Best Stretches to Relieve Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints of modern life in America. Stretches that target the surrounding muscles of the area can help alleviate this problem. This article recommends two basic stretches that almost everyone can do which effectively work the muscles involved. I will also explain how to perform these exercises correctly.

There are several causes of this type of pain. Lifting heavy objects without bending from the knees is one cause. Obesity, particularly abdominal fat is another cause of back pain. The next most common cause of low back pain is the mattress. The means to eliminate these causes of back pain are well known, but it is beyond the scope of this article to do so. This article will recommend exercises to help relieve the pain from these causes not prevent it.

The first stretch I recommend is also the easiest to do. Place a folded blanket on the floor and lie down on it - face up. Bend one leg at the knee and bring it as close as possible to the chest. It doesn't matter which leg you start with but be sure to keep the other leg flat on the floor. Now grab the leg with both hands and press it against the chest and hold for a count of 10. While holding the stretch continue to breath normally. When grabbing the leg be sure to place your hands between the calf and thigh - not on the shin. This will prevent hyper-extension of the knee and cause more of a stretch for the lower back. Alternate this stretch with both legs for a total count of 5 - 10 stretches per leg. When these exercises are finished do the same stretch with both legs together, holding for the same count and same total number of stretches.

The next exercise is actually one from Yoga called the Cobra Pose. In this stretch you begin by laying face down on a folded blanket, arms at your side. Exhale and bring your palms up to shoulder level. Slowly inhale and begin to push yourself back off the floor - arching your spine (like a cobra raising its head) as much as you can. Keep your hips as flat on the floor as possible when doing this stretch. Continue to breath normally while holding this stretch. Hold this stretch for 10 - 15 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 5 times. When starting out with this exercise only come up about halfway for the first month or two of practice, as you develop more spinal flexibility, fully extend your arms for a full stretch.

If you commit yourself to performing these exercises daily for a month or two, you will notice a marked decrease in lower back pain. The best time to these stretches is in the morning after getting out of bed. You will find that the first exercise alone will greatly decrease low back pain but I recommend doing both in order to strengthen, and improve flexibility of the entire back

Causes Of Low Back Pain.

Low back pain is a usual symptom amoung the modern civilised people.It affects mainly the middle aged and young adults of both sexes.People who work on the chair with out exercise and those who carry heavy loads regularly are prone to get this complaint.We can hardly find a person who has not suffered from back pain atleast once in life.The causes of  low backpain ranges from simple reasons like muscular strain to cancer of spine and hence backache should not be ignored.The pain is felt in lumbar and sacral region and may radiate to nearby sites.

The following are some causes for backache.

1) Backache due to diseases in the back.

2) Backache due to gynaecological problems.

3) Backache due to problems in other parts of the body.

 1) Backache due to diseases in the back:--                               a) Injuries :-

     1) Compression fracture of the vertebral column.      2) Rupture of intervertebral discs.      3) Injuries to ligaments and muscles of back.      4) Lumbosacral strain.      5) Intervertebral joint injuries.        6) Fracture of processes of vertebra.

b) Functional backache due to imbalance:-

     1) During pregnancy.      2) Pot belly.      3) Diseases of the hip joint.      4) Curvature in the spine due to congenital defect.      5) Short leg in one side.     c) Backache due to inflammatory conditions:-

     1) Infection of the bone due to bacteria.      2) Tuberculosis of the spine.      3) Arthritis.      4) Brucellosis.      5) Lumbago or fibrositis.      6) Inflamation of the muscles.      7) Anchylosing spondylitis.

d) Backache due to degenerative diseases in the back.

     1) Osteoarthritis.      2) Osteoporosis in old people.      3) Degenaration of the intervertebral disc.

e) Tumour in the spine:--

     1) Primory tumour of the bones in the spine.      2) Metastatic tumours from other sites like prostate,lungs,kidneys,intestine ect.

2) Backache due to gynaecological problems:-

     a) After childbirth.      b) After gynaecological operations.      c) Prolapse of the uterus.      d) Pelvic inflammatory diseases.      e) Cancerous lesions of the pelvic organs.      f) Endometriosis.

3) Backache due to problems in other parts of the body.

     a) Renal stones.      b) Ureteric stone.      c) Cancer of prostate.      d) Pancreatitis.      e) Biliary stones.      f) Peptic ulcer.      g) Inflammations of pelvic organs.      h) Occlusion of aorta and illiac arteries.

 Investigation of a case of backache:-

1) Complete blood count.

2) Routine urine examination.

3) Ultrasonography of the abdomen and pelvis.

4) X-ray of the lumbar and sacral region.

5) MRI of the spine.

5) CT scan of abdomen and pelvic region.

6) Examination of rectum,prostate,genito urinary organs.

 Treatment of back ache:-

1) Removing the cause for backache.

2) Symptomatic treatement.

2) Back exercises.

3) Traction.

3) Yoga.

5) Surgery.

7) Homoeopathy.

Shoes and Back Pain

Did you know that wearing inappropriate shoes could cause the back to feel stressed? Shoes are cushions, foundations, and levers that we use to walk, stand, run, job, and so on. If one wears correctly, fitted shoes it will promote a healthy posture. On the other hand, if one wears unsuitable fitting shoes, look out feet and back.

The feet are the number one target the starts normal back pain. In short, the first thing that hits the ground when you start to stand or walk is the ball of your foot, i.e. the heel. Once the heel hits the surface, the remaining sections of the foot start to follow, which promotes weight and stress throughout areas of the body. Feet problems alone can lead to back pain. Poor posture causes back pain, yet the condition is often characterized by inappropriate actions we take.

Fact: Wearing high-heels will slowly pull the weight of the entire body forward, thus corrupting the posture and arches of the back. Hold your weapons down women, because in time you will feel pain. High-heels are the leading cause of “Spondylolisthesis. In short, terms, spondylolisthesis is a condition that is caused from slipping frontward on the lower back. (Lumbar)

The toes are designed to provide us support, yet when a person wears high-heels it causes the toes to affect the joints, since the toes will narrow, causing weight or pressure to the spine. Now, high-heels are sexy to both men and women, yet these heels are going to cost you a fortune down the road. You can look good in supported shoes that fit comfortably without damaging your ligaments, tendons, nerves, muscles, and so on.

Sorry to pop your bubbles boys and girls, but shoes that support our spine can reduce the odds of experiencing back pain.

How to choose shoes:
Orthotic shoes are recommended. Orthotic shoes will support the feet and weight-bearing joints and muscles. Orthotic shoes have proven to reduce dysfunctions that emerge from the neurological system. In addition, the supportive shoes have proven to reduce injuries and pain emerging from abnormal conditions.

If you are diagnosed with posture conditions, such as osteoporosis, or gait, you can benefit from Orthotic shoes.

Fact: Did you know that you could wear two or more insoles from Dr. Scholl, fitting the insoles into your shoes prior to flipping them over, and achieve balance, which promotes a healthy spine?

Shoes make a difference to our spine, since the feet alone when abnormal can lead to back pain. If you are not wearing, supportive shoes that provide you a comfortable fit, you may want to invest in Orthotic shoes to relieve your back pain.

In addition to shoes, you can perform stretch workouts, and practicing leaning, sitting and lifting strategies to correct your actions and reduce back pain.

Fact: If the spine is misaligned, it can lead to back pain.

Duh, you knew that. Anyway, we misalign the spine when lifting incorrectly, wearing unsuitable shoes, and leaning, or sitting in position, incorrectly. You can correct the problems by getting the ball and chain in motion, and learning about your condition, followed by taking action to relieve your pain.

Fact: Proper lifting starts at the thighs and buttocks. Millions of people lift while relying on the back to hold the weight. Back pain occurs.

When lifting heavy objects you want to avoid lifting at a distance. At best, you want to avoid bending the knees and expending the trunk perpendicularly.

Prepare to take out your briefcase. Surely, you have around 20 pounds of weight inside the container. Otherwise, consider an object that weighs 20-pounds, unless you have been restricted to lifting.

What you are about to do is lift more than 20-pounds. By the time you get in position and use your muscles, you will have lifted up to 200 pounds. When you lift the briefcase, or other object move close to the subject. Move the trunk or torso in position by placing it over your feet. Remain in position until you have completed your lift.

Acute Back Pain Treatment and Relief

Acute back pain stands a good chance of improvement within a few days to weeks. The following will help:

• Continuing with your day-to-day activities, wherever possible.
• Treatment with over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines in consultation with your GP. These provide back pain relief to patients with mild to moderate pain.
• Short-term treatment with a muscle relaxant will provide relief
• Limiting bed rest to the minimum, since complete rest does not aid recovery.
• Muscle strengthening exercises and improving the posture through activities such as stretching exercises, swimming, and walking. Yoga, too, can gently stretch muscles and facilitate pain relief. The mild discomfort that you will experience when you begin these exercises usually disappears as muscle strength improves.
• Applying cold compresses (for example, a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) to reduce the initial inflammation. This should be followed by local heat application (you can use a heat pad, a hot water bottle, or take a hot shower) after a few days to help ease muscular pain and provide back pain relief.

Chronic Back Pain Treatment and Relief

Self-help treatments for pain relief:

• Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your back mobile, provide relief and help you get better. It can also reduce your chances of getting back pain again. Bed rest is not recommended as this is likely to make your back pain worse.
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• Paracetomol is very effective for back pain relief and is often recommended as a first step. There is evidence that paracetomol is effective in helping people deal with long term or chronic back pain.

Anti-Inflammatory Treatments:

• You doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory or stronger pain killer depending on the amount of pain and how it is affecting your daily life. NSAIDs, which include ibuprofen, reduce swelling (inflammation) and pain.  There is good evidence that short term treatment with NSAID's provides relief. The evidence is not as strong for long term or chronich back pain. Note that there are posible side effects with NSAIDs that include stomach irritation and ulcers.
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• COX 2 inhibitors are gentler on the stomach but some have been withdranw recently due to possible links with heart disease and stroke.

Muscle relaxants:

• Muscle relaxants may help with muscle spasms. These are usually only used for short periods of time as they can be addictive.

Physiotherapy and Manipulation: 

• Consider seeing a qualified physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor as some of the treatments they provide, like physiotherapy or back or spinal manipulation, may provide short term relief in some people with acute back pain or nerve root pain.

Complimentary Therapy and Treatments:

• The Alexander Technique is a way of learning to use your body better by becoming more aware of balance, posture, and movement. It can help reduce the strain and discomfort that are the result of poor posture and coordination. The Alexander Technique is based on the principle that we function as a whole and, to make improvements, we need to learn to prevent unnecessary and harmful habits such as tightening muscles and joints and putting too much effort and tension into our posture and movements.
• Counselling may also be helpful in dealing with how back pain affects daily life.
• Acupuncture works by stimulating certain nerves in muscle and other tissues providing relief. This affects the processing of pain and stimulates the release of natural painkillers as well as substances which can assist with healing. See more on acupuncture here.

Interventional Therapy:

• Pain pathways can be blocked or numbed in several ways to achieve pain relief. This is achieved by means of epidural steroids, nerve blocks, and analgesic pump devices.

Treatment at a pain clinic:

• If you have chronic pain, your doctor may refer you to a pain clinic. Pain clinics work with you to help relieve your pain by treating your symptoms and also by giving you counselling to help you deal with the pain.

Surgery:

• In rare cases you may require surgery to repair a slipped or ruptured disc.

Nutritional Therapy and Supplements for back pain

Vitamin C:

• Collagen is largely responsible for the strength and resilience of the discs of cartilage located between the vertebrae of the spine. One study has shown that a daily dose of 1500 to 2500g of vitamin C (which is important in the formation of collagen) can help provide back pain relief. 

Glucosamine Sulphate:

• Glucosamine is a constituent of intervertable discs. Clinical experience suggests that taking 500mg of glucosamine sulphate 2 -3 times per day may stimulate healing and repair. Glucosamine hydrochloride may also be used.

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Myths About Back Pain

There are myths and stories around every medical condition there is - and these can sometimes prevent people from getting the help they need. Let’s explore seven of the myths about back pain…

1. Back Pain Means Surgery

Only a very small percentage of people with back pain will ever need back surgery – in fact, around 90% of back pain will go away in one to three months without requiring surgery. Even significant back injuries, such as herniated (slipped) discs can recover without surgery. A few very serious back disorders will require surgery to stabilise a damaged area or take the pressure off nerves, to reduce pain and prevent further damage.

2. Back Pain Needs Bed Rest

A long period of bed rest doesn’t help back pain – in fact, it can make it worse (see ‘Is Bed Rest Good for Back Pain?’). The best thing is to try to get back to normal activity as soon as possible, as lying down for long periods can make joints and muscles stiffer and even make the muscles weaker.

3. Back Pain Never Gets Better

Most back pain will get better between a few days and a few months. It is important to take advice from a doctor for treatment, and an occupational therapist should be able to help with any work-related concerns, such as how soon to return to work, and how to set up desks and chairs to reduce existing pain and prevent future attacks.

Some back pain will be long term, particularly if it relates to a severe injury or an inherited condition, but even this should be able to be managed through a combination of painkillers, anti-inflammatories and drug treatment, careful exercise and care with sitting, standing and lifting.

4. People with Bad Backs Shouldn’t Exercise

Gentle exercise is very important in the treatment of pain and keeping fit helps prevent back pain long-term. Stretching exercises and swimming can be especially helpful.

5. Back Pain Needs Time Off Work

When the pain is very bad, it can be a good idea to take time off work. However, the longer someone takes off work, the less likely he or she is to return. Being back at work can be important, as keeping active will help back pain get better. Staying at home is very isolating and can increase the risk of stress, anxiety and depression, all of which can make back pain worse.

6. People With Bad Backs Shouldn’t Lift Anything

People with serious back injuries should avoid lifting very heavy things, but people with any level of back pain should keep moving as normal, and can still lift things. Everyone, with or without back pain, should be careful and learn how to lift things properly, keeping knees bent and the back straight, and avoiding twisting, to prevent back pain recurring or getting any worse.

7. Sitting Up Straight Prevents Back Pain

Good posture does help prevent back pain – but sitting up too straight puts a strain on the back. The ideal position is leaning back slightly with a gentle curve in the back and both feet flat on the floor.



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