Age? Weight? What other activities?
77 and have had a 'bad back' from 1999 until 18 months ago. Surgery, coupled with the realization that Gluten intolerance was also causing back pain has let me get my life back, though a tad late in my case.
Be mindful that quite a small irritation can cause general back pain or sciatica. I had a disc that was bulging to the left and begged other surgeons to operate. They all said it would get better. It didn't. My surgery was brief and I was released the following morning. Almost a non-event.
I always share these items just in case it helps someone.
The Gluten thing was more a feeling of general 'illness' in the lumbar region, but that inflammation could I suppose be one sided. I was made aware of the connection as a result of a local chap's recovery from desperate back pain. He was an estate agent and was so bad he would lie down on client's beds if they were out. It just went away when he was diagnosed with celiac disease. I stopped cheating on my diet and touch wood that part of the pain seems to have gone.
In Texas while digging my irrigation ditches (using my knee as a fulcrum) I'd take a break and walk over to my workbench many times a day, press up on surface and press the edge of the bench into my stomach just above my nuts. It really felt good on the lower back and eased any hint of sciatica in the left leg.
I did quite a few other things to give traction and I'm sure it helped generally but certainly, to this day, it will instantly relieve the slight sciatic symptoms that come back intermittently.
If you're young, you should find out exactly what is causing the problem.
Last edited by Loose rivets; 11th Oct 2016 at 23:26.