It was bound to happen. My back went out...again....no big surprise...I have been overdoing it, movng this and that, and I know better, but for some reason, dumb one, I think it won't happen this time. When will I ever learn to listen to the little small voice that warns me to stop or slow down...Probably never...I don't think this recent, back going out episode, is serious, but I need to take a couple of days off and act with precaution before I do further damage which might create sigificant pain and loss of work and the abandonment of my workout rountine which I have worked hard to maintain for three months running now. I stand on concrete at work which makes it difficult to recover from back spasms and pain. I haven't had a do nothing day for quite some time now so I think I'll take tomorrow and Monday off. Earlier today I tried to work the pain out by going bike riding but that only made the problem worse. Back pain, is tricky, because if you try to recover simply by sitting in a chair, which seems logical, generally the problem gets worse. I have found that stretching exercises, and walking as much as you can is the best recovery recipe. But whatever you do, don't lift anything and don't sit in one position in a chair for too long. Get up, move around, and do whatever you can and then sit back down again. I learned all of this when I broke my back while mountain bike riding in 1998. Back pain is very difficult to handle because it effects everything you do and the pain can get so severe that you think you are not going to recover anytime soon...but...generally the pain, significantly gets better in a couple of days but if it doesn't get better in four or five days or it gets alot worse you may want to see a doctor and make sure you haven't injured or ruptured a disc......For longterm relief....walking and riding a bike is the best remedy...the body loves motion...and although I have broke my back, torn the cartiledge in my right knee and torn the ligaments in my left knee, I get around pretty for a guy quickly approaching 50 years old...and....I owe it all to keeping active about four to five days a week, year round....Well, that's it for this episode of the doctor Bill show...until next week....keep those legs a moving...and don't spend too much time on the couch watching the tube.....