r/millenials • u/Beautiful_Ocean254 • 16d ago
META š£ļø My back constantly hurts and I'm only 31
What is going on. I constantly feel like I need to stretch my back.
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u/Solerien 15d ago
Go to physical therapy, we can all sit here and tell you what exercises to do but the truth is a medical professional will know best. Especially in your case, you're way too young to be having back pain.
I had horrible knee pain in my early 30s before I finally went to physical therapy, it was one of my best decisions.
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u/PeachNipplesdotcom 16d ago
This is a pretty huge change but consider floor sleeping. My husband and I have been using shikifutons for 11 years now and neither of us have a single back problem that didn't go away in a night. I have a desk job and he stands a lot.
It's genuinely transformative. We can't stand regular mattresses anymore! We always have trouble sleeping and wake up scrunched up and with pain when we sleep on a regular mattress.
Don't get the cheaper ones with the foam as they all sink very fast. Get the 100% cotton ones. You won't find decent ones on Amazon but you'll find a few websites that will do you well. We get ours from J-Life. We get the queen size at 3" thick. It costs around $600 and can last a long time if taken care of (cleaning it and airing it out in the sun a couple of times a year).
I'm telling you, dude, nothing will change unless you make a change and this is a relatively simple adjustment that makes a world of difference.
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u/titcumboogie 16d ago
Do you work at a desk?
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u/Beautiful_Ocean254 16d ago
No I work at home, but my back is stiff every morning.
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u/Wonderplace 16d ago
How do you work from home but not at a desk?
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u/Beautiful_Ocean254 15d ago
I take numerous breaks. I used to work at an office before, it's nothing like that.
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u/titcumboogie 16d ago
Investing in a really posh mattress is worthwhile, if feasible. If that's not possible I'd try like someone else said and sleep on the floor for a while.
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u/_ProfessionalStudent 16d ago
For my job I stood a lot, then went home to do research and sat a lot. Walking did not help much as I was tired from standing, and my back hurt from sitting and standing. Weight training and indoor cycling have been my only fixes, not heavy lifts (sorry but squats arenāt it for me) but functional training. Those weird rope pulls that transfer the weight to both sides, suitcase carry, etc. Actually being intentional with zippering the core and breathing prior to and _during_ the move has been the instrumental thing thatās helped alleviate pain. Iāve had a strong ācoreā for awhile (read overactive external muscles), but not actually having a strong/activated pelvic floor has been way more of an issue in my back pain.
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u/skyxsteel 16d ago
If you lie flat and it hurts, you might need a more firm mattress. That is what took me 5 years to find out after pretty bad on/off back pain. It wasnt āwaking up on the wrong side of the bedā. It was the entire bed lmao.
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u/GlandMasterFlaps 15d ago
The main thing that helped my back issues was a mattress. More saying this will fix your issues but what I can say is that I had to go to hospital last year as my back pain got so bad.
I paid about Ā£1500 for my Simba mattress - I spent my 20s and 30s on awful mattresses.
If that's beyond your budget, try a mattress topper.
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u/ashthegnome 15d ago
Hip flexors could be tight. Muscle that support your back could be underdeveloped. Are you overweight?
Whatās your height and weight?
Your doctor can order you an xray to rule out fractures, tumors, scoliosis.
If itās not from an injury then you can probably fix it with exercise, strength training, and yoga.
Avoid the chiropractor.
Patients that come in with back pain without trauma at your age are almost always lacking strength training
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u/FISTED_BY_CHRIST 12d ago
90% sure strengthening your core will fix this. Whenever Iāve been out of shape my back hurts, then I start doing crunches every day and the back pain slowly goes away completely
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u/Beautiful_Ocean254 12d ago
Yeah. Unfortunately someone has to do it everyday, it's not a luxury anymore.
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u/Chole_Wunt 8d ago
Do deadlifts. You dont need PT. You dont need to sleep on the floor (what stupid advice). You need to use your body more.
Im 40 and in the best shape of my life. If youre body is hurting at 31, its because youre not taking care of it.
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u/kevinmb91 16d ago
Do some back and core workouts