5 Tips for Low Back Pain
Low back pain is extremely prevalent in our world, but it can be hard to always know the exact cause. It’s estimated that 80% of adults across the world will experience acute or chronic low back pain at some point in their lives. If this is something you’ve experienced, you know how debilitating and frustrating it can be. Read on for tips and exercises to help manage or prevent low back pain*.
1. Try standing.
With the advances in technology over the last several decades, many of us now find ourselves sitting at a desk behind a computer screen for most of the day. This puts our bodies in a position that tightens our quadriceps and hip flexors, which can then pull on our pelvis in a way that can cause low back pain. This position also can weaken our glute muscles and hamstrings, causing a musculature imbalance that can exacerbate the issues in our low back. One of the best ways to combat this is to stand for at least part of your day. Whether you have the capabilities of a standing desk or try to incorporate walking meetings, getting more time on your feet can help loosen and strengthen the muscles around your core to combat low back pain.
2. Take care of your feet.
While it’s important to reduce the amount of time you’re sitting during the day, it’s also important to focus on your feet. Remember the old nursery rhyme, “The foot bone’s connected to the leg bone”? It’s all true! Our muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons are all connected throughout our bodies and an imbalance or issue in one part can affect the rest of your body. By paying attention to and taking care of our feet, whether through foot insoles or just good supportive shoes, we can take care of issues at our base before they cause imbalances or pain elsewhere in our body.
3. Strengthen your TVA.
Your TVA, or Transverse Abdominis, is the deepest muscle of your core musculature. This just means that it is the most internal muscle, and it wraps around the front and sides of your core to stabilize your spine. Your TVA is so important in keeping your spine safe and stable through your ever day tasks, but it can often be underactive. By incorporating movements to strengthen your TVA, you can ensure that you have a strong, stable core to protect your back at all times.
4. Mobilize your hips.
As mentioned in tip number one, muscle imbalances of tightness and weakness in opposing muscle groups can contribute to low back pain. This is especially true for the muscles and ligature of your hips. You hip flexors and adductors, or the muscles that bring your knee to your chest and bring your legs together, can often be tight due to prolonged periods of sitting. Adversely, your hip abductors, or the muscles that bring your leg out to the side of your body, can become weakened due to underactive glutes, also from prolonged periods of sitting. Improving the functionality of these muscles and the hip joint as a whole can help in managing and preventing low back pain. Mobility work is moving a muscle or joint through its full range of motion to improve functionality and can be done every day. Hip mobility training can include movements to relieve tightness in the hip flexors and adductors and increase strength in the glute muscles and hip abductors.
5. Incorporate some feel good stretches.
Finally, incorporating some feel-good stretches at the beginning or end of your day can help alleviate low back pain. A Cat-Cow stretch can be a great way to energize your body for the day ahead, and a Child’s Pose or Legs Up the Wall stretch can be incorporated into a wind-down routine to prepare you for a restful night of sleep.
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*The information in this blog is for informational and educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, examine, treat, counsel, prevent or cure medical conditions, physical ailments, mental or emotional disorders, diseases or conditions. The information provided is not meant to be a substitute for and should not be used in place of any professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provide by a licensed professional medical provider.
