Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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The short answer is, in most cases, probably a bit of both. We all know that a bad mattress will cause back problems. But how bad does our mattress have to be before it causes back problems? My wife of 52 years stands 5' 2" and weighs 115 pounds. She has slept on a Serta innerspring mattress for over 10 years. It has served her well but is beginning to break down in the middle. This is one of those older type mattresses that you can flip. It has a pillow top but it is very thin, not like pillow tops we see today that they call non-flipable. The point is she sleeps very well on it and has no complaints. I on the other hand do no like it at all. I would not live with it. But that's the difference between she and I. My wife attends regular exercise classes and plays tennis as often as she can, usually 2 to 3 times a week, even in the winter, if the weather will allow it. I on the other hand I spend most of my time, since I have retired, and my knee gave out and I had to give up tennis, sitting in front of the television or the computer. I will walk occasionally and when the weather permits ride my bicycle about 3 miles per day. But I'm the one with the bad back and the one that is sensitive to a mattress. Recently, as I have reported in this forum, I stretch my back and the pain migrated to my hip joints. Recently installing some hi-fi equipment I did a lot of squatting behind my television cabinet in a quite low and strained position. This hip pain came on quite strongly. Had I been a person that believed totally in a mattress causing pain I would have been changing layers in my FloBeds on a daily basis. I knew better than this so what I did was get into some stretching exercises and had my wife massaged my hips with a big old vibrator that I purchased many years ago. This squatting proposition started a week ago tomorrow and went on for about three days. This is Tuesday the 23rd day of February and the pain is almost all gone now. But I did change one layer in my FloBeds that I had been thinking about changing anyway to a firmer configuration on one side, leaving the other side the away it had been since the beginning. My point in this long dissertation is simply this. I believe it would behoove all of us, over the age of 21, to begin doing some kind of regular gentle stretching exercises. Get out and walk more. This is one of the most natural exercises known to humankind. If our mattresses are truly not properly configured, or breaking down, then fix it. But I think we would do ourselves a great disservice by avoiding the obvious. We humans need to get up off our backs sides and become active. The good Lord engineered us to live that way. This post is in no way intended to chastise anyone. I am probably more guilty than most at spending to much time sitting "in as motionless a position as I can" and avoiding proper exercise. But this most recent experience with my hip pain has taught me the advantages of proper stretching and exercise, a lesson that I have been avoiding for too long. A good nights sleep, and a healthy and enjoyable life to everyone, is my most fervent wish!  This message was modified Feb 23, 2010 by eagle2
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Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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eagle2 wrote: This is such an important piece in today's New York Times that I probably should have given it its own thread. However since this is the appropriate place for it, and much discussion has already started around this issue I thought it would be quite important to include it here. Hopefully everyone will read this as it is quite illuminating. I am probably one of the worst offenders about setting too much. I enjoy it. It feels good. It relaxes me. I have always hated to stand up, and I hate to squat down. I either have to be moving, or setting, or laying down, to really feel comfortable. This is a rather long piece but is most assuredly worth your time to read it. Here is the link. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/stand-up-while-you-read-this/?em Thanks for that article eagle2. It inspired me to get more serious about not sitting here at my desk all day; if I'm going to do that, at LEAST I need to take several breaks and get up. This has me thinking about buying a computer desk that would require me to stand. I thought about it many years ago but never did it. Maybe an adjustable one that would allow me to occassionally put it down to sitting position, but I'd use it mostly standing up. But it's watching movies at night - usually for about 3 hours - that really screws me up I think. We have only a couch and a chair, neither of which are good for my back, and I end up sitting, and I feel it putting pressure on my back in a bad way. I would buy a new chair IF I knew which one would help me. But as I mentioned before I have bought a couple already that I had to get rid of because they were supposed to be good for my back but actually hurt my back. |
Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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Jim, you never did say what "brand" chairs they were. I think even if you don't have a hip problem, look for a flat seat. I think it throws your back off too when you sides of your hip are higher than the rest. Bad design..... This is what I am looking for. Also the chair I am in throws my legs up higher; it really should be lower. It puts pain and stress on your nerves. I am going to sit in chairs at stores for hours next time, it was too late and I didn't have too much time..... Has anyone tried the Herman Miller Aaron chair? I tried that in the store, and what impressed me is you could adjust it anyway you wanted, you legs lower than the hips, or your legs higher than your hips. You can change it as you want too. My only complaint is it doesn't have a headrest! But the chair sits really nice and flat for the hip, and you can adjust the lumbar if you get the deluxe model. I wish I had bought the best instead of wasting money on cheap items that don't work!!!! I could really have saved some money there...... This message was modified Feb 24, 2010 by Leo3
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Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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Jim: I hear you! I'm one of those people that always adhere to the old adage, "never stand when you can sit, and never set and you can lie down. I have adhered to this advice ( bad advice it seems) religiously all my life. I have two recliners that I enjoy. One of them is in the living room and it's an old La-Z-Boy, back before they started making them too cheaply and is still a great chair. The newer one is in the family room, it is a Lane recliner that sets on a swivel. I love the swivel! The thing that makes the Lane so comfortable for me is it has a fairly plush lumbar support that pushes up into my back when I recline in it. I recline a lot!  So I am prejudice in this regard and probably a poor one to give you advice. But I think the idea of going to a good furniture store and just setting in a lot of them is probably the best advice that I can give you. Your idea about a stand up desk that is adjustable so that you can also set at it, might prove to be the best deal for you. What you really need is a good phy. therapist who can work with you on the proper regimen for your physical problems. The ideal combination would be a wonderful chiropractor, masseuse, and physical therapist. It be great if you could get all three in one person and at a very reasonable price. Ha ha ha! It is to laugh! Lots of luck find a person like that.  |
Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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I had an old, old Lazyboy that was soooo comfy, but the fabric was showing age, and the footrest broke. The dog chewed it a bit too. Finally had to get rid of it and the new Lazyboys, just like you said Eagle, not what they use to be either. Not at all. Not just that company either, Flexsteel PU foam broke down in a year, the vinyl part used was cheaper than any cheap vinyl and ripped. It was leather in the parts you sit on. It this violated anything on the forum Admin? Hope not. It is my opinion and only my opinion. I have taken your advice Eagle, and got off my duff more and my hips are not in as much pain. The bed is still causing excruciating pain. Too soft, this I know. Yes, the springs are making it probably more soft. I will make changes as soon as funds allow. You were talking about a physical therapist; and I remember when I was in such pain I would sit on that exercise ball in the PT office and it caused no pain whatsoever. They now make frames to put the ball in! Cost too much money for me though. This message was modified Feb 25, 2010 by Leo3
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Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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Leo3 wrote: Jim, you never did say what "brand" chairs they were. They were just generic chairs, no brands. I got one at Brookstone I think, which is now discontinued. Or maybe it was Sharper Image, which is now out of business. Didn't pay a lot for it, but it looked like it might be comfortable but wasn't. For me the "zero gravity" design is bad because it actually puts more pressure against the middle of my back and I have found that not to be good.I think I'm going to buy an old fashioned rocking chair and put a piece of latex on the seat and back! That article Eagle2 posted said that at least when you sit in a rocking chair and rock, you use some muscles and burn some calories! |
Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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Leo you're right about the new lazy Boy recliners. I bought one of them and took it back and traded it for the Lane. Too much cheap PU foam. It's a real shame though, because I think La-Z-Boy used to make the best recliners. You know I have been thinking fellas, what we need is to be able to get together and have one of those exercise programs promoted by the Japanese. Tai Chi I think it's called. Where they get together early in the morning, before they do anything else, and do those nice slow stretching exercises. It looks like a dance class in slow motion. With lots of emphasis on the sloooooow!  Anyway I'm glad to hear you guys are thinking about stretching the old bod. I know that it has helped me with the hip pain, I was experiencing from all the squatting, while I install that hi-fi equipment. Where I did the "touch my toes" exercises. Actually it felt quite good! |
Re: Is my pain caused by my mattress or lack of proper exercise?
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Eagle2 My wife got us a Family YMCA membership for Christmas. (They even offer a senior membership 62yrs & older) They offer great Tai Chi, Gentile Yoga (Silver Sneaker version for older members), Aqua Fit (exercises in the water), swimming and plenty more. This is great for us Upstate NY’ers who get snowed in too much. You should investigate |