Back pain affects a majority of our population and while back spasms and pain are something many of us have accepted as a part of life I’m here to tell you that there are steps that can be taken to prevent and fix back pain. However, if you are experiencing extreme back pain I’d recommend seeing your doctor first.
Here are a few tips to deal with back pain and keep you on point.
Ice it
Basic stuff, apply ice for inflammation. The typical recommendation for back pain is repeated ice application to the area for the first 24-48 hours to reduce inflammation.
Drink water
Staying hydrated by drinking enough water daily and eating plenty of water-based fruits and veggies also keep your spinal discs hydrated preventing stiffness of the spine and potential pain.
Keep moving
This may seem counter-intuitive to some but hear me out. When we have back pain it may be tempting to sit still or lay down but prolonged sitting or standing only makes the problem worse by tightening hips and hamstrings that can trigger low back pain. So instead of freezing up, you should instead try walking it off and seeing if that helps. Cliche, I know but it works.
Get a massage
Not just a luxury service. For anyone training regularly sports massage can work wonders. The more you drive your car the more often you get it tuned up, the same idea here.
A licensed massage therapist can work out painful trigger points and knots in the back, hips, and hamstrings that may be causing your back pain. Another option is self-massage; either with a foam roller or a tennis ball, you can find and work some of those trigger-points out yourself.
Strength training
Many times weak core muscles (all the muscles between your shoulders and hips that maintain a neutral spinal position) contribute to stiffness and back injuries. The simple solution is to add a strength training program to your schedule. A training program focused on strengthening the abdominals, back, glutes and hamstrings can help ease back pain and prevent future injuries.
Static stretch
Stretching out the hamstrings, hips, and abductors daily can help relieve back stiffness. In addition to static stretching daily adding them to part of your cool-down routine after exercise is a smart idea to keep the flexibility and mobility you already have.
Active stretch
So what’s the difference between an active stretch and a dynamic stretch? As their names imply static stretching is done by holding a stretch for a set period of time while active stretching is doing while moving. During active stretching, the goal is still to improve flexibility, but during active stretching, you also move the body through different joints ranges of motion which helps in improving mobility. I typically prefer active stretching as part of my warm-up routine to prevent injuries and get ready for my workouts.
Improve your hip and thoracic mobility
Humans need mobility in certain joints but they also need stability in others. We should have mobility in both our hips and thoracic region of the upper back and stability in the lumbar region of the lower back. Unfortunately with our culture and lifestyle we sit entirely too much and don’t move enough resulting in the joints to switch roles, this, in turn, can cause back pain. The obvious fix is to restore and maintain the mobility in both our hips and thoracic region while strengthening our core musculature to improve lumbar stability.
Switch up how you sleep
If you find yourself waking up with back stiffness most mornings your mattress choice could be the culprit. If not your mattress then how you’re sleeping could be the issue. Too many pillows or not enough room because of a partner or pets might be leaving you in awkward sleeping positions during the night. Taking a pillow and placing it underneath your knees if you sleep on your back or between your knees if you sleep on your side can assist in supporting the spine while you sleep to leave you feeling a lot better when you wake.
Lift correctly!
Keeping a neutral spinal position during your lifts is not just important, it’s VITAL. When you round in the back while lifting heavy loads it puts unnecessary stress on the spine. That stress will cause both pain and eventually injury. If you feel your form is lacking then go lighter on the weight. You’re working on your body, not your ego. And if you’re unsure what good form looks or feels like then get yourself an experienced lifting partner or a certified personal trainer.
Here are a few tips to deal with back pain and keep you on point.
Ice it
Basic stuff, apply ice for inflammation. The typical recommendation for back pain is repeated ice application to the area for the first 24-48 hours to reduce inflammation.
Drink water
Staying hydrated by drinking enough water daily and eating plenty of water-based fruits and veggies also keep your spinal discs hydrated preventing stiffness of the spine and potential pain.
Keep moving
This may seem counter-intuitive to some but hear me out. When we have back pain it may be tempting to sit still or lay down but prolonged sitting or standing only makes the problem worse by tightening hips and hamstrings that can trigger low back pain. So instead of freezing up, you should instead try walking it off and seeing if that helps. Cliche, I know but it works.
Get a massage
Not just a luxury service. For anyone training regularly sports massage can work wonders. The more you drive your car the more often you get it tuned up, the same idea here.
A licensed massage therapist can work out painful trigger points and knots in the back, hips, and hamstrings that may be causing your back pain. Another option is self-massage; either with a foam roller or a tennis ball, you can find and work some of those trigger-points out yourself.
Strength training
Many times weak core muscles (all the muscles between your shoulders and hips that maintain a neutral spinal position) contribute to stiffness and back injuries. The simple solution is to add a strength training program to your schedule. A training program focused on strengthening the abdominals, back, glutes and hamstrings can help ease back pain and prevent future injuries.
Static stretch
Stretching out the hamstrings, hips, and abductors daily can help relieve back stiffness. In addition to static stretching daily adding them to part of your cool-down routine after exercise is a smart idea to keep the flexibility and mobility you already have.
Active stretch
So what’s the difference between an active stretch and a dynamic stretch? As their names imply static stretching is done by holding a stretch for a set period of time while active stretching is doing while moving. During active stretching, the goal is still to improve flexibility, but during active stretching, you also move the body through different joints ranges of motion which helps in improving mobility. I typically prefer active stretching as part of my warm-up routine to prevent injuries and get ready for my workouts.
Improve your hip and thoracic mobility
Humans need mobility in certain joints but they also need stability in others. We should have mobility in both our hips and thoracic region of the upper back and stability in the lumbar region of the lower back. Unfortunately with our culture and lifestyle we sit entirely too much and don’t move enough resulting in the joints to switch roles, this, in turn, can cause back pain. The obvious fix is to restore and maintain the mobility in both our hips and thoracic region while strengthening our core musculature to improve lumbar stability.
Switch up how you sleep
If you find yourself waking up with back stiffness most mornings your mattress choice could be the culprit. If not your mattress then how you’re sleeping could be the issue. Too many pillows or not enough room because of a partner or pets might be leaving you in awkward sleeping positions during the night. Taking a pillow and placing it underneath your knees if you sleep on your back or between your knees if you sleep on your side can assist in supporting the spine while you sleep to leave you feeling a lot better when you wake.
Lift correctly!
Keeping a neutral spinal position during your lifts is not just important, it’s VITAL. When you round in the back while lifting heavy loads it puts unnecessary stress on the spine. That stress will cause both pain and eventually injury. If you feel your form is lacking then go lighter on the weight. You’re working on your body, not your ego. And if you’re unsure what good form looks or feels like then get yourself an experienced lifting partner or a certified personal trainer.
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