Chiropractor. I want to marry him. It's amazing. The TENS unit helps a lot too. I also recommend acupuncture and massage. I can't afford all 3 though and chiro gives me the best results. Physical therapy can help too.

Plus right now I still have restrictions like no heavy lifting, no free weights, no lifting anything over my head, no squats, no crunches, no running, no horseback riding (except on the smooth pony with lots of cushion and shorter rides). Minimize the amount of time of I am sitting at desk, hard when you are school full time. Lots and LOTS of icing the shit out of my back, pretty much every night.

I have exercise I can do and then I am allowed to do all the yoga and pilates I want to if I use common sense and stop when it gets uncomfortable.

I try to stay away from pain pills and I'm taking an emulsified fish oil supplement to help with inflammation. (tastes like lemon meringue) Some days I gotta hit the Ibuprofen 800mg though.

*I wear a back brace too.

ETA I just found out what was wrong with my back the end of november after having sciatica and lower back pain for 6 months. It's causing me to change so much stuff I do and I feel too dependent on people. I use to stack a hundred bales of hay like it was nothing and now I can't even fill up a 5 gallon water bucket without paying for it later. Has definitely taught me how to work smarter and not harder.

Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tack for Sale! http://fhotd64476.yuku.com/topic/67755/Saddle-girth-pad-and-bridle
Last Edited By: HNR83 Jan 19 12 3:14 PM. Edited 1 times.