's pain on a level I would not want anyone to experience.

Again, after lots of visits to the doctor, chiropractor and the Accupuncturist... and lots of pain meds and muscle relaxers I got it to the point I could function again. I took up some basic yoga stretching in the morning, working out regularly and I even decided to get into kayaking. All those things had my back feeling better than ever. So much so I took it for granted.

About 6 months ago I had some things happen in my life that got me distracted from my back maintenance routine and I am suffering for it now. A month ago my back "went out" again and I'm back on the visits to the chiropractor and the happy pills.

I learned my lesson and once I am able to again I plan on doing the daily stretches, workouts and kayaking faithfully.

[mrmahann]

i should. as long as i bike in, its lesser necessary, but otherwise, yar, i feel it.

been this way for a couple years.

45

[lost in space]

I've been doing stretches for my left shoulder, injured in a car accident when I was 30. I'm 59 now, just been doing these for about six months. They make all the difference in the world. Wish I'd known about it back then. If I miss a day, I really feel it, so I'm pretty consistent, especially for me. When it comes to getting relief by stretching, any age is normal!

[testcase]

I don't get lower back pain often but, when I do, it's nasty. I've tried stretching (both passive and active), liniment, hot soaks. chiropractic treatment, OTC meds and, probably a few other things. What consistently gets good results is vibration. I bought one of those larger units that can be held in both hands or, set on the floor (or chair). Five minutes of vibration seems to always get me 2 ~ 4 hours of relief. After the third five minute session or so, whatever soft tissue problems I've been having are vanquished. (56 years old). YMMV .

[Fritz]

I do a half hour of very basic Yoga and some exercise ball (Pilates) stuff in the AM. It has helped to lessen the incidence of lbp over the last 10 years or so.
I wracked myself when I was young, lifting road cases with wild abandon.
Every know and then I still get whipped, but I can usually fix it in a day. Walking or running 3-5 days a week has helped too.
That and my spousal unit has a pro electronic stim, ulrasound and light therapy unit that she uses as a PT. I use it when I'm messed up. Stim can be wonderful.

[d0e]

i have a lot of sports mileage on my body a doctor told me when i wake sit up in bed for 15-20 minutes before getting up, it sounds kinda crazy but i did notice a little difference after i did get up to stretch.