strained middle of back today - advice

[vandessel]

I really strained the middle of my back BAD today doing back exercises. It got me while doing shrugs of all things. My weight wasn't that heavy and form was good. I can barely move and it feels like severe spasms also if I try to move.

Questions:
1. should I apply ice or heat?
2. i have some Vioxx anti-inflammatory medication for my knee. will this help?
3. any other over the counter med help?

It is really hurting almost to the point of nausea. I know all a doc will say is rest and take it easy, so a doc visit isn't warranted yet. Thx...

[geoffgarcia]

vioxx is just a pain reliever if I'm not mistaken.
if thats teh case u'd be better off with Ibuprofin which relieves inflammation, swelling, and pain

Sore muscle treatment
Treatment options include heat therapy and moist heat therapy ( Place a heated pad on the sore muscle and leave for 10 minutes, 2 or 3 cycles of this may help reduce the soreness. ) Also Ice cubes may be used to help remove the lactic acid buildup, often times swelling can occur from the sore muscle and ice cubes will help reduce this problem.

A combination of these will help flush out the muscles by doing a cycle of heat therapy, then ice therapy and repeat as you feel is necessary

[Augury]

yup. get some ibuprofen down your neck. also realise that numbed pain from drugs is a dangerous thing. the mucles are spasmd up to protect something that wasnt happy during the shrugs, so just because its number dosnt mean you can do star jumps and squat thrusts on it

where is the pain? you said middle of your back but the middle of your back runs from your ass crack to the top of your neck did you mean kinda spinal but level with the navel? higher? between shoulder blades? where abouts?

shrugs directly put load through the cervical (neck) spine. one of the nerves that exits at this level is the accessory nerve that innervates - you guessed it...trapezius. the muscle you shrug with. so its perfectly possible to do shrugs...trap the nerve thats doing the shrugs by compressing the neck with the load you are shrugging and then end up with it spasmd all to hell and back. seen it happen often.

rest. ice. ibuprofen. stay still for a day or two. then start moving around and see if its still killing you. if it is its doc time. if you can stand it...then any gentle stretches as if you were reaching out to grab something with both hands will prolly help. but until the major spasm calms down its going to be tricky to know whats the root problem.

Augs

[geoffgarcia]

mucles are spasmd up to protect something that wasnt happy during the shrugs, so just because its number dosnt mean you can do star jumps and squat thrusts on it

good point, I guess I just assumed he'd be laying in a bed till he got better...
I agree, if ur gonna be up and about then ibuprofin might not be the way to go...as it'll lower your defense mechanisms and make you more susceptible to causing greater damage