You Got My Back?

If you've got my back, I'm sorry. That means you've been in varying degrees of discomfort for seven weeks.

Here's what my physical therapist recommended for the slight mal-alignment that's causing back pain in an area about the size of a golf ball, just to the left of the base of my spine. The injury's most aggravated when I lift my right leg up to a 90 degree angle (i.e. when washing that leg in the shower, putting on a right pants leg, etc.). I'm doing the following set of exercises twice a day, which takes about 5 minutes in total:

1. Lie on back. Slowly pull knees up to chest. 10 repetitions.
2. Now raise legs, so it looks like you're sitting in a chair (except that you're still on your back). Simultaneously bring your legs in opposite directions, with your left knee toward your chest and your right toward the ground -- except that you're providing resistance with your hands such that you're legs don't actually move. Rest after 5 seconds of resistance. 5 repetitions.
3. Now straighten left leg on ground, and pull right knee toward chest. Hold 15 seconds.
4. Now raise legs as in step 2. Put pillow between them and press knees toward each other, for 5 seconds. 5 repetitions.
5. Now lie on stomach. Keep waist on ground, but push up with hands such that back arches slowly upward to top position. 10 reps.

She said that 80% of back injuries heal within 4 weeks, and 90% within 6 weeks.

Appointment #2 with her is tomorrow. Wish me luck!