I was shaving my legs and I bent forward to shave and when I stood upright I fell to the ground in pain. I had to crawl to the phone to call my dad to take me to the ER. Im young and have no history of back problems. To get in my dad's SUV I had to lie on my side and I was crying in pain. The closest hospital is a bad one. I have been misdiagnosed there several times and do not trust them. (when I got to the ER the doctor left me in the room while he and the nurse ate cookies and played games on the computer) I couldn't even sit down at all, not even to use the bathroom. They did a cat scan and x-ray and said all was fine they wouldn't do a MRI because they said it was not warranted. The only way I could do the cat scan was they had to give me pain killers because I physically could not sit or lie down. They gave me a IV with pain killers and that did nothing, they gave me Viciden and they did nothing, then they gave me morphine and finally I could sit down. They gave me a script for Vicidan and sent me home. The next few days were hell. I woke up all night long with severe pains in myl lower back and butt and It was hard to even go to the bathroom because I had to 'push' so it took me 30 minutes to have a bowl movement! (TMI I know) Anyway, its been about week and my back still hurts when Im in the car or sitting too long like at work but I can function WAY better. My question is two fold. One does anyone know what the heck I did to my back? And two, before this I was at the gym everyday for a hour a day 45 min of brisk walking on the treadmill and 15 minutes of the stationary bike. I have been off medication and am feeling better (although if I sit too long or move to fast my back still hurts) I think Im OK but does anyone know if I can go back to the gym? And if so Can I use the treadmill? Im trying to work out but not use machines that are hard on the back. Any suggestions? One last thing, I just started a new job and have no medical insurance for 30 days so I can't go see a doctor and physical therapy is out to. Please help! Not being able to exercise is making me depressed.

I would not suggest going straight back to the treadmill, perhaps try the elliptical... It's a running motion instead of actual running, so that will take the pressure off your back.

It sounds as though you may have strained or sprained a muscle. CT scans, X-rays or MRI cannot detect this. You can strain or sprain a muscle with a simple turn of the neck.

I would suggest you steer clear of the treadmill or any exercise for a short period until you get full range of motion back without pain.

Oh, I strained a muscle under my ribs a few months ago... It was HORRIBLE. And stupidly enough it happened at the gym.

I guess we all know some of the stories, I had a friend who bent over to pick up a pencil, they did an injury to their back, the doctors decided they needed to do surgary and that person will stand without pain. From bending for a pencil.

I went to pick up a loaf of bread last year, I was out of work almost 2 months because I could not lift anything and bearly walk.

But since it did not show up, most likley a muscle strain, so you can spend some time here enjoying yourself.