Back pain is a very common problem for so many people. Here are a few things to keep in mind for a strong, healthy and pain-free back.
1. Keep your hips mobile-whether it is at a desk, at school or work, in the car or relaxing in front of the TV, we tend to sit too much. It is important to incorporate more standing positions throughout the day to relax the hips and strengthen our core muscles. Try to perform more standing stretches and lie on your stomach daily to stretch out your back and hips.
2. Extend your back. Part of the function of our core is to resist forward bending or flexion so try to add extension and core stability exercises to keep everything in balance. Anytime that you must bend forward, be sure to bend your knees to better assist your lifting and take pressure off of your low back.
3. Avoid sustained postures for extended periods of time. The healthiest backs are the ones that are moving frequently. Try to keep moving and change positions frequently.
Physical therapists are experts in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives and play an important role not only in treating persistent or recurrent low back pain, but also in prevention and risk reduction. If you need advice on beginning a specialized exercise program for improving your back health with core strengthening, give the therapists at Campbell Therapy a call. If you are currently experiencing back pain and it lasts more than a few days or gets worse, you should schedule an appointment to see your physical therapist. See a health care professional immediately if you experience the following symptoms: loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thigh, or pain that does not change with rest.
Physical therapy goals are to decrease pain, increase function, and provide education to prevent further recurrences. A physical therapy program for back pain usually has two components: 1) passive physical therapy to help reduce the patient’s pain to a more manageable level, and 2) active exercises. Active exercises include a combination of stretching, strengthening and low-impact conditioning as the patient is able.
At Campbell Therapy Center, we frequently use aquatic therapy exercise programs for patients with back pain who find it difficult and painful to tolerate land-based exercise. We offer an onsite pool for patients to have one-on-one treatment sessions with their therapist. Give us a call today, we are here to help with back pain!