I have suffered with lower back pain caused by muscle spasms for years. I spent a lot of time with the orthopedic approach, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory for a couple of years. Because of reoccurring problems, I then went to a chiropractor for a couple of sessions which helped more than the orthopedic. It seemed as long as I did my back exercises and stretching I could avoid throwing my back out. If I did throw it out, I went back to the chiropractor to get re-aligned. I now do yoga and the quality of my life has improved to the point where I'm much more physically active and don't worry about my back. Even if I get a twinge, I can do a couple of yoga stretches and not end up on the couch with the heating pad for 3-4 days. I find that yoga is a better, longer lasting stretch and includes the correct body alignment like the chiropractor.
