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​9 Strategies to Reduce Low Back Pain

1.Use a cold pack.
Placing a cold pack inside a pillow case and applying it to the painful area for 15-20 minutes will help alleviate pain. Repeat the application throughout the day i.e. every hour.
Redness is common after removing the cold pack and should go away after 10 minutes. If it persists or you develop hives, welts, and itching, stop using the cold pack.
Why not heat? While heat is soothing and feels good, it may cause more harm especially if inflammation is already present.
Also, a heating pad, if left on too long, can burn the skin. For example, falling asleep while using the heating pad.
 
2. Changing footwear.
Ladies, high heels are not your friend.
Heels change the alignment of your pelvis adding more pressure to the low back. These changes happen over time, but in the presence of back pain, heels can make you feel worse.
Try lower-heeled shoes with lots of cushion.
For you non-high-heeled folks, check your shoe’s insoles to make sure they’re not worn out. Insoles break down faster than the outer sole so you may not be aware that you need to change footwear.
 
3. Lifting.
 You will want to avoid lifting objects particularly if they are over 10 pounds (4.5 kg) if you have back pain.
If you must lift something, get close to the object, keep your back straight and vertical, lift with your legs.
 Don’t twist when you lift!
 
4. Don’t sit for too long.
How long is too long?
If you know you start having back pain, say, after 15 minutes of sitting then stand up and move around after sitting for 10 minutes. Try to get ahead of the pain.
 
5. Avoid bedrest.
Once upon a time, pro-long bedrest was part of the prescription for back pain.
No longer! Back pain can actually start to increase after 8 hours of bedrest.
Plus, the very anatomical structures that are designed to keep your back healthy and pain free will weaken due to inactivity.
 
6. Hydration
Our bodies are made up of 50- 75% water, but very few of us are drinking enough water every day to keep all our systems working properly.
How much water should you drink a day?
Well, the answer used to be one-size-fits-all, which was 8-10 glasses a day.
BUT, things have changed, and now the answer: “It depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live.
In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce to one ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day”.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink between 75 and 150 ounces of water every day.
Also, consider WHERE you live…if you live in a hot, humid climate and exercise, you should drink the higher end of that range, but if you live in a cooler climate and are sedentary, you would need less.
Water is always your best choice, but you can also get hydrated with fruit juice, coffee, tea, or lemonade.
 
7.  Stress
 Our nervous system is designed to up-regulate in times of stress and danger and to down-regulate when the perceived threat has passed.
However, in this day and age many of us are stuck in “Fight-or-Flight” mode (up-regulation), with perhaps minimal or even non-existent times to “Rest and Digest” (downregulation).
Think of it this way: picture a boat speeding across a lake at top speed, bouncing along with each wave it hits, the passengers bumping along as well.
A lot of us are busy scurrying around every day juggling work, family life, recreational endeavors, and keeping up with the Jones’ in our social circles…what would it feel like to slow down, take a deep breath and get into a nice row boat, enjoying the sunshine and really feeling the gentle rocking of each wave?
Our bodies (and our minds) need down-time in order to repair, heal, and keep all of our systems working properly.
 
8. Poor sleeping position
You may need a little extra support from a pillow or two, depending on what position you like to sleep in.
TRY THIS:
If you sleep on your BACK: Place a pillow or two under your knees to support the natural curve of your back.
If you sleep on your SIDE: Place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips in a “neutral” alignment and to keep you from twisting while you’re sleeping.
DO NOT EVER sleep on your stomach! In order to sleep on your stomach you have to turn your head to one side, and this causes a pinching of the nerves and blood vessels to your head, cutting off oxygen to your brain.
 
9. Get PHYSICAL (therapy that is)!
 Physical therapists have the tools and knowledge to end your back pain AND get you safely moving again with confidence.
 If you’ve ever done a Google search for back pain exercises, you’ve probably seen thousands of examples leaving you more confused than ever.
 
Physical therapists are the movement experts, and can develop the right individualized, custom plan for you. Give Body Balance Physical Therapy a call at
(512) 261-8699

Bonus Tips
All Back Pain is Not Created Equal.
 Pain is a symptom that something is wrong, and even though your pain may go away over time, it doesn’t mean that the problem that caused the pain went away as well.
Physical therapists (PT’s) are trained to find the source or sources of back pain.
You may be surprised to find out that there are a lot of “players” in the development of low back pain.
Spend some quality one-on-one time with a PT who will work with you to find the culprit.
How to Get Out of Bed. Appropriate rest is essential, but as strategy #5 points out, it’s not good to stay in bed. So how do you get up when you’re in pain?

• First, roll like a log onto your side.
• Second, bend your knees (fetal position).
• Lastly, come to a seated position by pushing up with your underneath arm while dropping both feet off the bed.

A PT can boost your confidence by helping you with this skill as part of your one-on-one session.
 
The House Isn’t Going to Clean Itself.
 
We understand that life goes on, but when you have back pain chores like vacuuming can become daunting.
 
First recommendation is to 3 delegate the task to another family member, roommate, or cleaning service until your pain subsides (Sounds like good news if you hate vacuuming).
 
So, when the pain goes away, you can vacuum again, right? Nope, not yet. Remember pain is a symptom that something is wrong.
 
Let a PT work with you one-on-one to alleviate your back pain, and show you the best ways to tackle household chores.
Give Body Balance Physical Therapy a call at
(512) 261-8699

If you have any Questions after reading this report, feel free to reach out and let help you get back to those things you are currently missing out on.