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Back pain holding you back??

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Back pain holding you back??

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2010-02-10 19:17:26

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If you have low back pain that is preventing you from doing things that you enjoy, well…you are not alone. Low back pain is the number one complaint that family practice physicians see when it comes to patients complaining of muscle/joint pain. It is the leading cause of on the job injuries in addition to the number one thing that causes people to begin adjusting their life styles as they get older (this means they begin doing less because they feel they are just getting old). Well, there is some good news!

In most instances low back pain is caused by simple muscle imbalances; tightness and/or weakness that leads to an eventual sprain/strain or injury to the low back. When such issues are identified and addressed, not only will your low back pain go away, you will be more able and fit than you were before the injury. The reason low back pain is so common is the fact that the back is one of the most “abused” joints in the body. One must also understand that the muscles that support and protect the back are commonly weak (abdominal's, hip muscles, etc). So recall the old cliche’…”the weakest link in the chain breaks first”….well…this is your back. So if you are having back pain, know that there is a good answer. Contact Peak Physical Therapy and get BACK to feeling good again!

Steps towards a healthy back

1.Flexibility
A quick way to determine how “prone” you are to low back pain/injury is to assess the flexibility of your hamstrings and hip muscles. If your muscles are tight, the chances of you straining your back “double”. The tighter your hip muscles/hamstrings, the more stress and tension is placed upon your back so an easy way to begin protecting your back is to increase your flexibility. Start with simple hamstrings stretches; stretch each hamstring 2-3 times holding each stretch for 20 seconds. Consider this…if you are super strong, but have no flexibility, you still are very limited for you don’t have the freedom of motion and the safety that flexibility brings you. Begin stretching your hamstrings….your back will thank you for it.

2.Strength and stability
Stability and strength of your back muscles is important. Your spine is comprised of many bones, which all move independently of one another so it is very important that they are well supported. Your abdominal's and hip muscles are key in supporting your back; the stronger they are the better your back will feel and the safer your back will be.These muscles support the front of the spine, if they are weak the amount of stress that is placed on your low back increases. Begin by doing simple leg lifts (both lying on your back as well as your side) for 3 sets of 10 and slowly work your up to sets of 20+. Also incorporate abdominal crunches. Make sure that any exercise you do is pain free. There are many “core exercises” or “stabilization” exercises that can be done for your back;contact a therapist at Peak Physical Therapy for more instruction and advancement.

3.Body Mechanics
Proper body mechanics are vital when protecting your back from injury. Regardless how flexibly or stable your back is, if you put your back in a bad position too many times it is not “if” you will get hurt, it is “when” you will get hurt. This is something that we all have heard of but the confusion comes from knowing what exactly is considered “good body mechanics”. For simplicity we have broken it down into 4 steps:

a.KEEP YOUR HEAD UP…..wherever you head goes, your body follows.
b.Lift with your legs…..don’t stoop over, squat.
c.Keep the object you’re lifting close to your body…..the farther the object is from you the greater the pressure at the low back.
d.Don’t twist…..torsion of the back is the most dangerous position you can be in. Pick up the object and turn your body towards the direction you are moving and/or placing the object…don’t rotate..you may regret it. Contact Peak Physical Therapy today!

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