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It's my upper left back. It's been a week now since the improper workout and it still bothers me. I feels a lot better since but I keep flexing my back to feel some relief. Should I go to a chiropractor? I've read some horror stories about visiting one. Perhaps I should go to a physical therapist instead? What should I do in this situation?
Probably it's just an erector spinae contraction. Those things can spring themselves on you and can take days or a week or longer to relax. And they can really hurt. It's not an injury though, just a kind of stubborn spasm that will eventually resolve. Don't go to a chiropractor. If you want to try something that might help in the near term, go get a good thorough massage. Let the person doing the massage know about it and they can do some active-release work on that spot.
Probably it's just an erector spinae contraction. Those things can spring themselves on you and can take days or a week or longer to relax. And they can really hurt. It's not an injury though, just a kind of stubborn spasm that will eventually resolve. Don't go to a chiropractor. If you want to try something that might help in the near term, go get a good thorough massage. Let the person doing the massage know about it and they can do some active-release work on that spot.
It feels like a stiffness/knot. If I move my neck or turn in a certain direction I can feel it. I keep shrugging and flexing to make it feel smooth again. So a massage therapist is best for this?
Yeah, it would make more sense than a chiropractor or physical therapy. And you'd get a nice massage in the bargain. Can't beat that.
This particular muscle spasm can be a thing that recurs from time to time, but it's just a thing that hurts like heck, not an actual injury. No need to worry about that at least.
It feels like a stiffness/knot. If I move my neck or turn in a certain direction I can feel it. I keep shrugging and flexing to make it feel smooth again. So a massage therapist is best for this?
Look up foam rolling for upper back pain on youtube.
You can also try Sonnon's Intuflow program for pain free mobility.
Probably it's just an erector spinae contraction. Those things can spring themselves on you and can take days or a week or longer to relax. And they can really hurt. It's not an injury though, just a kind of stubborn spasm that will eventually resolve. Don't go to a chiropractor. If you want to try something that might help in the near term, go get a good thorough massage. Let the person doing the massage know about it and they can do some active-release work on that spot.
I'm going to have to google that! I had a terrible pain/knot in my upper/mid back a few years ago...thought it was my heart and was terrified. Ended up going to urgent care, where they said it was not a heart issue and was probably caused by lugging my heavy backpack around...this was in Seattle when everyone used backpacks...maybe they still do! Anyway, they gave me muscle relaxants which cured the pain in a day! I still can't do the yoga triangle pose without irritating that area......wonder if this contraction thing was what it was....
I still can't do the yoga triangle pose without irritating that area......wonder if this contraction thing was what it was....
Mine on the left side is pretty twitchy too. Over the years I've kind of learned what things can set it off and also what it feels like when I'm pushing my luck with a certain yoga pose or lifting set... if I feel like I'm getting that tell tale warning twinge I back off immediately. LOL. Once it cramps up it can take a week sometimes to release. Weird thing is that it's not like any certain thing triggers it all the time. Just that certain things trigger it occasionally.
Personally, I have not found foam rolling to be a fix, although it can give some temporary relief but then I'm just exchanging the pain of the foam rolling for the temporary relief from the pain of the spasm, but not a fix to the issue. (Well, to be more precise, I use a lacrosse ball, not a roller, because the target area is too isolated and specific, and also complicated by vertebrae, scapula, etc for a roller to work.) Which is not to say it won't work for someone else.
A good sports massage person who understands active release technique has worked well for my athlete son and many of his athlete friends, but that's a bit more trouble than I normally want to go to. I get the best result from learning (almost intuiting) how to back off any move when I get close to triggering it.
I did a deadlift about 30-years ago with way too much weight. "Completed" the lift in a very improper manner..........hurt my back in the process, it has never been the same since.
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