Low back pain is an affliction that affects the majority of
people in our society. Statistically 90% of the population
will experience low back pain at some point in their lives.
The large portion of those people that do experience low
back pain will have a recurrent episode of pain at some
point in their lives. It has also been shown that those
people that are given the right education regarding their
low back pain can significantly reduce their chances of
having another episode of pain.
If you are one of the many individuals that have
experienced an episode of low back pain in the past and
would like to prevent a recurrence of these symptoms here
are some simple things you can do:
1. MOVE! Our spines were meant to move. Any static
position for too long a time can prove to be uncomfortable,
even painful for most people. Whether you are standing,
lying down or sitting you need to change positions and move
your spine frequently. The longer you are in any one
position the greater the stresses and force that load our
spinal ligaments and disc structures become. Frequent
movement can help reduce these stresses and minimize low
back pain.
2. AVOID sitting longer than 30 minutes at a time. This is
probably one of the hardest things for people to do but it
can be very helpful in preventing recurrence of low back
pain. Everyone should get up, move around or even stand
within every 30 minutes of sitting. The sitting position
greatly increases the pressure within our spinal discs
while standing can relieve this pressure, even if it is for
a short time. If you have a desk job get up and walk
around your desk once or twice. You'll be amazed at the
difference in how your back feels.
3. AVOID sitting or repetitive forward bending motions
first thing in the morning. Our spinal discs collect fluid
and swell while we sleep. For people with low back pain or
a history of back pain this swelling can make it difficult
and often painful to bend forward or sit in the morning.
It is better to spend more time standing and walking during
the first few hours upon waking to allow that swelling to
go down. This will make sitting and forward bending more
tolerable.
4. If you are involved in activities or an occupation that
requires repetitive bending and lifting it is important to
counter that forward bending motion with an opposite motion
- backward bending. This is accomplished by placing your
hands on your hips or in the small of your back and bending
backward at the waist. Bend backwards within your
tolerance without letting your knees bend then return to
the upright position. If this movement causes you
increased pain then don't bend back as far.
5. If you consistently wake in the morning with a stiff or
achy back then try lying on your stomach for 3 to 5 minutes
before getting out of bed. This may be uncomfortable at
first but may feel better with time. If your pain worsens
in this position then it is time to move.
6. POSTURE CHECK! We should all be aware of our postural
positions throughout the day. This includes standing,
walking, sitting, dynamic postures (i.e. bending) and lying
down. Be aware of the position of your low back and what
position feels best for you. The old school of thought was
that we all had to sit and stand soldier straight at all
times. This is not the case for everyone. Erect postures
can sometimes be painful for people depending on the
condition that they have. Some people need to keep their
low backs slightly flexed (or flattened) to prevent an
occurrence of pain. Try to maintain the spinal position
that is most comfortable for you keeping in mind that
frequent movement is still important to prevent low back
pain.
7. TIGHTEN YOUR ABS! This simple activity can work wonders
in preventing a recurrence of low back pain. Imagine a
line going from your belly button to the base of your neck.
Now use your stomach muscles to pull your stomach along
that imaginary line. This is a gentle contraction and you
should not use a lot of force to make this happen. DO NOT
hold your breath or "suck in your gut." You are simply
tightening your abdominal muscles so that it feels like
your stomach is drawing in. If this movement is too
difficult then try making an "S" sound (like a snake).
Making this sound will automatically contract the desired
muscles and cause your stomach to draw in.
These are some very simple things we can all do on a daily
basis to help prevent a recurrence or an onset of low back
pain. Remember - not all of these activities will apply to
all people at all times. If you experience any undue pain
with the performance of these suggestions then stop
immediately. Consult your physician or a licensed physical
therapist for further advice.
----------------------------------------------------
Peter Harris is a licensed physical therapist with 17 years
experience in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal
pathology and low back pain related disorders. He is
Certified in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy of the Spine
and a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist. You don't
need to suffer from low back pain anymore!
pmh37@msn.com
No comments:
Post a Comment