Lower Back Pain

I am writing this post as a follow-up to my previous post about stretches and exercises to help manage lower back pain.  I’ve been using these stretches and exercises to manage my lower back pain for over 5 years, but now that I’ve been to a chiropractor, it’s time to share my new perspective and thoughts:

1.  First and foremost, I should have seen a chiropractor FIRST. 

Instead, I went to my family doctor, an orthopedic specialist, a physical therapist, and a spinal (injection) specialist.  Oops!  All of these people I visited offered advice on how to “manage” the pinched nerve and bulged disc.  The chiropractor’s objective is to actually fix the underlying cause of the pain.  My first chiropractic visit lasted almost 2 hours and the initial adjustment took place in the last 5 or 10 minutes of that visit.  

I find it ironic that humans are the only animal ‘lucky’ enough to walk upright, when so many suffer from lower back pain. I’ve got a slightly bulged disc in my lower back that was diagnosed in 2007. I've been through the whole process: X-Ray, MRI, pain medication, and physical therapy.

Some people suffer from lower back pain due to an injury or accident, I believe mine is mainly due to bad posture and lack of exercise. I seem to go through cycles; one week, I’m doing push-ups and sit-ups, my back feels great, and I start slacking on the exercise. I get lazy. Then the pain comes back and I start doing push-ups again. Rinse, lather, repeat.

I've been using this particular setup for a while now, I've had the GeekDesk for over a year, and the Aeron chair for 5 months.  My favorite part is, as you can imagine, using them together.  I've got a bulging disc in my lower back, so I figured there'd probably be a lot of people who are looking for relief for similar types of issues.

Update Summer 2016: If you are researching a standing desk to alleviate lower back pain, please read my recent article describing my initial chiropractic visits!

Update 9/19/16: I recently helped a client get their Geek Desk set up and rearrange their office, and I have another testimonial to share:
"I just wanted to send you a note to thank you for telling Michael about your desk, and for helping him to get his new desk, and all the computer stuff hooked up!  Without you, he would not have this new chance at less back pain."