DO YOU HAVE BACK PAIN?

With Back Care awareness week this is the perfect time to think about how to protect, strengthen and move your spine.

Suffering from back pain? Here’s our top 5 tips…

• Back in the day, when a person suffered from back pain they were told to take bed rest. This could not be further from the necessary truth. You need to┬áMOVE! Sitting or lying for long periods of time can increase back pain, increase inflammation in the area and make you more uncomfortable. So the first top tip is try to get moving.┬á

• Make sure your┬áWEIGHT is a healthy one. Carrying added weight puts pressure on your body, on the joints and on your back. There is no secret to weight loss, it is calories in versus calories out. You have to be in calorie deficit to lose weight. So eat less and move more, and use your pain as motivation.

• LIFT properly. The majority of acute back injuries we see in clinic are caused by poor twisting and lifting techniques. Put your feet in a wide base for support. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping good posture. Lift by straightening the hips and knees and not from straightening the back. As you move away from the position make small steps rather than twisting.

• STRENGTHEN your core muscles. Back pain can occur when your spine is working too hard, and there is degeneration in the spine. By building strength in the muscles surrounding the spine you can help support the movement and take the pressure off the skeleton. This means exercising, think about Pilates or Yoga or ask a professional where to start.┬á

• STRETCH your back muscles. Keeping flexibility through the spine will prevent back pain and help you get better if you are recovering from back injuries. There are a number of gentle stretches that can be beneficial in the morning and evening, and pre- and post-exercise. Depending on the type of pain youÔÇÖre in, different stretches may help. If you are unsure of which are best for you then see your osteopath for advice.┬á

If any of this resonates with you, but you need more advice of how to proceed then see your OSTEOPATH for diagnosis and treatment. They can assess your back, diagnose the likely cause of your pain, and then advise on which exercises and stretches will be most likely to help you. 

DonÔÇÖt suffer in pain. Manual hands on treatment can make a huge difference to back pain management and recovery so call us and see how we can help.

#osteopathyworks #backpain #osteopath #manualtherapy