After a long hard day of work or a particularly good workout, lower back pain can sneak up on you. Perhaps you helped a friend or family member move and lifted one too many boxes, or went to catch that ball too quickly and strained a muscle. The last thing you want is for that lower back pain to stop you from enjoying your day. Lower back pain can be caused by irritation in the large nerve roots that go from the low back to the legs, irritation in the smaller nerves in the lower back, strained muscles, or the bones, ligaments or joints may be at fault.
Below are 4 tips for lower back care to get you up and moving again in no time.
Put your feet up for a bit and take the pressure off. This will give your muscles and nerve roots time to start to heal instead of continuing to strain them. You could also try heat and/or ice packs. Heat increases blood flow helping to reduce sharp pains, while ice reduces inflammation by slowing blood flow. This is a short term solution.
For the long term, building up your flexibility and strength in your lower back can help reduce risk of recurring pain. Focusing on your core strength is also imperative, as your core muscles assist your back muscles in strength and support. Correct stretches, exercises, and programs can help build up muscles and flexibility in your back that will work to keep the ligaments, joints, and nerve roots healthy.
While stretching, be sure it is pain free. If you force your body into positions you could risk hurting it further. Move slowly to avoid bouncing and hold the stretches for about 20-30 seconds to give the muscles times to become loose. Swimming is a great idea for exercising, as it is a low impact, high resistance exercise.
Going a trusted Chiropractor is another solution for treating lower back pain. They can help improve spinal function and decrease inflammation. There are two typical treatments: chiropractic adjustment (high velocity manipulation) and chiropractic mobilization (low velocity manipulation). Your Chiropractor will be able to determine what treatment is right for you.
Surprisingly, taking care of your feet can help your back. Your feet carry your entire body, and so you should take care in what shoes and insoles you wear. Finding the proper, supportive shoes and correct insoles can help relieve lower back pain. Incorrect shoes could put unneeded strain on your joints, creating muscle and nerve root stress. With proper corrective insoles, this stress could be alleviated.
Lower back pain is no laughing matter, and it’s important to take proper care of the pain. Start from the bottom up with DoctorInsole's custom grade orthotic insoles. Custom orthotics have a high price point, and insoles tend to not be supportive enough. DoctorInsole has finally bridged that gap and has been proven to help treat lower back pain.
