Helpful hints for low back pain 2012-01-20

Helpful hints for Low back pain

All the recent snow in Everett flared up that low back?  Here are some helpful hints to prevent low back pain or decrease what you have.

After exercise, shoveling snow or any physical activity do not sit right down. Especially on a soft couch.  When you use the low back muscles and joints invariably you will create some irritation of the area and create inflammation of the region.  When you sit down the inflammation will pool up and you will have pain when you get up.

1. Go for a small walk after physical activity and then lie on the floor and do some simple stretches.  Like pulling you knees to your chest one at a time and then both.


2. Sit with an ice pack behind your back in a stiff chair.  Make sure you have something between you and the ice of you will get frost bite.  Ice for about 10 min and walk around for a few minutes.


3. Do not use bed rest!  This is one of worst things for low back pain.


4. Go for small walks.  If you have just recently injured your low back walk for about 10 min at a time on a nice flat surface that you are familiar with.


5. Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees.


6. Stretch in the morning before you even get out of bed.  I have seen hundreds of patients wake up, feel stiff and then jump out of bed only to fall down due to low back pain.


7. Do not use heat!  Especially if it is a new injury.  Heat will increase blood flow to the area and therefore increase the inflammation of the area causing more tissue damage and then more pain.  Feels good when it is on, long term will make you worse.


8. If you were exercising before you injured the low back, do not stop.  Modify the exercise but continue doing something.

This is not an exhaustive list.  Low back pain affects millions of people each year.  Many acute low back injuries turn into chronic low back pain only because of poor treatment in the early stage.  Find a good Chiropractor that will help you through your low back pain.

Advanced Chiropractic, 425-353-7246