Things happen as you get older – you get married, have children, and their needs tend to supersede yours – so you find yourself getting out of shape. One of the first things you feel tends to be lower back pain. So, how do you fix it?
While even a young teenager can suffer with back pain, you’ll notice that your back seems to become even more bothersome as you get older. Soon, things like getting up from a chair can cause moments where you have to wait a few seconds for your back to loosen up before you can take some steps. It can feel like a weight is constantly on your lower back.
There are some other times that it just feels like your lower back can’t support you trying to stand up and you almost fold up like an accordion to the ground. Being out of commission for a few days while your back recovers is no fun.
Here are just a few things that you can do to help alleviate your lower back pain.
Shed Some Weight
Being overweight is one cause of lower back problems because of the constant pressure from the extra poundage on the area. While skinny people can have back problems as well, you’d really be doing yourself a service to drop those pounds while also strengthening your core muscles. There are many other benefits to becoming less heavy, but your back will thank you for doing it.
Go Cold and/or Hot
You can use cold packs on your back, since it numbs the receptors that signal pain. Heat will loosen up the tight muscles in your back. You can alternate or you can stick with one that you prefer. Do about 20 minutes of each, since you don’t want to freeze the area too much nor do you want to run the risk of burning skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. This is therapeutic for treatment of your lower back.
Loosen Up Your Hamstrings
This is something that might not occur to you, but your body is a wondrous thing that is interconnected in so many intricate ways. Your hamstrings, if they are very tight, can be almost tugging down on your lower back muscles, which can make things very uncomfortable.
Reach For The Medicine Cabinet
Here’s one important warning before this piece of advice is imparted: If you take pain relievers like Motrin or Aleve too often, they can damage the stomach lining and other internal organs of your body… besides, they won’t fix the problem. Otherwise you’re inviting a whole new set of health issues that might require more invasive medicine. Still, you can take these and relax for a bit and the back problems may subside on their own.
Therapists at Phoenix Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation of both Brooklyn and Rosedale, NY will be able to treat your lower back with success! You won’t even have to trek to Manhattan. The caring staff will work with you and show you what you need to do to be able to call yourself pain free.
