..As you say I'm not sure thats a good idea at the moment as I think it encourages the blood to go to that area which makes imflammation worse..?? Still it felt b good..Tempted to give in to one now..
Sue, been thru this as have so many people, don't give up windsurfing whatever you do.
1. Stretch the hammies, lay on your back and loop a belt around your foot and pull it until you can grab your foot with your hand.
2. Ice or heat whichever works best
3. Get to a gym and work the whole body regularly, especially the abs and midsection.
Why are you asking advice on a windsport forum, instead of seeking professional advice? You claim to be doing exercises, and they are flaring things up. I would suggest you return to the health practitioner that prescribed these, and get reviewed. If you picked these up from the Internet, or via word of mouth, then might I suggest you seek professional advice, either a physio or musculoskeletal physician, or your GP if he/she has a good musculoskeletal background.
Forums are a great way to maybe review product, technique and the usual rubbish, but be very wary of seeking any health advice. I'm sure many have great intentions, but without qualification of their advice it's about as useful as tits on a bull. For instance the first piece of advice you received was to take krill oil, which is considered a natural anti inflammatory. Did you know it also thins your blood, and if you happen to be taking blood pressure medication, it can really screw with you? Is it really good advice now, even though it was given with good intention, most likely by someone who has no knowledge of how it works, and what the side effects can be.
There are to many variables to consider, so my advice, is to go and get it looked at. Once it is better, then come back and ask advice about which harnesses to people who have back complaints use.
By the way I'm a trained physiotherapist who unlike r2908's post, does not perform hippie **** treatment. And I suspect, may have never consulted a proper physio, but some form of massage therapist, who would not have the appropriate knowledge to assess and diagnose properly. Good luck, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
In my experience health care professionals have rarely been of any help for anything really.
People with sore body parts seldom get relief from doctors. They keep going back for years and go from Dr. to Dr. and they are the same or worse.
In my experience one has to figure out for ones self what exactly the problem is and what one can do to help it. It usually comes down to overall fitness, specific exercises, stretching (yoga), posture, weight loss, ice/heat/massage, traction (hanging upside down) and in my case a TENS machine which gives electric stimulation when the pain is so bad I can't sleep.
Doctors have only helped me in two cases over the years, they discovered thu regular blood tests that I have Hashimoto's disease (autoimmune under active thyroid) and a cortisone injection cured a specific wrist problem which I actually diagnosed myself.
As the saying goes, if you want it fixed right you have to do it yourself.
), sailboarding etc.I know if I gave sailboarding away I'd be in a lot more trouble with my upper back as it builds me up ,keeps me fit and keeps the weight off.
If chiro works that's great, my point is that people who go to the Dr. and expect them to cure their pain, whatever it may be are usually disappointed, you have to figure it out for yourself and that includes asking others for their opinions and what has worked for them.
I too have had muscle spasms in the past, did all the usual stuff recomended by GP and physio untill recently when it was so bad I couldn't move out of bed, finally I got a CRT and low and behold it was 2 discs bulging into my nerves. The muscle spasms were being caused by the discs. Wish I had of got the CT scan long ago....
So how do you manage it?
Advice was 2 weeks off work don't lie down too much, no lifting, minimise driving, no bending, no sitting, sleep on my back. That kind of only leaves standing around...... Then return to work on 1/2 days for 1st week and increasing an hour week by week. Next week I am back on full time. At that stage I can start doing physio.
I found the pain ridiculous in the 1st week. Just farting was enough to make me feel dizzy. I prayed not to sneeze. The pain calmed down in the 2nd week. My pain med's was codeine and ibuprofen and beer/wine.
This was all washed down with lots and lots of water. I only used that for the 1st week. The alcohol is not recommended by my Dr. My Dr did offer me stronger med's but I didn't like the idea of being a repeat customer. 
The hardest part has been not overdoing it at work. Picking up my kids etc. The strangest part for me is that I'm strong and healthy. All it took was initially bending over and scrubbing my boat for a couple of hours. Subsequently just reaching into the back of the fridge was enough to have my spasms kick in.
Anyway that's my story there isn't much more the Drs can do without invasive surgery which they will only do if you are incapacitated.
My suggestion is that you see a good Dr and find out exactly what's wrong and what they recommend.
In regards to alternative therapies I will add my 2c worth. Sugar tablets have healed many many people so if that helps, fantastic. If not move on.
Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost days at work. It is also one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor's office or a hospital's emergency department. It is the second most common neurologic complain in the United States, second only to headache.
For 90% of people, even those with nerve root irritation, their symptoms will improve within two months no matter what treatment is used, even if no treatment is given.
If you are interested read this, http://www.consumerreports.org/health/conditions-and-treatments/back-pain/overview/back-pain.htm
Chiro and accupuncture gets better results than a medical Dr., and those things are partially quackery and psychosomatic, not really proven with double blind peer reviewed studies.
A Dr. can help you with cancer but don't expect much from pain ailments.
This was all washed down with lots and lots of water. I only used that for the 1st week. The alcohol is not recommended by my Dr. My Dr did offer me stronger med's but I didn't like the idea of being a repeat customer.
A chiro and accup. Etc . Will NEVER give referrals.. a orthopedic surgeon told me they kill one person a year from neck trauma . Whateva .... That's what I was told .. truth .. there s also stories of them massaging tumors in people's backs .. ha. I'm sure they work for some . But not everyone ... I'll never go back to one ... Ever.
Given that you are pretty keen on going back windsurfing once the pain lets you I would think about losing the seat harness - they are good for speed sailing but you really use a harness to relieve the load on your arms, so a waist harness with a wide contact area will support more of your back while doing the job the harness is really designed for
Hi Sue,
next time we meet up I'll give you a go of my chest harness. My wife bought it for me because I too have back issues. I'm probably around 80% okay after back surgery in 2009. Some days are better than others and I have fairly constant numness in my right foot. Before the operation, to cut out a ruptured disk I was pretty well stuffed.
I find the harness gives me plenty of support for my back and keeps my midriff tight and secure. So I think but am not sure, that it helps my back keep in the right shape when windsurfing.
Usually my back feels better after windsurfing than before.
.
