Managing lower back pain doesn’t have to be a tricky process, and often a simpler approach which can be incorporated easily into our daily routine is best.
The first part of recovery from an incident of back pain is to adapt our regular daily activities slightly to avoid any movements or actions that could further irritate or prolong our pain.
In cases of stiffness and muscle spasm, heat therapy can also be of great relief from low back pain, heat can contribute to relaxation of both the nervous system and muscle tone.
Relaxation is an essential part of managing low back pain. Many people will often stiffen up and avoid most movements during an acute episode of pain in the lower back. However this can be counterintuitive as with most injuries movement training and strengthening is key, and the lower back is no different. In terms of relaxation, the method used can be highly subjective to the patient, and methods such as meditation, heat therapy, massage and dry needling have all been used to relax both the area of pain, and the body as a whole.
Once we have daily activities under control in order to stay as comfortable and relaxed as possible, we can then move onto restoring some movement to the lower back. With lower back pain, the worst thing you can do is rest up and avoid movement. The old cliché of ‘movement is medicine’ really does ring true for the lower back. And while the thought of movement while in pain may seem daunting, our goal is to keep all movements really comfortable and in a pain free range. Once we can achieve some movement in a pain free range, we can begin to restore confidence in our movement, eventually building back to a full range of motion.
Walking can also be a terrific way to reduce lower back pain. Even in the act of walking we will get a very low level of movement and muscle activation around the lower back, which can be a great help for pain relief. More importantly, getting out of the house into the fresh air for a walk can have a profound effect on our mood. The release of endorphins simply from light exercise can help with pain relief as well as restoring confidence in daily activities.
Some popular exercises that we use here in the clinic to help in restoring range of motion are the Pilates roll down, child’s pose, glute bridge, dead bug and birddog. Check out our YouTube video here for a quick guide on these exercises!
The Physio Performance Way:
We have a high volume of patients who are treated daily with lower back pain here in our state of the art clinic in Drogheda.
Initially, our treatment will focus on helping you become pain-free as quickly as possible.
We will educate & empower you to help you understand the cause of your back pain and how you can stay pain-free.
A rehabilitation programme will be customized for you to help you build a more confident and stronger back.
Next step:
Want to get in touch with our team or a therapist or you are looking for some advice?
You can contact us on 041-9877059 or at info@physioperformance.ie. You can also book an appointment online with us HERE.
