"Help!"
Lower back pain is almost impossible to get rid of, 80% of the population experiences it at one time or another. In most cases, this is back pain with no apparent cause and also disappears spontaneously within a four to six week period. In many cases, unfortunately, this back pain returns and, over time, can start to bother you with everyday things: working, brushing teeth, doing the dishes, working in the garden, cycling... We as physiotherapists/osteopaths are here to help you deal with this back pain and to prevent future episodes of lower back pain. This piece on low back pain is very general. So be sure to be screened by our specialists, every body is different and a thorough examination with targeted exercises will certainly be more effective than a general approach. It also allows us to take into account what you want to achieve and work towards this together, low back pain should certainly not hold you back.
"Why do I have pain low back?"
"Sitting is like smoking". It is slowly 'killing' us, or more specific our back. Because of our tendency to sit a lot throughout the day, the hip flexors shorten and our supporting gluteal, abdominal and back muscles weaken. Sitting in the same position for long periods of time has enormously detrimental effects on the body, even if that position is ergonomically perfect (screen at eye level, feet firmly side by side on the floor, correct back support, elbows in 90° and resting on the desk...). Again, this is general and numerous other things can also affect your low back.
Here are some tips for turning your back on low back pain:
Vary: get up and stretch every hour, this takes half a minute and ensures that you give your muscles the attention they need. Also, vary your posture and workplace.
Try to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. This can be anything: walking to the store, biking to work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator.... You don't have to compete in the Tour de France to be healthy.
Guidelines indicate that children aged 4-18 years should exercise moderately intensively 3 times/week to strengthen muscle and bone structures. At older ages it is possible to scale back to 2 times/week but this is certainly not necessary! Keep your back young. Move, exercise, explore, dance, take a yoga session ... do what you love to do as long as that back and rest of the body is moving.
In addition to these important tips, we can pass along some general muscle strengthening/pain relieving exercises. Feel free to stop by for an appointment with our specialist Nand Van Roy to get a customized exercise schedule.
Sample exercise schedule by opening the link below and entering date of birth 1992:
