Strengthening my lower lumbar

[HETA78]

It's not uncommon for me to stress my lower back. About 3-4 times a year, I'm not even doing anthing overly physical and it just spasms and then is sore for a few days. Today I feel like I have to stick my butt out to walk. I'm sure it looks totally natural I'm not sure if this is an MS thing as I'm only 2 months into this whole thing.

Anyway, anyone else experiance this? Tips for strenghthening my lower back so that this doesn't happen? My current routine includes yoga, elliptical, stability ball, strength training with free weights.

[LivWell]

I used to have frequent bouts of lower back issues also. The way my physical therapist explained it, if your core muscle strength is not balanced you'll probably have these issues. She suggested I do the "bridge" religiously with a modification to alternate leg lifts ("marching") while in the bridge when I got stronger.

This exercise also works the glutes which helps add stability to everything.

Here's a good demo on youtube.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...41524429,d.cGE

[celia]

I just had my first exacerbation in 3 years, and coming off massive doses of progesterone last week, sometimes my legs go a little numb and I start waddling. Helps to say "quack, quack," or "waddle waddle," or even sing stupid kid's songs and lighten up. Later I can go upstairs and do a little yoga and it typically gets better with time.

[LivWell]

I like your style Celia (and yoga does the same for me)!

[HETA78]

I took a 2 month fitness hiatus during November and December due to MS (first major episode took me out mentally and physically).Took me three years to get into the shape I was in. Took two months to get right back out! Anyway, I'm back at it full force, feeling good. No quacking! Working on strengthing my core with yoga and will add some additional planks. I hope to be back at my bootcamp style workout soon (aside from the jumping up onto the step....that just spells disaster to me!)

[AMFADVENTURES]

It's not uncommon for me to stress my lower back. About 3-4 times a year, I'm not even doing anthing overly physical and it just spasms and then is sore for a few days. Today I feel like I have to stick my butt out to walk. I'm sure it looks totally natural I'm not sure if this is an MS thing as I'm only 2 months into this whole thing.

Anyway, anyone else experiance this? Tips for strenghthening my lower back so that this doesn't happen? My current routine includes yoga, elliptical, stability ball, strength training with free weights.

I've experienced those lower back spasms off and on for most of my life, wish I had some idea why they seem to come and go like that, but I don't. However, I do have 2 ideas for you. First, get a physical therapist to look at your problem. A good PT can isolate and recommend ways to correct kinematic problems you may not even know you have. I got an eye opening reminder of this recently when my PT located some small gluteus muscles in my right hip that were pretty badly atrophied probably because of some bizarre MS related compensation mechanism I'd begun to develop. I can already feel positive differences as a result of the exercises the PT gave me. Like you, I am also very active but some of these exercises were not like anything I'd come across before.

The other idea is to see a chiropractor, particularly if you have a history of accident or injury. I've also had a couple of very good experiences with Chiropractors.

Glad to hear you're getting back on top of things after your relapse.

[sue w.]

My current routine includes yoga, elliptical, stability ball, strength training with free weights.

What you're doing looks good to me - it might take more than 2 months to see some results...and, as someone else said, it takes no time at all for those good results to go away.
IMHO, stick with it, be consistent, and be patient. It's the turtle that won, not the rabbit.