Written by: Riley Carter, PT, DPT
Who’s ready to get back to living life better? Who’s tired of living with back pain or just plain ignoring it? If this is you, you should probably keep reading..
Lower back pain is extremely common and one of the top diagnoses we treat here at Nesin. This is because the lower back is prone to a lot of stress with everyday activities such as bending and lifting. Lower back pain can be acute, which means it comes on due to a sudden injury. Or lower back pain can be chronic, which means it persists longer than 3 months or is due to a health condition such as arthritis. Regardless of the cause, there are multiple strategies that can help to reduce your pain as well as prevent further issues.
Ice & Heat
If you experience a sudden injury that causes lower back pain, applying ice within the first 1-3 days can help ease the pain and reduce any inflammation. For persisting or chronic low back pain, use of heat can help to reduce muscle tightness. To protect your skin, you want to make sure to have a barrier between it and the ice or heat (towel, pillow case, etc.). Only use these for 20 minutes maximum at a time.
Stretching & Strengthening
Regular physical activity is a great way to help reduce lower back pain and prevent it from returning. This consists of gentle stretching as well as strengthening. Physical therapy is often the first line of treatment in order to receive guided therapeutic exercises specifically targeted for each individual.
Posture Makes Perfect
Posture is a very important part of reducing or avoiding lower back pain. For most people, sitting takes up a large portion of their day to do their job. When sitting at a desk, keep your feet planted on the floor with your hips slightly above your knees. Keep your mouse and keyboard within easy reach to avoid slouching forward. Correcting your posture can help reduce stress on joints and ligaments and allow your muscles to work more efficiently.
Often times, an episode of lower back pain will get better on its own and does not require further treatment; however, some people with low back pain should be evaluated by their health care provider. As I mentioned above, back pain is one of our top diagnoses we treat at Nesin, so give us a call to set up your evaluation and get back to living life better.