Low back pain (LBP) will most likely strike all of us at some point. How we “deal with it” initially can be critical to its progression or how it resolves. Here are some “highlights” of what to do “WHEN” this happens to you.
Stop Before it Gets Worse
STOP: The most important thing you can do is STOP what you are doing. IF you’re “lucky enough” to be pre-warned BEFORE the crisis point of low back pain strikes. This step can be critical because once it hurts “too much,” it may be too late to quickly reverse the process. The “cause” of LBP is often cumulative, meaning it occurs gradually over time. This occurs from repetitive motion that overloads the region. IF YOU’RE LUCKY, you’ll be warned BEFORE LBP becomes a disabling/preventing activity. When the tissues in the low back are over-stressed and initially injured, the nerve endings in the injured tissue trigger muscle guarding as a protective mechanism. This reflex “muscle spasm” restricts blood flow resulting in more pain creating a vicious cycle that needs to be STOPPED!
Make Changes
REACT: This is the “hard part” as it requires you to perform something specifically. Once you prove to yourself that this approach really works, you won’t hesitate. You’ll need to determine the position that reduces your low back pain. (This is called a “direction preference”). Once established, you can perform exercises to help reduce your back pain. To make this work, you must be able to perform these exercises anywhere so you can feel comfortable doing them.
Flexion Exercise Option
If BENDING FORWARD feels relieving, the exercise of choice is to sit and cross one leg over the other. Afterward, pull that knee towards the opposite shoulder, and move the knee in various positions so the area of “pull” changes. Work out each tight area by adding an arch to the low back. Rotate your trunk towards the side of the flexed knee and alternate between these positions. You will hold them for 10-15 seconds at a time until the stretched area feels looser. A second exercise is to sit and rotate the trunk until a stretch is felt. Again, alternate between different degrees of low back arching during the twists. You should feel different areas of stretch until it feels looser, usually 5-15 seconds per side. A third exercise is to sit and bend forward as if to tie a shoe, and hold that position until the tightness leaves.
Extension Exercise Option
If BENDING BACKWARD feels best, exercise options include placing your fists in the small of your back and leaning backward over the fists, or bending backward and holding the position as long as needed to feel relief (usually 5-15 seconds). From a sitting position, try placing a rolled-up towel (make one with a towel rolled tightly like a sleeping bag held with rubber bands) in the small of the back to increase the curve. Lying on your back with the roll and a pillow under the low back can also feel great!
This discussion will be continued in Part 2.
