Did somethin' to my back....
Hi all,
Apparently hefting two car seats (baby included in each) and a toddler in and out of a Tahoe 3-4 times a day, 5-7 days/week is NOT the best way to take care of your back whilst Ironman training.
Last Friday, I headed out for my morning run. Felt fine that day, the day before, etc. About a mile in, I stepped on my right foot (normal step, nothing weird), and I felt like I was stabbed in both sides of my middle-lower back. 
I did a walk/shuffle back home and spent the weekend sitting/lying on the couch. My doc examined me, said it wasn't a slipped disc or anything, just a spasm. (???) It doesn't hurt if I don't do any weird movements. However, if I stand straight up, and try to look down at my toes, OUCH. Back pain galore.
I've been on steroids now for 3 days. He also gave me muscle relaxants, but if I take even HALF of one, I'm knocked cold. I don't have sharp shooting pains at all, but my back is really sore all the time. Almost like how your quads feel the day after you decide to do 100 walking lunges. I've never had back problems before. Ever.
If anyone out there has had a similar issue, I'd love to hear how your recovery went. I'm reall hoping that this doesn't take me out for too long. I'm only 3 months out from Lake Placid. 
Also, only three days on these steroids, and I can't even bear to tell you what my scale says. Do this things make you retain water??? It's only a 5 day course of meds, so hopefully the SEVEN POUNDS (yes) of weight will come off after I stop taking them??
Comments
I have had similar issues, it will pass in a bit. I found laying flat on ground with legs elevated on a couch ( 90 degrees) helps. I also do ice massages, fill a dixie cup little more than half way, freeze it. the unwrap it a bit and massage it on the affected area.
Hope you get better soon. Still plenty of time to placid.
Steroids will most definitely leave you bloated - avoid the scale at all costs! ;-)
Feel better soon!!!
Lifting weight and twisting (as in lifting the car seats into/ out of Tahoe) is really bad biomechanics and will screw up your back. In every industry, it is advised to avoid twisting while lifting weight. It is more movement, but the "foot shuffle" needed for better biomechanics is going to be integral to this not re-occcurring during IM training.
If your MD has ruled out herniated disc/ nerve compression, then low back pain and spasm are likely. Most docs order Flexeril (Cyclobenzaprine) for spasm. I have found this to be much too strong for my female and/ or smaller patients. I use Robaxin (Methocarbamol). It has a shorter duration of action, but is easier to split, so dose adjustments are easy. Steroids help but I don't use them as first line treatment, sticking with prescription strength Ibuprofen or Naprosyn, lots of ice, walking. Movement is good.
When you can tolerate it, you might consider massage therapy. you might be surprised to learn how tight you are through the back. You may want to consider physical therapy to discuss and learn better biomechanics.
As for weight gain on Prednisone, I warn my patients, I actually have a handout I give them so they can make an informed decision about the medication side effects. The weight gain is two-fold: sodium retention causing fluid retention increasing weight. It also increases appetite and you eat more than you need, but IM training already had you eating a lot, and the body doesn't want to cut back. So it may come off easily, it may not. Hard to say.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
My doc did rule out any trauma like that, no disc/nerve issues. I wish I would've known how lousy I'd feel on the pred. I'm not going this route again. Honestly, I haven't taken any pain meds or Flexeroll (sp??) since Saturday. I'm hoping that resting will help heal it up quickly. I'll try to get in for a massage, but my schedule is pretty heinous, so that may not happen. Is stretching advised? Or just gentle motions for now? I'm going to see how it feels tomorrow. If it doesn't hurt too badly tomorrow, I may try a slow jog on Wednesday and work my way back into things.
I appreciate the input!
Hamstring but lay on the floor and gently use a towel to pull your leg up, keep knee straight. This prevents cheating by curling the lower back.
Lay on back and bring knee to chest- one at a time.
Bent knees side to side gently as tolerated to loosen low back.
Hip rotator stretch- laying on back with knees bent, cross L ankle onto R knee, if no stretch felt, gently lift R leg towards chest; switch sides.
Pelvic tilts/ lifts. Focus on squeezing glutes.
I hurt my back moving into our current residence, but this was after many years of hospital work and I already had back issues. I ran as tolerated since it wasn't a disc. If I don't keep up my exercises, my back pain returns.