Approximately 60-80% of adults will have back pain at some point in their lifetime. If youre suffering right now or have pain from time to time be assured you are not alone.
The causes of back pain are usually one or a combination of the following:
- Injury – either a recent or pre-existing injury resulting from over stretching, heavy lifting or trauma (e.g a fall or accident) can lead to problems with the muscles, joints, discs and ligaments within your spine, causing pain and loss of or altered movement.
- Work and lifestyle factors – your job, the types of exercise you do, your posture, the things you do every day will place different stresses and strains on your back. Repeated postures and movements can often cause problems over time, causing the muscles in your back to become tight and the joints to become stiff. Both of which can cause pain and altered movement.
- Individual factors – factors such as your natural posture, body alignment, weight, fitness and your pain threshold can make you more or less susceptible to getting back pain. Some medical conditions and genetic factors can also make you more susceptible to back pain.
Many of these causes can be modified to resolve and prevent your back pain. If you have persistent/ongoing back pain or pain that often comes and goes it is worth having a good look at your lifestyle and individual factors to see what can be changed to improve the health of your back.
But what if youre in pain right now?!
The good news its that it is not always necessary to find the exact cause of the pain to make it get better and go away.
Simple solutions can help and should always be tried first to help your back start to heal: gentle exercises such as those below or beginners yoga or pilates can relieve areas of stiffness or muscle tightness which can contribute to the pain. Keeping as active as you can with short walks and moving round the house is also important.
Try these simple exercises 2-3 times per day, only do those you find are easing and as many repetitions as you can manage (avoid pushing or forcing to do more than you can handle).
The childs pose (picture 1)
Start in kneeling on hands and knees
Sit your bottom back to your heels and reach your arms forward
Hold 20-30 seconds, then go back to kneeling and repeat x 3
Spine twists (picture 2)
Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms outstretched
Gently roll your knees as far as you can to one side, keeping shoulders on the floor
Hold 5 seconds and move to the other side
Repeat x 5
Knee to chest (picture 3)
Lie on your back and gently pull one knee to your chest
Hold 15-20 seconds then change legs
Repeat x 3 each side
Heat packs, or hot baths can help tight or inflamed muscles to relax and bring blood flow to the area, helping your back to heal. if you’re struggling complimentary therapies such as massage or acupuncture can also be useful to relax muscles and relieve pain.
For many people a new bout of back pain will resolve or significantly reduce in 4- 6 weeks, so be assured its not likely to be this bad forever. But if you’re struggling please do get help from a physiotherapist or suitably qualified health professional, to help identify the causes and resolve your pain.
