Wicked Back Spasms - Suggestions?

[NWC4]

I've been experiencing wicked back spasms for the last three years. I've had spasms since my injury in ‘81, but these are different. They came on fairly suddenly, within a month or so and I have not experienced them before. They start in my lower back or upper buttocks, they arch my back, my knees pulled together, my heels splayed out to the side with my toes pointed together, and my arms straighten and become stiff as boards. The only way to stop the spasm is to lean forward, which I can no longer do because of the strength of my back muscles. I cannot lay prone in bed without having my legs crossed Indian style or my knees bent up to a 90° angle.

On bad days I cannot move my chair without triggering the spasm and even just moving within my chair will cause the spasms. Riding in my Van is a real pain as I spasm continuously.

I had a CT scan of my entire spinal column a year or so ago at the UW Medical Center and everything look good. I thought maybe I had pinched nerve in my lower back or had a disc problem but everything my lower back appeared in good shape.

I have tried taking muscle relaxers, but since I am C3-4 quad and I have sleep apnea I'm not comfortable taking them since I woke up not breathing. I also work full time and cannot be dopey-headed during the day. I have tried having my back massaged by a nonprofessional, but as soon as I lay on my stomach the spasms start and will not stop until I get my knees bent again. I've not tried professional massage or chiropractor, but I am considering them. The only thing that’s been effective is alcohol, which isn’t viable daily solution.

Has anybody experienced such spasms or have any ideas on avenues of treatment?

[Sue Pendleton]

Go see a physical therapist. Sounds like you need to get in the habit of daily stretching and a PT can, normally, best teach you which stretches are best. I'd say your abdominal muscles are tight and so are your hip flexors. Do you sit up all day long and tend to lean toward a desk or do you have a chest strap? What happens if you lay flat on your back with arms out to each side? If it is your abdominals you should get a PT do this at first not an untrained aide so you don't overstretch. Once you can lay supine like that and take as deep breaths as you can and nothing spasms then do the same but have your knees hang over the edge of the bed.

Did that CT show your spinal cord or just spinal column? Were they looking for a syrinx?

Why did you wait 3 years to ask about this? No blame or judging. I'm gathering up ideas on something so just curious on motivation. I personally tend toward laziness if I think it will not help me regain something functional or reduce my waistline.

[NWC4]

Hi Sue,
Thank you for the response. My aunt and uncle are both PT's so I can ask them to come over and see if there are any stretching exercises that I should be doing that I'm not. I do fairly good range of motion and stretching daily and have never missed a day in 31 years with SCI. I was very much into stretching prior to my accident. I'm more flexible than most AB’s my age (I know, considering most people my age that’s not saying much.) and probably most people 10-15 years my junior. My hip flexors may be tight but I don't think my abdominals are.

Yes, I do sit in front of a desk all day and I rock forward and back occasionally or side to side, but I never lean forward continuously. I have much better posture then pretty much all the quads that I have seen. I sit very much upright with no slouch and do not use a chest belt. Ears over shoulders over hips.

I cannot lay supine with my arms at my side, out to the side or over my head without the back spasms starting within 10-20 seconds and the longer I lay there the more violent they become. In that position once the back spasms start then my quads start firing alternately. I describe it as to like a cat kneading it’s claws, same rhythm. So, tight hip flexor’s is a real possibility.

My physiatrist recognized the type of spasm, correctly identifying the various muscle contractions and the way they contort the body, but has not identified the cause. No syrinx.

I have not waited 3 years to seek solutions. I have just not gotten around to writing it up here prior to today. Laziness is generally not much of an issue with me, it’s more a matter of having the time. For most of the last 6 months I have been working 10-12 hour days, 6-7 days a week. On top of that I live alone and have to manage my household and live-out attendants.

Thanks, you! You have given me some ideas and I will have my auntie come over, she needs to pay me a visit anyway!

[SCI-Nurse]

I agree with the above recommendations for stretching. If you spasms are interfering with your day to day activities and you have been given a good trial of oral baclofen or gabapentin without success, you may want to consider a consultation for a baclofen pump.

pbr