Again, I disagree. It's best to inform oneself and try self correction. Backs, shoulders, knees are tricky and become virtual gold mines for the medical types. Treating those types of issues is far more art than science.
I've read several books on back issues way back when. One of the more noted back surgeons wrote that 98% of back operations are unnecessary. I saw him repeat that line on Larry King Live in front of another surgeon. The other surgeon agreed. Think of it, 98%!
The amount of over-treatment and over-medication in this country is astounding and can't continue as we are going broke.
If you read the article, you'll see I'm in good company at least for lower backs.
Now in your case, if you have a serious issue, then of course one should seek medical help.
That sort of happened to me last year. I used a Stihl trimmer with a 10" circular saw blade doing trail maintenance for about 4 hours straight. I walked about 3 miles while using it as well. Then I rode 10 miles of single track as hard as I could with other guys and gals after we finished trail work.
Normally I don't use that Trimmer more than 20 minutes at a time and I don't expend the effort to cut heavy brush with it; Just grass. The next morning I could just barely make it to the head. It was upper back. It was like frozen and any movement was very painful.
I figured I was in good enough shape and it would pass. It was mostly gone in two days. I did take some Aleve. Had there been no improvement, I would have gone to a doctor. If there's progress, I don't as the self recuperative powers of the body are phenomenal. It just needs time and not too much inactivity.
Another point this surgeon made was that we rarely have any idea what causes our backs to act up. It's generally due to many things over a period of time and all we do is link it to the last effort that involved our back just before it acts up.
IMO, unless the back is already damaged, back problems are mostly due to insufficient muscle condition to support one's range of activities. That's certainly true for me as the hyper extension bench has worked so far. I'll have to give it at least three more months to be sure.
Al
[QUOTE=badger1;12230768]
Originally Posted by
alcanoe
I disagree. We run to the doctor far to quickly/often. The results are often needless treatments and complications. Big $s for the medical industry. We take too many drugs at the sign of a little pain.
Al
Screening: Doctors’ Group Urges Fewer Scans for Lower Back Paining:"
Assuming you were referring to my post a while back, I don't in fact disagree with you at all on this. That in fact was and is my attitude toward e.g. mild back discomfort from overdoing things, etc.
I was, however, referring to the OP's statements along these lines:
"When I do get back pain, it's typically not from athletic activities are more from schlepping stuff wrong and working very long hours on a computer in odd positions. The bike should be a good fit, but still tweaking things."
While I may have read too much into that (and similar) statements, the one above in fact pretty much describes me, for several years leading up to my incident ... which came totally out of the blue. Simply woke up one morning literally unable to move, sit, lie down, stand, let alone walk without excruciating, crippling pain all down one leg ... severe enough to reduce me to tears. That took me to the g.p., and from there to (in my case) a full work-up and several weeks of physiotherapy.
So, it seems to me that if the OP has a kind of chronic tendency to experience back pain, but is otherwise fit/active, and especially if it seems like it might be getting more frequent/intense, a little preventative consultation might avoid something worse/much more expensive down the road. Just a thought.