4 Tips for Low Back Pain

This week we are talking about Low Back Pain!

4 in 5 of adults (that’s 80%…!) of us experience low back pain our life.  There are many reasons why we may get low back pain, such as from sitting a lot in the day, bad posture or from pregnancy.  At the moment, low back pain is the most common cause to why people have to take time off work.

With all of this in mind, this week we thought we would give you some tips on how you may be able to get some help if you have some low back pain.

1.  Posture 

Posture is something we all KNOW we need to focus on, but we all find ourselves easily forgetting about it.  Whether you are sat down or stood up, here are a few things you can work on to make sure you have a good posture!

• Sit or stand up straight and tall 
• Keep your shoulder down and back
• Focus on keeping your pelvis (your hips) in line with your spine, avoiding having a big arch in your back 
• Imagine you are trying to keep your head vertically stacked on top of your shoulders 

2.  Move Around 

We often get very engaged with what we are doing, which is no bad thing. However, as time goes on our bodies start to mould to our environment.

Over 6 months, your muscles can shorten, and you begin to form into the shape you have been in most.  Movement is what nourishes the joints and keeps you out of one position (making sure we don’t look like our chairs).

To avoid excess tension and to keep the joints healthy, try taking a break every hour for a few minutes to get up and move around. 

Your body will thank you for it later.

3.  Exercise 

When you have low back pain, exercising can be the last thing you want to do!  While you may feel like resting, remember that movement is good for your back.  Regular exercise is a great way to keep the muscles and joints in a good, health condition.  

Exercise can be in many different forms, and our main advice here (as long as it doesn’t hurt you), is do what you love!  For some this is running miles and miles, and others it is yoga. 

If you are struggling getting going on this new habit, start small with a goal of just 10 minutes a day.  Over your lifetime, 10 minutes a day adds up!

4.  Hot or cold?

While everyone has their personal preference, hot and cold treatment have different benefits (depending on the cause).

• Cold is most effective when it is applied as early as possible after an injury, for example after sudden sharp twist of your back or repetitive bending.  There are a few ways that you can ice an injury, such as ice packs, a bag of peas (wrapped in a towel) or wheat bags that can be cooled in the freezer.  Cold brings down inflammation and is a good pain distractor.
• Heat is most effective for long standing injuries, when there is no swelling or inflammation.  Heat can be used on stiff, achy muscles or joints.  A warm water bottle, heat pad or wheat bag are good options.  Heat can be great to loosen off tight musculature and provide some comfort.