You lift a heavy suitcase, a beach bag or golf clubs and all of a sudden… lower back pain! You twist trying to fasten the car seat or swing a tennis racquet and… pain stops you in your tracks! Perhaps you bend down to do some gardening or do some squats at the gym and… PAIN! Now, you are desperately searching for back pain relief.
So, why are you in pain? Consider your age – occurs most often in men and women between the ages of 30 – 50; an injury (auto, sports or slip and fall); sedentary lifestyle – lack of regular exercise; poor posture – sleeping, standing or while working on the computer; improper bending and lifting techniques; inadequate muscle strength, shortened muscles, strained muscles or ligaments; weak core muscles; spinal misalignment; bulging or herniated discs; pinched nerve; facet joint syndrome; any degenerative conditions (arthritis, osteoporosis, scoliosis); nutritional deficiencies, dehydration and toxins; smoking and being overweight. One day – you wake up and life catches up with you! Now, you may be seeking a lower back pain treatment program.
Is your pain is acute or chronic? Generally, if your pain lasts for a few days to a few weeks, then it is considered acute or short-term. The cause may be mechanical in nature… due to a trauma caused by an injury. Were you involved in an automobile accident? Did you slip off a ladder at home or collide with someone playing sports? Perhaps you are experiencing a muscle ache, shooting or stabbing pain, limited range-of-motion or reduced flexibility. Some people experience pain that radiates to other parts of the body, especially if left untreated. If your lower back pain persists for more than three months, it is considered chronic.
After finding the cause, the proper treatment can be instituted to achieve back pain relief. Treatment may include medications, as well as injections of ligaments, muscles, bursae, joints and specialized injections such as epidural injections or facet joint block injection. Physical Therapy, Chiropractic or Acupuncture may be an integral part of the back pain treatment program.
Many patients work with our Physical Therapists to provide exercises for lower back pain. Regular exercises can help to restore the strength of your back – returning you to everyday activities. Some of the beginning exercises may include:
• Knee to Chest: Lie on your back. Bring both knees into your chest. Hold for thirty seconds. Repeat three times.
• Gastroc Stretch: Keeping back leg straight, with heel on floor and turned slightly outward, lean into wall until a stretch is felt in calf. Hold for twenty seconds. Repeat 3 times with each leg.
• Standing Hamstring Stretch: Place foot on stool. Slowly lean forward reaching down shin until a stretch is felt in back of thigh. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat three times with each leg.
• Ankle Pumps: While lying on your back, move ankles up and down ten times. Repeat ten times.
• Heel Slides: While lying on your back, slowly bend and strengthen your knees. Repeat ten times.
• Heel Raises: Stand facing the wall. Slowly raise heels up and down. Repeat ten times.
If you are experiencing pain, a customized lower back pain treatment program can be created for you. After a few short weeks, you can begin to get on with the rest of your life, as you rid yourself of the lower back pain you’re suffering with.
