Lower back pain and left leg pain

Core strength is the key. Type in core exercises after spinal fusion and use those while your back is flared. These might be exercises you will use indefinitely. Last, ice has helped me with my back problem. I am recovering from a spinal fusion.

Since your back has only hurt for a month you need to treat it carefully so that it doesn't last. Another commenter recommended you do stretches and excersize to strengthen your core which is a very good idea. But take it very easy and slow and do them everyday. Following the exercises you want to put ice on your back. This will help reduce the swelling and heat is not a good idea at this point. Later on if you still have back pain then you can try using heat. I really do not recommend you see a chiropractor. I know a lot of people like to do that but I've known a lot of people to get injured further from an adjustment. See a physical therapist if you have insurance. A PT will give you stretches and exercises that are safe to do with an injured back. I also found that when I used a PT I remained more committed to doing the exercises everyday then when I did it on my own.

Now about the front of your lower leg (shins)...A common injury that occurs when your shins hurt is called shin splints. They're not dangerous it's just your body saying you've overdone. Most people get these from walking or running and not stretching properly. Shin splints do not come and go with different positions though. So that is where your pain doesn't quite fit with the definition of a shin splint. My lower legs will hurt some days from the knee down but it's not just the front and it's kind of achy whereas shin splints are more of a sharp pain. I have had a small amount of success by wearing compression socks when this happens. I don't know why it helps but it does. And I don't think there's a risk to your health by wearing compression socks for a few hours a day. But you would certainly want to check this with your doctor. And you might also want to do some stretches of your lower legs. And you can find those by Googling it or go to a physical therapist. There is something more serious that it might be and that is a blood clot also known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). But typically a DVT hurts in the calf not in the front. Google DVT to get a list of all the symptoms. But there again the pain of that does not fade in and out with different positions. But if you suspect it could be a DVT please go immediately to an ER. A DVT can be life-threatening. The blood clot that's in your leg can then move to your lungs or your brain causing you to stroke out and die.

Thank you for your responses. I've looked up the symptoms for DVT and i don't think i have that. I suspect it's because of over use of my muscles. The back and leg pain is never severe. It's dull and mostly goes away when i move. I've tried doing some bending, stretching and jumping jacks and i don't feel any pain. It's really only when i'm sitting still i can really feel the stiffness and aches.

Rather sounds like Femoral nerve entrapment if it's the front of the leg. Dr. could refer you to Therapy.