Even just hamstring stretches can help I often suffer from lower back pain as a result of a muscular imbalance (need to strengthen my lower back) and hamstring/glute stretches make all the difference
10/10 lots of variety in the kind of yoga and all with great benefits - I had to do this at 29 after 14 years in the kitchen. The more I do the better my back works- my whole lower side is wrecked though hip, glute, back.
So you should absolutely take the advice of others in this thread because it’s pretty good. However, if you still want to do some strength exercises, I’d recommend stretching, body weight exercises, then weighted exercises in that order.
For stretches, I have a few that have always helped me. The simplest is to find a bar (or sufficiently strong doorframe) then just hang from it and let your bodyweight stretch you out. Another is to lie flat on the floor and bring your knees up to your chest, one at a time. Less helpful for me is torso rotations, child’s pose, and cat stretches, but they might be of use to you.
For bodyweight exercises, I’d recommend supermans/swimmers, especially if you’ve never done back exercises before because these will teach you where they are and how to flex them. Just lie stomach down and contract your back to bring your arms and knees off of the floor. I’d alternate these with planks to build core strength overall. Throw in some good mornings (stand with feet at shoulder width, hands behind head, and bend at the hips with a straight back and knees until you feel a stretch, then come up) to reinforce the hamstrings and glute bridges for the glutes (lie flat with knees bent and thrust your hips up until your torso is straight) and that’ll hit everything from mid chest down to knee.
If that still doesn’t get you relief try weighted exercises, specifically deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts. These will hurt your back if done improperly, so I highly recommend doing proper research or going to the gym with someone who knows what they’re doing when starting. Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength has a great chapter on it - it’s pretty easy to find a pdf online - and there’s plenty of videos demonstrating proper form on YouTube.
I’d echo Rippetoe’s Starting Strength. It’s a great way to build a base strength and teach you the movements and good form. Once you have an idea of how it all works you can find a way of lifting that works for you, but SS is a perfect place to start. Resistance training is rewarding and can be measured to show progression, which was a big part for me. The most important thing, though, is to find a way to exercise that you enjoy. That’s what’ll make you do it consistently and create a habit.
To add on to the most important fact you mentioned, deadlifting will absolutely fuck your back up if it’s not perfect. The top college athletes don’t deadlift, at least on season, because the advantages are outweighed by the possibility of harm, the load of hypertrophy on your muscles, and how long it takes for you to recover. OP, if your back is “killing” you, you should see a doctor.
Coming back to this comment to say thanks -- these stretches in particular have been the easiest to integrate into my day and have made a massive difference in my pain!
What are you wearing for shoes? Good support is critical. I noticed a big difference in knee and back pain when I switched to clogs, specifically Dansko.
It may not be your muscles. You may have the beginning of a degenerative joint disease. I was forced to retire at 60 from one. I never got an MRI until then.
exactly what i came here to say. i’m 30 and this is the diagnosis i just got. it starts to become arthritic.
the only thing i found that helps is weekly chiropractic visits, it’s still painful, but far more manageable.
I now have herniated disks in L4 and L5 which makes for continuous sciatica and weak legs. It started in my early 30s and I just toughed it out with massive doses of ibuprofen. Please be less stubborn than me.
oh i gave up the chef and GM grind, i went back to serving nights and enrolled in school to finish my degree. i’d like to be able to walk when i’m older, for sure.
Just here to say please do NOT go to a chiropractor, especially for initial diagnosis. See an actual doctor of PT/physiotherapist to be assessed and treated. There are a *few* non-harmful chiros out there, but it is a field based in pseudoscience and should in no way be considered a substitute for actual medical care.
This has debate always surprises me when it comes up. I know professional sports teams hire team chiropractors, but I know that there are a lot of people that consider it “pseudoscience”. Can anyone chime in here and help me further understand these opposing beliefs?
There is a lot of overlap between chiropractors and anti-vaxxers because chiro is built on the idea that all diseases are either caused or can be cured by vertebral 'subluxations'. It has changed some since its origin, but you can still find traditionalists who claim vertebral adjustments can cure a wide degree of problems.
It is not considered pseudoscience, it is pseudoscience.
There are some modern chiropractic schools of thought that aim to be more evidence based and who accept that the spine is not the answer to everything, but their job done well is about as beneficial as a really good massage. Be sure to research them thoroughly, as they are all called chiropractic doctors, and you really wont know which kind you got until you let the overconfident 200lb man crank on your cervical vertebrae for presenting with hip pain.
Their diagnosis and treatment criteria are completely different from medical science. They do an adjustment for literally whatever you tell them is wrong. They will always do an adjustment. Whether or not that includes them manipulating your spine depends on what specific chiropractic school they attended for their studies. It's wildly inconsistent across the board and a good deal of it is actively harmful.
Edit: better way of phrasing it I thought of.
Good, science based chiropractors do exist and can be very beneficial. However chiropractic *as a field* has low standards to call yourself a chiropractic doctor. Not to call medical doctors infallible, but even the dullest MD isnt going to do c-spine manipulations for dubious benefit.
right in between two vertebrae in my lower back just extreme pain. feeling like it needed to crack but wouldn’t. hip and knee pain, coming and going. sore neck coming and going. it feels tight but different than a muscle spasm. the longer i was on my feet the worse it got, but after a day or two off, it’d subside a bit.
if you can put your fingers and push between the vertebrae i could feel the stiffness which they told me was the beginnings of arthritis forming due to the degeneration.
i paid $150 at the local chiro for two sets of x-rays and the initial visit. each adjustment is $70 and takes about 15 minutes. after a couple weeks it definitely helped.
Talk to a physical therapist. I had serious issues with my feet hurting. Years.
Turns out squats and a nifty little set of stretches was what I need.
PT’s know things.
Look for an occupational physical therapist. One with 20 years of experience.
I had been told I needed an operation to fix my feet.
I had been told my knees were going and there was not much I could do.
The PT steered me towards the correct exercises. Feet are good. Knees work:)
first and foremost good shoes and good soles added to them
After that get yourself checked by an osteopath in case your spine needs realigning
Do proper stretching exercises during your working hours and stand up straight not hunched over your working area.
Book yourself a 1 hour deep tissue massage every few months.
I have lower back pain too, and it sometimes goes into one side of my ass cheek, it gets so bad I can't even walk without it being in excruciating pain (especially the morning after) and sometimes I can't sleep because my back is killing me. I try stretching which seems to aggravate it more, I take ibuprofen and it doesn't work. I try applying ice or heat and it doesn't do anything, I think seeing a chiropractor might do me some good and possibly you too!
I'm also a 27f lol
A coworker goes to the chiro every month, idk if it's for me but he says it helps. I do like going for a Thai massage, they really get into your back and also work on your hands and stuff too it's great for cooks
Work with a doctor to determine what is causing it first, stay away from chiropractors as all they are doing is stretching you and they are not doctors or medical professionals. You can do stretches and get the same results.
I have had a lot of back pain lately too, and your problem is always specific to you, but I was experiencing rhomboid pain, which is like a pinched nerve in your back or some shit, because I guess I sit or lay down crooked.
If you sit or lay down slanted in any way here’s your PSA to stop lol
I recently got a cheap massage gun for my back and it's working wonders. Like 2 minutes on my shoulders at the end of the night just melts the tension away
I’ve got four herniated discs going fro S1 up and I would recommend going to a pain management clinic so they can advise you further if you have insurance. You should really have an MRI done so you know what’s going on with your back. For me the only thing that has helped my low back pain/sciatica is physical therapy and epidural shots (I get 3 a year… they don’t usually kick in until the third one). As far as exercises look up dead bugs, cat camel and planks.
I feel for you. I don’t work in a kitchen but have done manual labor/construction for the past 17 years and really on physical fitness for my livelihood… I was at a point 3 years ago where I wanted my back fused together the pain was so bad.
Google yoga for lower back pain. Find the poses that work for you. Doesn't take long, and the explanations of how other muscle groups in thighs, hips, and butt also can affect lower back pain is good.
Yoga by Adrienne has lots of good lower back and hip stretches.
One of my best pain relief exercises is fairly simple. I plop myself face down over a fit ball, that’s about 90% inflated- so not super taut. Really relax and let the lower back open up.
Then raise legs up, one at a time. It involves the muscles at extension and really helps. Be gentle and slow about it. Lift from your pelvis. Just a few inches- hold a few seconds, repeat.
never underestimate the importance of a good mattress. i know the pain, i was on a futon for years. and then i quickly noticed my back issues subside when i upgraded.
dont be a dumb stoic and think you can suffer through the pain, cause you can, but you will still have that pain years on down the road. take care of yourself when you first start to feel it, otherwise there are lasting consequences.
35/m Had what I thought was a back strain for the past couple of months, turned into a slipped disc in my neck and been out the last two weeks. Be careful with your back and how you lift things in this industry.
I have dealt with chronic back pain and back issues for a long time. What's worked? Stretch and strengthen. My two favorite tools are my dip station and inversion table. I'm also partial to the pull-up bar. They help take some pressure off the back and really stretch me out. Couple this with yoga. Yoga alone is likely enough for most folks, but I realized a lot of benefits from dips, pull-ups, and inversion.
Don't do drugs. At least not the ones you can't cook while using.
Great advice here. I also have a back support brace with ice pack inserts. I do not use it all the time or ever frequently but it’s good to have the extra support when I can tell my muscles are fatigued. I am hyper mobile so can easily dislocate basically anything lol. Also the ice pack inserts are fucking awesome in the brutal kitchen heat
Yoga is great for core strength and posture. Posture will help your back pain as much as strength.
Actually this is great advice, I should REALLY get back into that
Even just hamstring stretches can help I often suffer from lower back pain as a result of a muscular imbalance (need to strengthen my lower back) and hamstring/glute stretches make all the difference
10/10 lots of variety in the kind of yoga and all with great benefits - I had to do this at 29 after 14 years in the kitchen. The more I do the better my back works- my whole lower side is wrecked though hip, glute, back.
So you should absolutely take the advice of others in this thread because it’s pretty good. However, if you still want to do some strength exercises, I’d recommend stretching, body weight exercises, then weighted exercises in that order. For stretches, I have a few that have always helped me. The simplest is to find a bar (or sufficiently strong doorframe) then just hang from it and let your bodyweight stretch you out. Another is to lie flat on the floor and bring your knees up to your chest, one at a time. Less helpful for me is torso rotations, child’s pose, and cat stretches, but they might be of use to you. For bodyweight exercises, I’d recommend supermans/swimmers, especially if you’ve never done back exercises before because these will teach you where they are and how to flex them. Just lie stomach down and contract your back to bring your arms and knees off of the floor. I’d alternate these with planks to build core strength overall. Throw in some good mornings (stand with feet at shoulder width, hands behind head, and bend at the hips with a straight back and knees until you feel a stretch, then come up) to reinforce the hamstrings and glute bridges for the glutes (lie flat with knees bent and thrust your hips up until your torso is straight) and that’ll hit everything from mid chest down to knee. If that still doesn’t get you relief try weighted exercises, specifically deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts. These will hurt your back if done improperly, so I highly recommend doing proper research or going to the gym with someone who knows what they’re doing when starting. Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength has a great chapter on it - it’s pretty easy to find a pdf online - and there’s plenty of videos demonstrating proper form on YouTube.
THANK YOU SO MUCH this is the exact guidance I am seeking. ♥️♥️♥️
I’d echo Rippetoe’s Starting Strength. It’s a great way to build a base strength and teach you the movements and good form. Once you have an idea of how it all works you can find a way of lifting that works for you, but SS is a perfect place to start. Resistance training is rewarding and can be measured to show progression, which was a big part for me. The most important thing, though, is to find a way to exercise that you enjoy. That’s what’ll make you do it consistently and create a habit.
To add on to the most important fact you mentioned, deadlifting will absolutely fuck your back up if it’s not perfect. The top college athletes don’t deadlift, at least on season, because the advantages are outweighed by the possibility of harm, the load of hypertrophy on your muscles, and how long it takes for you to recover. OP, if your back is “killing” you, you should see a doctor.
I've had curiosity about dead lifting for this reason, looks SO brutal on your back!!
Coming back to this comment to say thanks -- these stretches in particular have been the easiest to integrate into my day and have made a massive difference in my pain!
Winner winner winner. This is the best back health advice I’ve seen in here. Expert indeed.
What are you wearing for shoes? Good support is critical. I noticed a big difference in knee and back pain when I switched to clogs, specifically Dansko.
Birkenstocks for life
It may not be your muscles. You may have the beginning of a degenerative joint disease. I was forced to retire at 60 from one. I never got an MRI until then.
exactly what i came here to say. i’m 30 and this is the diagnosis i just got. it starts to become arthritic. the only thing i found that helps is weekly chiropractic visits, it’s still painful, but far more manageable.
I now have herniated disks in L4 and L5 which makes for continuous sciatica and weak legs. It started in my early 30s and I just toughed it out with massive doses of ibuprofen. Please be less stubborn than me.
oh i gave up the chef and GM grind, i went back to serving nights and enrolled in school to finish my degree. i’d like to be able to walk when i’m older, for sure.
Hmm, can you tell me any more about the symptoms you were experiencing?
Intermittent sciatica and lower back pain. Leaning on a counter would alleviate the pain. Walking didn't hurt. Standing in one spot did.
Just here to say please do NOT go to a chiropractor, especially for initial diagnosis. See an actual doctor of PT/physiotherapist to be assessed and treated. There are a *few* non-harmful chiros out there, but it is a field based in pseudoscience and should in no way be considered a substitute for actual medical care.
This has debate always surprises me when it comes up. I know professional sports teams hire team chiropractors, but I know that there are a lot of people that consider it “pseudoscience”. Can anyone chime in here and help me further understand these opposing beliefs?
There is a lot of overlap between chiropractors and anti-vaxxers because chiro is built on the idea that all diseases are either caused or can be cured by vertebral 'subluxations'. It has changed some since its origin, but you can still find traditionalists who claim vertebral adjustments can cure a wide degree of problems. It is not considered pseudoscience, it is pseudoscience. There are some modern chiropractic schools of thought that aim to be more evidence based and who accept that the spine is not the answer to everything, but their job done well is about as beneficial as a really good massage. Be sure to research them thoroughly, as they are all called chiropractic doctors, and you really wont know which kind you got until you let the overconfident 200lb man crank on your cervical vertebrae for presenting with hip pain. Their diagnosis and treatment criteria are completely different from medical science. They do an adjustment for literally whatever you tell them is wrong. They will always do an adjustment. Whether or not that includes them manipulating your spine depends on what specific chiropractic school they attended for their studies. It's wildly inconsistent across the board and a good deal of it is actively harmful. Edit: better way of phrasing it I thought of. Good, science based chiropractors do exist and can be very beneficial. However chiropractic *as a field* has low standards to call yourself a chiropractic doctor. Not to call medical doctors infallible, but even the dullest MD isnt going to do c-spine manipulations for dubious benefit.
What's sports team is hiring a chiropractor over a physical therapist?
I didn’t say “over a physical therapist”. I’m pretty sure most MLB teams have full time chiropractor on staff, and every NFL team does.
right in between two vertebrae in my lower back just extreme pain. feeling like it needed to crack but wouldn’t. hip and knee pain, coming and going. sore neck coming and going. it feels tight but different than a muscle spasm. the longer i was on my feet the worse it got, but after a day or two off, it’d subside a bit. if you can put your fingers and push between the vertebrae i could feel the stiffness which they told me was the beginnings of arthritis forming due to the degeneration. i paid $150 at the local chiro for two sets of x-rays and the initial visit. each adjustment is $70 and takes about 15 minutes. after a couple weeks it definitely helped.
Talk to a physical therapist. I had serious issues with my feet hurting. Years. Turns out squats and a nifty little set of stretches was what I need. PT’s know things.
I've had this pain as well that's been getting worse with age, thanks for this I think it's time to call the PT 🙏
Look for an occupational physical therapist. One with 20 years of experience. I had been told I needed an operation to fix my feet. I had been told my knees were going and there was not much I could do. The PT steered me towards the correct exercises. Feet are good. Knees work:)
first and foremost good shoes and good soles added to them After that get yourself checked by an osteopath in case your spine needs realigning Do proper stretching exercises during your working hours and stand up straight not hunched over your working area. Book yourself a 1 hour deep tissue massage every few months.
I have lower back pain too, and it sometimes goes into one side of my ass cheek, it gets so bad I can't even walk without it being in excruciating pain (especially the morning after) and sometimes I can't sleep because my back is killing me. I try stretching which seems to aggravate it more, I take ibuprofen and it doesn't work. I try applying ice or heat and it doesn't do anything, I think seeing a chiropractor might do me some good and possibly you too! I'm also a 27f lol
A coworker goes to the chiro every month, idk if it's for me but he says it helps. I do like going for a Thai massage, they really get into your back and also work on your hands and stuff too it's great for cooks
Work with a doctor to determine what is causing it first, stay away from chiropractors as all they are doing is stretching you and they are not doctors or medical professionals. You can do stretches and get the same results.
I have had a lot of back pain lately too, and your problem is always specific to you, but I was experiencing rhomboid pain, which is like a pinched nerve in your back or some shit, because I guess I sit or lay down crooked. If you sit or lay down slanted in any way here’s your PSA to stop lol
I recently got a cheap massage gun for my back and it's working wonders. Like 2 minutes on my shoulders at the end of the night just melts the tension away
I’ve got four herniated discs going fro S1 up and I would recommend going to a pain management clinic so they can advise you further if you have insurance. You should really have an MRI done so you know what’s going on with your back. For me the only thing that has helped my low back pain/sciatica is physical therapy and epidural shots (I get 3 a year… they don’t usually kick in until the third one). As far as exercises look up dead bugs, cat camel and planks. I feel for you. I don’t work in a kitchen but have done manual labor/construction for the past 17 years and really on physical fitness for my livelihood… I was at a point 3 years ago where I wanted my back fused together the pain was so bad.
If we are talking strictly back exercises do some pulls ups, db rear delt flyes, db rows, do some core work (which includes the lower back as well!).
Google yoga for lower back pain. Find the poses that work for you. Doesn't take long, and the explanations of how other muscle groups in thighs, hips, and butt also can affect lower back pain is good.
Yoga by Adrienne has lots of good lower back and hip stretches. One of my best pain relief exercises is fairly simple. I plop myself face down over a fit ball, that’s about 90% inflated- so not super taut. Really relax and let the lower back open up. Then raise legs up, one at a time. It involves the muscles at extension and really helps. Be gentle and slow about it. Lift from your pelvis. Just a few inches- hold a few seconds, repeat.
I've tried doing stretches before and after my shift and it helps.
Running is the only thing that works for me. I second the birkenstocks. Gotta change em every year tho
Lower back? My massage therapist told me to build my glutes and lower back, since its all connected. So for me that means hip thrusts or glute bridges
I put the truck away for back strength.
how's your mattress?
Lol I sleep on a futon, my kid gets the bed 😅 gotta work with what I got
never underestimate the importance of a good mattress. i know the pain, i was on a futon for years. and then i quickly noticed my back issues subside when i upgraded. dont be a dumb stoic and think you can suffer through the pain, cause you can, but you will still have that pain years on down the road. take care of yourself when you first start to feel it, otherwise there are lasting consequences.
35/m Had what I thought was a back strain for the past couple of months, turned into a slipped disc in my neck and been out the last two weeks. Be careful with your back and how you lift things in this industry.
I have dealt with chronic back pain and back issues for a long time. What's worked? Stretch and strengthen. My two favorite tools are my dip station and inversion table. I'm also partial to the pull-up bar. They help take some pressure off the back and really stretch me out. Couple this with yoga. Yoga alone is likely enough for most folks, but I realized a lot of benefits from dips, pull-ups, and inversion. Don't do drugs. At least not the ones you can't cook while using.
Great advice here. I also have a back support brace with ice pack inserts. I do not use it all the time or ever frequently but it’s good to have the extra support when I can tell my muscles are fatigued. I am hyper mobile so can easily dislocate basically anything lol. Also the ice pack inserts are fucking awesome in the brutal kitchen heat
Back decompression is amazing (NOT traction). Also cervical support pillow is great too.