My Back Pain Story - Follow Along
Hi all, I've been dealing with Chronic back pain for the last ~3 years now, and I want to share my story in case it helps anyone, and to feel less alone in my journey.
male / 22 at the time, I was working in a restaurant, and farmers carrying propane tanks, I set them down in front of me with a hinge and when I got back up, I didnt even feel pain, but I felt something in my left low back change.
Hip shift and rise on the left, deep pain in lumbar, any wrong movement made the muscle spasm.
Went to physio, got a massage, and was perfectly fine. 4 months later, at work, tweaked back, got massage and then was fine. This pattern happened a few more times throughout that year, untill I moved and was working at a different resturant and one day bomb tweak.
I thought the usual would suffice, go get a massage, call it a day, except this time, the pain didnt go away.
Try bunch of different physios and different training programs over the next 6-8 months and nothing is working. Not getting worse, but not getting better. Good days and bad days, But consistently in the gym (lower body, core, upper body etc).
Imagaing says nothing is really wrong with me, one said I had a small stenosis of my L5-S1 facet joint, but another I had didnt even pick that up, Plus some sacroillitis (which can appear after a good run lol, but granted I did have SI / hip issues when i was younger)
Discover Mcgill in April '24 , read back mechanic, start feeling better. May '24 meet with Mcgill clinican, who from my understanding, is Mcgills / backfit pros absolute number 2 guy, helps Mcgill himself train new clinicans.
Learn better spine hygiene, different programing for big 3, spend day with him, worth it.
Tells me for the next 6 weeks at least, no gym except big 3. Makes sense, part of hygeine
Within a month I was dabbling playing soccer again. Over the course of that summer I learned that even tho things were going great, i shouldnt rush into sports that quick and still needed to be careful even if my pain was improving.
By October i was painfree, I opened a new resturant, and the opening was less intense on my body then normal service was, so it was good timing.
November, I get so so Ill, So sick, knocked me out for weeks.
Stop exercising, stop big 3, nothing but rotting. Went back to the resturant sooner then I should have, working harder then I was ready to, squat down to pick something up.
Tweak.
Since that tweak in November of 24, I have not been able to get back to being pain free. Ive gotten close but everytime I think I have the tolerance to start working out again and moving beyond the big 3, I flare up.
I cant work out beyond the big three or ill be in so much pain and or flare up
Started a desk job in hopes that no longer running around a restaurant would help things.
Sitting is really back for your back if you didnt know lol, I apparently didnt.
In the last year ive had the most amount of flare ups, hardest days, trying new things from chairs to standing desks, to pain doctors, and me and my mcgill clician are trying new changes and shifts every 2 weeks because nothing is working consistently over time.
From all the research I have done, he is the most qualified professional in the world outside of mcgill himself to help me, and hes done a great job and I am glad to have him. But the notion that if him and I cant figure it out, I am not sure where Ill turn.
Im 26 now, and I feel like im losing what are supposed to be some of the most fun years of my life to ice packs, heating pads and TEMS machines. Ive spent upward of 15k in the last 3 years on physio massage etc, and not much to show for it.
Im scared im going to lose my job, or rather be forced to quit cause I cant keep up with a desk job.
Im starting to see a therapist to hopefully take off some of the emotional burden, and buying a new office chair (secret labs is mcgill recommended).
But long story short, I could use some positive stories of people who had something that just clicked one day, or people after years managed to get over the hurdle or anything to keep me positive and going.
As things change and things update I will keep you guys in the loop, feel free to ask any questions, or share any stories.