Lumbar impingement: treatment, exercises and recovery time

Lumbar impingement is an injury caused by a blockage of a vertebra in the lumbar area of ​​the spine (lower back). This block produces resistance for the correct mobility of the person, specifically in the flexion and elongation of the back. As an additional consequence, the nerves located between the affected vertebrae are trapped or under greater pressure than usual, thus ending up generating, in addition to the difficulty of movement, the characteristic pain added to other possible secondary symptoms.

This pain generally appears gradually, that is, unless the cause of the impingement is an accident, this blockage develops little by little due to wear and tear. However, people can underestimate it when they begin to feel it, for example when getting out of bed, since it begins as a momentary mild pain that, due to the individual’s ignorance, may think that it is ‘normal’. However, we inform you that a back in good health will not hurt, as long as you make correct movements and efforts.

Depending on each case and the progress of the blockage, the following symptoms may appear :

• Tingling in the legs
• Pain in activities or simple movements that require bending, sitting / standing or any flexion / extension of the spine, thus generating the need to move slowly.
• Cracking in the bone joint, product of stiffness, lack of mobility and sufficient intervertebral space.
• Numbness or asthenia in the legs.
• Involuntary muscle spasms or contractions.

The lumbar back is the main responsible for accumulating much of the weight exerted by the body, even when sitting. In addition, it is a crucial point of mobility, since it intervenes in any forward or backward inclination, to the sides and even when sitting in different ways. The causes for such a crucial region to be affected are the following:

• Lack of exercise and constant movement: “what is not used, atrophies”, that is exactly what happens here. Lack of movement favors the development of lumbar impingement, both directly by itself and by helping to cause any of the following risk factors.
• Adoption of bad postures in a continuous and prolonged way that do not go according to the natural alignment of the body. Citing the first point about sedentary lifestyle, a sitting posture for a long time, even if it seems like a relaxed posture, is equally harmful to the back with only half an hour in it. In the following article we show good tricks to improve posture .
• Overexertion: some strength work done repeatedly, without knowing the limits, taking care of the back or with bad posture increases the risk of lumbar impingement.
• Obesity : increases the pressure in vertebrae and favors the wear of the intervertebral discs.
• Accidents: either producing the impingement instantly or increasing the risk of its appearance with another injury that influences said area.
• Stress: excess tension due to accumulation of stress can be reflected in the muscles that surround the lumbar back, increasing the pressure in the area. Chronic stress is also a risk factor as it produces among its effects, for example, the wear of the intervertebral discs.

As long as they do not represent a strong impediment to movement, the series of exercises and most recommended practices for lumbar impingement are the following:

• Stretches: standing, elongation of the trunk and arms up, with the heels together without leaving the ground. Then go as low as you can, trying to lower your hands towards your feet, but it is very important not to bend your knees at any time, because all the effect is lost. Let your hands reach as far as they can, keeping your legs straight. Then, go up to the starting stretch and do several repetitions of the cycle.
• Spinal push-ups: the most famous is the one frequented in yoga, where you support yourself on hands and knees, aligned with shoulders and hips, respectively. As you inhale, lower the umbilical point, arching your spine downward and raising your head. Exhale arching your spine in the reverse direction, bringing your head down your torso.
• Pilates, swimming and yoga: these practices are especially aimed at moving and adjusting the body. Pilates , specifically, focuses on tightening and strengthening the abdominal area and lower back. Strengthening this area with these types of exercises allows you to automatically have a better posture at all times.

When the severity of pain and injury are high, also involving tingling and frequent leg contractions, a doctor should be consulted before choosing an exercise routine or taking pain relievers without prudence. The doctor will direct you to attend a physical therapist to perform specialized exercises.

In the worst case, a surgical intervention will be more convenient, which can range from the removal of a piece of vertebra that generates the blockage, to its replacement. This is used when bone and / or neurological wear is very advanced.

Recovery time can be several weeks or months depending on the operation performed. It is important that the person continues to perform on their legs, initially supervised by a physical therapist to prevent their muscles from atrophying.

If the operation is not performed, the severity of the impingement will determine the recovery time (no more than a month), although the lumbar impingement should function as a learning for the person that it is important to exercise and take care of their flexibility every day.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Lumbar impingement: treatment, exercises and recovery time , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .