Question
doc,the pain eminates in the lower back but on the sides (either side of the spine) ,just before the buttocks region.It also hurts when I get up at times after lengthy periods of sitting.

The Deep heat does help but temporarily

thanks
Imtiaz
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Doc,I have been experiencing lower back pain everytime I play sport which is twice a week.I play squash on a Wednesday evening and cricket on a Saturday afternoon and experience these pains every time after these activities for approx. 2 days & then it simmers down.

I do the mandatory warm-up's and warm downs yet this problem still persists.

Please advise as I have been using an ointment called Deep Heat to soothe the pain.

thanks & regards
Imtiaz
Answer -
Wow, this is really vague.  I really need to know where in your low back the pain is coming from.  Is it in the spine, along the spinal muscles, along the other back muscles or deeper?  Does your back hurt when you are sittling or when you first try to get up?  Does the deep heat help?

Please write back with a few more specifics.

Dr. P

Answer
excellent, this is much better!

It sounds like you are getting a spasm in the psoas muscle which is deep in the abdomen, on the front of the lumbar spine.  Remember in school they told you that if you were doing situps and went too far you were using your hip flexors and not your stomach?  This is the muscle they were talking about.  When it goes into spasm, it makes it hard to get up after sitting for a long period of time and hurts along the quadratus lumborum muscles in the back--the typical 'back ache.'  The best way to stretch this muscle is to first stretch the hamstrings, and then kneel on the floor with one leg kneeling and the other foot on the floor in front of you.  Lean forward in such a way that you feel the stretch in the leg with the knee on the floor--right where you would put your hands in your pockets is where you should feel the stretch.

I know that you are thinking that I missed the point, but it is important to note that where you feel the pain is not where the cause is.  The 'deep heat' will help the tired muscle, but will not correct the problem area.  The Psoas stretch will help do that.  If it does not help after about three days, I would see a trainer or a Doc for your team.  Of course, I am a bit partial about chiropractors.............

Good luck,

Dr. P