Home Strategies to Manage Your Acute Lower Back Pain (Part 2)
Hello again!
This is the continuation of my previous blog on “How to manage your acute lower back pain at home or work” where we talked about the flexion intolerant lower back but today, we will focus on the ‘Extension Intolerant Lower Back Pain’ and home strategies you can try right away if you are dealing with lower back pain.
Extension Intolerant Lower Back Pain is where you may experience lower back pain when bending backwards to look up at the sky, checking your blind spot in the car, or arching your back to paint the ceiling. A common complaint we see with our athletes is back pain after they’ve had a heavy day of overhead lifting and pressing.
As a refresher, in the clinic, we educate patients on the notion that the course of recovery is rarely linear, and more like mini ups and downs throughout, but the overall trend is upwards towards recovery. It is normal to experience acute episodes of lower back pain during your recovery but let’s talk about how to manage those acute episodes at your home or work so we can maximize recovery times and build a more resilient & happier YOU!
One of the goals during recovery is to reduce the number of painful episodes so that you won't need to miss days doing rehab or more importantly, miss out on fun activities with your loved ones.
Here are some easy & effective ways to manage your acute episodes of lower back pain:
Limit your sitting time. The longer you sit, the more likely it is for your lumbar spine (lower back) to settle into an overly flexed position, which can feel good on your lower back initially but in the long run, is not an ideal solution and rather a temporary band-aid.
Sitting posture: There is no IDEAL posture for sitting. The best thing you can do if you have to sit for extended periods is to change your posture often. This allows for microbreaks and movement which helps reduce the stiffness or tightness from sitting.
Daily walking: A 30-60 minute walk a day keeps the mind & spine healthy. Walking will actively mobilize the intervertebral discs and joints with nutrients, and also give you an opportunity to get some fresh air in your lungs. You can break up the walks into chunks instead of one long 60-minute walk. Avoid excessive downhill walking during acute episodes as that may put your lumbar spine into an overly extended position which can recreate your pain.
Here’s an effective relief exercise you can do every day to reduce your flexion intolerant lower back pain:
Deadbug Relief Exercise for Lower Back Pain
Aim to do 3 sets of 1 minute at a time. Focus on relaxing the muscles in your neck and chest wall while you practice diaphragmatic breathing into the lower back. This creates a gentle mechanical decompressive effect on your lumbar spine. Repeat 3x daily or as tolerated.
Note: If you experience any additional symptoms such as tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, pain down the leg, or loss of bladder function, please consult your local health care provider for a complete and thorough examination as those could be signs of something more serious.
Do you have questions about your injury? Book your complimentary 15min phone consultation with Dr. Yap via email to determine if chiropractic care is appropriate for your specific condition.
Send inquiries to: drnickyap@gmail.com
Do you want to work one-on-one with Dr. Yap to get rid of your pain and optimize your life? Book your appointment today at: https://totalbodyhealth.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/45
