10 Steps To A Better Back
January 5, 2009 by soreback
YOUR 10-STEP CURE FOR BACK PAIN
So you have back pain and just want the executive summary of how to fix it? Okay, we’ll do our best to sum up home treatments in these 10 steps.
STEP 1 – GET AN EXAM.
Chances are your back problems are due to poor posture, excess body weight, everyday stresses, and common causes such as these.
However chronic back pain can also be caused by serious conditions such as slipped or herniated disks, fibromyalgia, injuries to the neck or spine, and rarely other conditions such as cancer, kidney infection, and so on.
It’s important to know exactly what you’re dealing with whenever you have any type of pain, and this means back pain as well. Hopefully your back pain can be easily corrected with some home remedies but just in case it’s something more serious, you should see your doctor for a complete exam.
STEP 2 – PREVENTION IS THE KEY!
Sometimes you’ve already done damage to your back and obviously we can’t go back in time and fix whatever has happened to us, but preventing injuries and doing what you can to stop irritating those injuries further is very important.
Everyday problems and activities can cause back problems and pain. This might mean being aware of what you’re lifting, whether it’s something at work or your children and groceries. You also need to avoid jarring injuries such as when you hit your brakes while driving.
Be mindful of your desk and chair at work. Try them out and see if they’re not putting undue pressure on your back. Put that footstool under your desk and make sure you get up and walk around as much as possible.
Exercising and lifting weights is another area where many people injure their backs. Don’t overdo it at the gym and be aware of your form. Ask a personal trainer for help and if you notice that your back hurts when you’re doing exercising, keep in mind that you’re probably doing something wrong. Be patient with yourself and your fitness goals so that you don’t do more damage than good.
Click Here to Get Your Free Back Pain Relief Guide
STEP 3 – MIND YOUR POSTURE.
Probably the majority of people today slouch, whether it’s because of never being taught to sit up straight or just plain laziness. Our furniture, cars, and beds don’t always help either as they’re rarely designed to encourage good posture. We slump over desks and computer screens and drape ourselves over the couch without a thought as to how our bodies are contorted and to what pressure we’re putting on what muscles.
In the old days people were taught proper posture by being made to walk with books on their head. It was considered incredibly bad manners to slouch at the table and children were corrected on their posture at school. While these things are somewhat extreme there’s no reason you can’t work on it by yourself. Practice standing up straight and correct yourself when you notice that you’re slouching over the dinner table or desk. Get yourself some posture correcting clothing and wear it whenever possible. Get into the habit of sitting and standing with good posture and soon enough it will just be part of your routine.
Tip from the experts: One good way to improve your posture is to get into your car and sit up straight, then adjust your seat and mirrors to that position. When you notice that you can’t see in a mirror or are peering over the steering wheel, adjust your posture rather than the seat or mirrors. Leave them where they are as a reminder of how you need to keep yourself sitting up straight.
STEP 4 – GET INTO THE HABIT OF STRETCHING.
All that slouching means that those muscles are going to be tense and sore. They’re working in ways they shouldn’t have to and are being forced into a position they shouldn’t be in.
You can’t always correct how you sit or stand; sometimes you just have bad furniture at work and can’t do anything about it, or do some type of work that means leaning forward and bending over. You can however make up for this by stretching every single day as much as possible. Put your hands over your head and reach for the sky and then bend forward and touch your toes. Don’t overextend or pull anything, but just stretch your muscles out to allow some oxygen in and to increase the blood flow.
Stretching in the morning is beneficial for many reasons but of course not everyone can fit this into their morning routine. But remember that you don’t need an entire chunk of time to do some good stretching – try a few stretches while waiting for the water of the shower to heat up, or take a moment to stretch while you’re looking over your clothes to find what you can wear. You can also make this part of your nighttime routine, taking five minutes before bedtime to do some easy stretches.
STEP 5 – RELAX!
Stress causes the body’s muscles to tense up and contract and to stay that way. You probably already know this and have experienced a sore neck, shoulders, and headaches because of your stress and tension.
This can affect your back muscles as well. Many who have back problems are under constant stress and pressure and are always frustrated, angry, and negative. These negative emotions have a direct connection to the pain you are feeling in your back as it too will tense up when you’re stressed or anxious.
We can’t always remove stressful situations from our lives; everyone wishes they could live on a tropical island or in the mountains or just have a carefree existence, but it’s really not possible these days. So your choice then is to deal with the stress in a more productive way than to let it affect your body in this way.
Yoga and other stress relievers
What helps you to relax? For some it’s yoga or meditation, while for others it might be a soak in a hot tub, a good book, or a long talk with a friend. You might also consider a hobby that helps relaxes your mind, whether it’s woodworking, knitting, creating scrapbooks, gardening and landscaping, working on cars, or whatever else you enjoy and can use to take your mind off of things.
You might also need to set aside time for these activities the same as you would anything else in your life. Grocery shopping doesn’t just happen, but you need to specifically set aside one evening or a few hours one day to get it done. The same with laundry, housekeeping, and visiting the in-laws. These things need to be planned even if it’s just a mental note of when it’s going to happen.
So it is with your relaxing activities. Make a plan or mental note of when you’re going to indulge and then do it. Don’t let anything else interfere, and make it a regular habit.
STEP 6 – EXERCISE.
When we’re in pain what we usually want to do is go back to bed and stay there until the pain is gone.
When you’ve injured your back severely then sometimes bed rest is needed but usually everyday back pain needs exercise, not rest. Physical activity will increase the blood flow to the back muscles and cause them to loosen up. When muscles are kept inactive and tense they just hurt themselves even more. Consider the illustration of keeping your hand clenched around something – it just hurts more as time goes on.
Inactivity is much the same for your back. When you allow it to stay clenched then those muscles are just going to hurt all the more.
You don’t need to do anything strenuous when you have a bad back and of course impact and jarring it is just going to make it worse. But walking, biking and swimming are good exercises, or you can use an elliptical machine at your gym. Anything that gets you active without putting pressure on your back should do the trick.
STEP 7 – LOSE SOME WEIGHT.
Ouch. This may be the most difficult and the most distasteful of all steps, but may also be one of the most important and most effective.
Your body simply cannot keep moving around excess weight without there being an injury or stresses and strains. Even professional bodybuilders work out for only so long before putting the weights down and going home so that they don’t injure themselves, but when you’re 30, 50, or 100 pounds overweight your body never gets to put that weight down.
Excess body weight also puts undue stress on the knees and ankles and when these are worn out then the back works harder to make up for that deficiency in carrying your upper body and in moving you around.
There is no benefit to being severely overweight and many health concerns with excess weight; back problems and pain are only one of those concerns. If you’re overweight and especially if you’re obese then you have many reasons to consider losing that weight or as much as possible.
STEP 8 – TRY HOME REMEDIES.
It’s time to buy a basketball. No, not so you can challenge your kids to some hoops although there’s nothing wrong with that. But rolling your back on that basketball can do a lot to loosen it up and work those muscles. You can also get a heating pad to use at the office, invert yourself in a recliner, and prop your feet up as we’ve mentioned.
A long hot shower or hot bath, some yoga, and other home remedies can be very effective but usually they need to be done regularly for them to be successful. Don’t think that one session of yoga is going to cure your pain or that one hot bath will either. But if you’re in the habit of doing these things on a regular basis you may find that those muscles get worked and the tension is relieved.
STEP 9 – GET A MASSAGE.
A good massage is a wonderful indulgence but for many with back problems, a massage can be a lifesaver. An experienced masseuse can know which muscles of the back need to be worked on and just how to go about doing that in an effective way. Remember, they go to school for this kind of thing! While they’re not doctors they certainly have training and experience in getting muscles to loosen up and to alleviate pain.
When you do go for a massage be sure to tell them that you’re having back pain and describe the area and the pain itself. This can help them understand what they need to work on and that they also need to be gentle with you as well.
And try that hot stone massage as well. Those hot stones can improve the blood circulation and flow and help your entire back relax and be healthy.
STEP 10 – PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.
Maybe a massage doesn’t quite do it for you, and neither does a hot bath. You feel some relief when you stretch and notice that your posture has improved. The real key to getting relief from your constant and chronic back pain is to put all these things together. Stretch for a few minutes when you get up, and do some yoga every night. Make regular physical exercise a part of your everyday routine, not something you do sporadically or when you can “fit it in.” Regular exercise will also help you to lose some weight, but of course this won’t do you any good if you gain it back, so make sure whatever changes you make are permanent.
Back pain is often caused by a variety of factors, so using a variety of remedies can be the solution to it on a permanent basis.
And if all else fails, don’t hesitate to speak to your doctor about medications or other treatment options. Sometimes taking medications can be well worth it if it means getting some relief from your chronic and consistent pain.
Back pain is manageable and can be cured, if you give it the time and attention it deserves. In the end, you can live your life pain free and without ever saying, “Oh, my aching back!”
No related articles.