Ten ways to prevent and treat back pain

Josie McKenlay 01:12 24/11/2016
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  • Although it may seem as though the pain came on suddenly, it has usually been many years in the making.

    Most of us will suffer from a bout of back pain at some time in our lives and to prevent the problem becoming recurrent and chronic, it’s worth trying some of the following.

    1. Take a good look at your posture

    Apart from a sudden trauma, this is perhaps the number one cause of back pain and it builds over the years, until one day, a seemingly innocuous action, such as bending down to pick something up, causes sudden, major pain.

    It’s literally the straw that broke the camel’s back. Your ear, shoulder, hip and ankle should all be aligned, the tailbone pointing down to the floor, crown of the head reaching for the ceiling and abdominal muscles gently engaged to maintain a neutral pelvis. Pilates is excellent for improving posture.

    2. Strengthen your core

    A strong core will protect your back and offer stability during movement, so get to work! Simply holding a forearm plank in the correct position (as described above, but horizontal) and taking 10 long, slow breaths will help improve strength and posture at the same time.

    3. Improve your mobility and flexibility

    Overly tight areas of the body will cause stress in the weaker areas. For example, if your hamstrings (back of thighs) are tight, any weak area along the spine will take the strain every time you bend forward.

    4. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle

    Fit, active people are less likely to have back problems, so if you aren’t already, consider fitting in some exercise every day, even if it is simply a 30 minute brisk walk – often more beneficial than the more strenuous sports. Avoid sitting down for extended periods of time.

    5. Invert

    Hanging upside down decompresses the spine and hammock yoga is very popular, partly for this reason. It’s available at plenty of studios around Dubai (try the Mind classes at Define Dubai). Your upper body needs to be hanging in mid-air.

    The easiest way of doing this is to bend the knees a little and fold from the hip over your thighs; hold opposite elbows and allow the arms to hang above your head; the weight of the upper body will lengthen the spine and release pressure.

    6. Relaxation

    Many people hold tension in their lower backs without even realizing it. Take a few minutes each day to lay stretched out on your back (perfect posture) with your eyes closed and breathe deeply. Hugging your thighs to your chest and rolling up and down along the length of your spine is a great massage and very relaxing.

    7. Massage/ball therapy

    Following on from point 6, massage not only feels good, but helps break down myofascial tissue. Rolling around on a ball can also release areas of tension.

    8. Ice and heat therapy

    If you do feel back pain coming on, ice for the first 48 hours can reduce inflammation followed by heat pads a few times a day can nip the problem in the bud. Some people respond better to warmth, so if you feel ice is too shocking, stick to warmth. Avoid extended bed rest and take frequent, short walks to stay mobile.

    9. See a specialist

    Don’t guess – see a specialist at the earliest opportunity.

    10. Meditation

    Back pain has been linked to emotional problems/depression, so daily meditation is very helpful therapy and beneficial generally.

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