I’ve had a long-running back injury (a twisted vertebra in my lower back) which I’ve figured out how to manage through experience - a bit of stretching here, avoid certain types of activity etc. It’s a bit inconvenient but after a while you get used to living with it, and it’s not that painful most of the time provided I don’t go nuts.
However about 2 weeks ago, not long after getting back from LA, I was doing something quite simple (moving a coffee table back after a Rock Band session), when something in a completely different part of my back suddenly hurt really badly. We had guests at the time, so I quickly took some painkillers and did a quick bit of my usual stretching upstairs, but that didn’t seem to work very well - I ended up just gritting my teeth most of the evening. While I don’t like the existing back injury I have, at least I ‘know it’ and how generally to cope with it, but this time it seemed different - like someone randomly knifing me in the middle of the back, just below the shoulder blades (et tu, Bruté?), rather than just by my right kidney like the old injury always was.
Stubborn git that I am, I gave it a couple of days of fairly frequent hot-poker agony before giving in and making an appointment to see the osteopath. I cancelled it once because it started feeling a lot better before the appointment came up, but then I wrenched it again while doing the grocery shopping of all things (damn you BOGOF offers, you basket-filling temptresses). Luckily I remained on my feet and avoided shouting the foullest obscenities in my repertoire at the top of my voice; no doubt the years of Brit cultural training to avoid making a scene at all costs - stiff upper lip and all that, what? - helped in that regard 
Anyway, I finally made it to my second osteo appointment today, although again it had started to recover quite well so I felt a little bit stupid; “that used to hurt like hell” doesn’t have quite the same impact after all. Luckily as a professional he could still tell what I’d damaged even without me yelping, so next came the expected ‘manipulation’ - which basically means ‘beatboxing with your bones’. This time the targets of choice were the Thoracic vertebrae and the attached rib heads, and they can clearly make some quite interesting sounds when properly motivated.
I’ll be sore for a while but with a bunch of new stretching exercises it looks like this one probably won’t be a long-term issue. It’s likely to be linked to the number of hours I spent hunched like a troll in economy class in the last month so hopefully it’ll prove to be a one-off.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
If you want to permanently get rid of it, I’m afraid you’re going to have to do some heavy back exercises. The stronger muscles will prevent this from happening again -from such silly things anyway.
Another thing to fit in your schedule :).
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Lol! Sorry it shouldn’t be funny but you made it so
My guess is its Rock Band mate, that’s your problem. If you stand in a hunched Slash pose with your guitar for over 3 hours it does your back in. I suggest stretching by leaning over backwards so you can see the tv upside down, and then strumming the ’string’ with your teeth.
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:19 am
You should be more careful and go to the doctors more often. You really don’t have an excuse with healthcare being free and all.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:05 am
@Amotea: yeah, I know and I do try, but time is my most scarce commodity.
@Andrew: Actually healthcare isn’t free here, the NHS doesn’t extend across the water - it’s actually pretty expensive to see an osteo! We only get cheap (not free) prescriptions and a small subsidy for the GP.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:49 am
I think the problem is, we’re both getting old :-\
I’ve only today managed to do in a chest muscle in the shower this morning, and have been in agony for the past few hours….
It’s also probably too much Rock Band on your part
Maybe if you played some more sedantry games (i.e. actually sat down with a controller rather than thrashing out on guitar or drums)you’d feel all the better for it
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
If you’re still using WorkRave (interrupts work on a regular basis for RSI) it also gives the opportunity to do small but efficient exercises. “Few minutes several times a day” are even better than the same time in one shot once a day.
If you feel it’s “work time” stolen, think that brain works much better if you have regular physical exercises. (better oxygenation, more neurons production, faster neurons, etc.)
September 4th, 2008 at 4:56 am
I think I might have an idea of what you are going through. Right below the right shoulder blade, just to the left of the spine, feels like a knife?
In my case it was a gall bladder, and after trying a couple of the Internet remedies, had to have it taken out. The downside is only a day or two, and you are pretty well back to normal.
The reason it hurts like a sob is that your gall bladder is passing gall stones, which you shouldn’t be having. Once you start creating gall stones they will continue to be created. (according to my doctor). Once the stone is passed, the pain is gone, only to come back the next time you eat something to set it off. In my case it seemed to be cucumbers.
September 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
@tuan: I killed WorkRave within a week because it bugged me too much I’m afraid :/ I’m certainly aware that I should take more breaks, especially when I work all day, then spend the evening at the same machine doing Ogre too, but it’s incredibly hard to see the situation objectively (increased productivity due to more rest / exercise) when your TODO list reaches halfway to the moon
@Chris: ouch - but no, this was definitely a bone problem. My new morning exercises the osteo gave me have helped hugely.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
@ steve, Yes break between work frequently, coupled with stretching is the best solution. Heavy exercise should be taken under medical supervision by a person who has not done them for a long time. There is no solution like taking breaks. I have very durable back muscles, strong and flexible still sitting 6 hours continously is sure to give night back pain for 2 days while sleeping. It feels like burning knife. I avoided long continous sitting and all is well. Age argument has truth but exercises are sure very helpful. Why suffer if it is possible to avoid.
And certainly work and ToDo list are certainly not important then health. You can get money but health and Time are certainly not going to come back. At this point like back injuries it is more of a question of the life we live. That is seeing it from philosophical view.
October 13th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
[...] brand new-and-improved back problem took a major turn for the worse last night, resulting in a sensation not unlike someone tearing a [...]