Reddit reviews The Original McKenzie Lumbar Roll by OPTP - Low Back Support for Office Chairs and Car Seats

1. Take some ibuprofen to get the inflammation down. Take it with food and take it with TUMs (antacid calcium tablets ) to protect your stomach.
   
   
2. Spend your time on the floor. Read a book or watch videos to keep your mind off of it.
   
   
3. Get to a doctor (preferably an orthopedic doctor specializing in back pain )to confirm that it isn't a disc injury. Most back pain is usually just muscle spasms.
   
   
4. As soon as you can get walking, even if it hurts. It will speed up your back healing.
   
   
5. Physical therapy has the best track record for helping back pain as far as type of professionals go. If you want an adjustment go to an Osteopath, not a Chiropractor. Osteopaths do adjustments and have the same education as MDs. Research has shown that adjustments peak in value after about two times.
   
   
6. The most therapeutic self care for bad backs is swimming, long walks with good posture, and ab strengthening exercises.
   
   
7. Bend from the hips, not the waist, knees bent, and always keep your back straight when doing so by looking up.
   
   
8. If you must sit in a chair put a cylindrical cushion (or cushy rolled up towel )between the back of your chair and the small of your back.....and sit up straight.
   
   
9. Remember that your spine and back are near indestructible, so chances are this is a soft tissue injury that will go away gradually and there is no need to worry until a doctor tells you otherwise. Worry is the biggest problem with back pain, rather than any issues with the back.
   
   Good Luck and take it easy :)

I take my McKenzie Roll to all freelance gigs. While it does have lumbar support, it’s also a constant reminder to have shoulders back and chest open. I also recommend installing a Chrome Extension that reminds you to do 20/20/20. Also just making sure you get up, stay hydrated, and get some exercise will help.

I have to go to physical therapy because of my shoulders/neck due to chronic muscle pain and my PT recommended I buy the lumbar support below. Not only does it take strain off of my lower back but it really helps decrease the tension in my shoulders and neck since it helps correct my posture. I don't wrap it around the chair, I just put it within the lordosis of my lumbars and am good to go. I also

® Lumbar Roll - Standard Density (701) 11 x 4.75 Inches - 100% Polyester Low Back Support for Car Seat, Office Chair or Waist https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H48WYA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_B8vyxb910MPVS

I also invested in this book stand because I found that looking directly down at the table was also contributing to my pain

Wiztem Lilac Book Reader Stand Holder (11.8 X 9.4" Bookstand / Bookstands / Holder / Cookbook / Music / stand for iPhone, iPod, Kindle, eReader, Tablet PC, Smartphone)" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00696Q0SK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iawyxbVV399NX

First of all, if you drive a lot, a McKenzie roll http://www.amazon.com/Original-McKenzie-Lumbar-Roll-OPTP/dp/B000H48WYA?th=1 for your car seat helps a lot. If you're like me and like the seat way back, you need to move it up closer so you're sitting pretty much straight up. One of the sciatica symptoms is if you almost cry getting out of the car, you've got it. The exercises I did were:lying on my stomach on the floor, slowly push up with your arms and arch your back, then slowly back down (should take 20-30 seconds per rep) 15 reps. Then lying on my back with feet in the air (like an L shape) slowly raise your bottom and lower back off the floor. Don't really engage your abs, just try to stretch your lower back. These were recommended to me by a massage therapist friend (after a massage, which might help), I am in no way an authorized medical advice dispenser. Sitting on a medicine ball (instead of a chair at my computer) helped a lot too.

It took about a month to get it better, but I swear, if I had had to live with that pain all my life I would have seriously considered something horrible. The pain is excruciating. It took some time to get that bad so get going on fixing whatever it is sooner rather than later. Good luck.

Use one of these when you have to sit for a long time. Also get this book in case the PTs you saw didn't show you this exercise.

Swimming is the best thing you can do for a bad back.

Ginger is a powerful antiinflammatory and it is a lot easier on your system than ibuprofen.

I realize many of these things might be too weak for your pain, but they are all worth a try.

If CBD oil capsules don't work for you see an MD familiar with CBD to see if they can get you some of the more potent products that are available to only MDs.

This this this:

https://www.amazon.com/Original-McKenzie-Lumbar-Roll-OPTP/dp/B000H48WYA

they have them in different shapes and thicknesses, find what's most comfortable for you. with amazaon especially you can always return it and try a different one. has helped me a lot

Before you shell out a lot of money, try adding a lumbar roll to your current chair - something like https://www.amazon.com/OPTP-Original-McKenzie%C2%AE-Lumbar-Roll/dp/B000H48WYA/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1473945712&sr=8-1&keywords=back+support+roll. I used to have bad back pain and tried a variety of crazy chairs, and funny enough, adding this to the most basic office chair is usually the best solution for me. Just adding a little support/pressure in the right place can make a huge difference in your comfort.

The Original McKenzie Lumbar Roll by OPTP - Standard Density (701) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H48WYA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sycFyb1HYZ1EJ

I use the firm density and I can take it in the house/office and use it there too. Been using it for 2 years and I love it.