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How To Fix A Sore Lower Back

Simple Stretches To Relieve Lower Back Pain

How To FIX Lower Back Pain (Instantly!)

Lower back pain can be a debilitating and painful condition.

Fortunately, staying physically active may be the most effective and cost-efficient way to soothe or prevent it.

Here are 8 simple stretches to relieve lower back pain.

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Although its origin varies, changes in the lumbar, or lower back, structure due to musculoskeletal damage are considered to be the main cause .

Your musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues that provide form, support, stability, and movement to your body.

Other muscles that play an important role in maintaining the normal curvature of your spinal column are reported to be associated with lower back pain. These include the hip flexor and hamstring muscles .

Minor lower back pain normally gets better on its own within a few days or weeks. It can be considered chronic when it persists for more than three months .

In either case, staying physically active and regularly stretching can help reduce lower back pain or prevent it from returning .

The remainder of this article provides eight stretches for lower back pain, all of which you can do in the comfort of your own home with minimal or no equipment.

Summary Lower back pain is an incredibly common condition that can be relieved or prevented with regular exercise and stretching.

The knee-to-chest stretch can help lengthen your lower back, relieving tension and pain.

To perform the knee-to-chest stretch:

Exercise To Loosen Muscles

Although it may seem counterintuitive to exercise when lower back pain is causing you grief, the right kind of movement can help eliminate the discomfort. Its always important to consult your physician before you engage in exercise when you have pain, but this conversation is well worth having if youre suffering.

First, you should keep in mind that not all exercise is beneficial in combating back pain. Try to avoid toe-touch exercises and sit-ups, which may add to the stress on your spine instead of relieving it. Leg lifts are another exercise to stay away from when you are hurting. If your core is not strong, leg lifts could be too demanding on your body if youre already experiencing pain.

Several types of exercises can be useful when you need to relieve back pain. Partial crunches can aid in strengthening your core without applying too much pressure to the area. Slow and controlled wall-sit exercises may also be useful. Other repetitions to consider include bringing each knee to the chest in succession, pelvic tilts, and swimming.

Preventing Back Pain Tips For A Healthy Back

What we do day to day is very important to help keep us healthy and prevent back pain.

  • Keep active regular exercise improves health and reduces recurrent back pain. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate or intense physical activity a week.
  • Sleep well.
  • Manage your stress and anxiety levels.
  • Dont smoke because nicotine decreases blood flow to your back. Back pain is more common and recovery is slower in smokers.
  • If you have recurring back pain, the following may help:
  • exercise regularly people who do regular exercise have less back pain than those who are inactive
  • aim for a weight within your healthy range
  • manage stress and mood
  • ask your physiotherapist or health provider to explore with you the types of movements and activities that are best for you.

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Common Cause #: Limited Hip Extension

Alright, weve mentioned how important joint flexion is for preventing low back pain and, sufficient extension can play a role in pain prevention, as well.

More specifically, were talking hip extension, or how far you can bring your leg out behind you as you run.

With a normal range of hip extension, your hamstrings, glutes, and calves are able to activate and contract as necessary, allowing for efficient running form and gait stride.

But, as you can infer, having limited hip extension will yield the opposite results: inactive muscles and improper contraction, leading to inefficient running and displaced loading forces.

The tricky thing with limited hip extension is that there are so many potential causes. Many runners simply have tight hips or hip flexors, but others may have more specific restrictions at the hip joint related to mobility or changes in the joint itself. Finally, they may just have decreased strength in their leg muscles that doesnt allow them to effectively contract the muscles needed to extend the leg.

Are You Making Your Back Pain Worse

How To Fix Your Lower Back Pain

Don’t be guilty of exacerbating your already achy back. Try these tips for preventing added low back pain:

  • Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes if you are on your feet all day.
  • Don’t slouch when standing or sitting.
  • At home or work, make sure work surfaces are at a comfortable height.
  • Warm-up and stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity.
  • Don’t try to lift objects that are too heavy and don’t twist while lifting.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle, stop smoking, and keep off the extra weight.

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Relax And Stay Positive

Trying to relax is a crucial part of easing the pain as muscle tension caused by worrying about your condition may make things worse.

Read more about:

Although it can be difficult, it helps to stay positive and recognise that your pain should get better. People who manage to stay positive despite their pain tend to recover quicker.

Things You Should Know

Ideas about back pain have changed a lot over recent years. It is a good idea to read more about back pain as you may be surprised to discover that some of the things you thought were bad for the back are actually not a problem . Examples include:

  • sitting is not bad for the back
  • poor posture cannot injure the back
  • the back is designed to bend, twist and lift
  • moving and using the back makes it more healthy.

Read more at 10-facts-about-back-pain or 15 things you didnt know about back pain.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain

Symptoms of lower back pain can come on suddenly or appear gradually. Sometimes, pain occurs after a specific event, such as bending to pick something up. Other times, you may not know what caused the pain.

Pain may be sharp or dull and achy, and it may radiate to your bottom or down the back of your legs . If you strain your back during an activity, you may hear a pop when it happened. Pain is often worse in certain positions and gets better when you lie down.

Other symptoms of lower back pain include:

  • Stiffness: It may be tough to move or straighten your back. Getting up from a seated position may take a while, and you might feel like you need to walk or stretch to loosen up. You may notice decreased range of motion.
  • Posture problems: Many people with back pain find it hard to stand up straight. You may stand crooked or bent, with your torso off to the side rather than aligned with your spine. Your lower back may look flat instead of curved.
  • Muscle spasms: After a strain, muscles in the lower back can spasm or contract uncontrollably. Muscle spasms can cause extreme pain and make it difficult or impossible to stand, walk or move.

Know Your Otc Medications

How to Fix âLow Backâ? Pain (INSTANTLY!)

Nonprescription pain relievers can help with muscle aches and stiffness. The two main types of over-the-counter options are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen. NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

True to their name, NSAIDs help lower inflammation that can lead to swelling and tenderness. But acetaminophen does not relieve inflammation. You can reach for either type of pain reliever for occasional back pain. NSAIDs may work a bit better, Hemani says, if you have arthritis of the spine or other inflammatory conditions.

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Sleep On A Quality Mattress

Lower back pain sufferers usually benefit from sleeping on a medium-firm mattress. However, your preferred sleep position also should influence your mattress selection. To maintain good posture, side sleepers should select a softer mattress. Back and stomach sleepers should choose a firmer mattress. If you have lower back pain, its a good idea to avoid sleeping on your stomach altogether.

If your lower back pain doesnt improve after 4 to 6 weeks of home care using these suggestions, you should see your doctor. You also should contact your doctor right away if you have any red flags, including:

  • A history of cancer or a recent infection
  • A recent fall or other accident
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Signs of infection, such as fever, chills, sweats
  • Nerve problems, such as shooting pain, numbness or tingling
  • Changes in bowel or bladder function

Other options for treating lower back pain may include physical therapy, pain management with cortisone injections or, in certain cases, surgery. Although lower back surgery can be beneficial for patients who are experiencing nerve problems and injured discs, its not typically recommended for patients with other types of lower back pain.

Download the Virtua Health Guide to Back Pain, or call to request a consultation with a Virtua back pain specialist.

Ways To Treat Chronic Back Pain Without Surgery

Back pain is considered chronic if it lasts three months or longer. It cancome and go, often bringing temporary relief, followed by frustration.Dealing with chronic back pain can be especially trying if you dont knowthe cause.

Back pain rehabilitationspecialistAndrew Nava, M.D., offers insights into common chronic back pain causes and nonsurgicaltreatment optionsand advises not to give up hope.

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How To Treat A Pulled Back Muscle In 8 Steps

A pulled back muscle can begin as a sudden, sharp pain when lifting or bending. Or it may appear gradually, getting progressively worse over several days. This common injury ranges from a minor inconvenience to an intense source of pain. It can take several weeks, and in some cases a few months, to heal.1

A pulled muscle is the common term for a strained muscle.2 A strain is a muscle or tendon injury that happens when the tissue stretches or tears. When a ligament stretches or tears, its called a sprain. Back pain, often due to a pulled muscle, is one of the most common issues health professionals treat.2 In most cases, you can manage and treat symptoms at home. But if the pain is unbearable or makes it difficult to move, see a doctor.

Stretch #4 Hamstring Stretch

Lower Back Pain Exercises (FIX YOUR LOWER BACK PAIN FAST ...

The hamstring stretch is a great exercise to do at home. The reason the hamstrings need to be stretched when lower back pain is present is that the hamstring attaches to the pelvis. If these muscles are tight of experiencing tone they can affect the position of the pelvis which can be related to low back pain. If the pelvis is tilted by the hamstrings over time that position may produce symptoms further up the spine.

These areas are related through a system called the posterior chain. The posterior chain is all of the muscle from the back of the ankle to the back of the head of the posterior, or back side of the body.

This system works together to regulate anterior, or forward movements of the body. If these muscles are tight or weak that can be a source of issues for the spine.

Stretching the hamstrings can be done several ways, but laying on your back with both knees bent and feet flat is a great starting point.

Once in that position, lift one leg straight up in the air leaving a slight bend in the stretching legâs knee and move that leg closer to your body. There will be a sensation of stretch in the hamstrings between the bottom of the glute and back of the knee. You can use a towel of some sorts if you find that useful.

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Low Back Pain Symptoms: Does Your Back Hurt

Low back pain symptoms range from sharp and stabbing to a dull ache. The pains can be constant or intermittent and positional. Acute low back pain can appear suddenly after injury. Chronic back pain is defined as pain lasting more than three months. Consult a doctor if you have prolonged back pain longer than 72 hours.

Is The Glute Medius Causing Your Back Pain

If you have a job where you are sitting throughout the day, you are actively weakening your glute medius.

Maybe you are standing for much of the day, but you have an unequal weight distribution. This will do the same thing: make your gluteus medius weak and imbalanced.

The result? Pain that seems to be coming from your low back.

But I want you to be sure, and thankfully we can test that very easily. Heres how to do it:

  • Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Lift the left leg.
  • Notice how it feels to lift the leg up.
  • Do the same thing on the other side.

Did you notice that you had to shift your weight much more than normal to lift one of your legs?

If you have to shift your weight, or if you see that your shoulders move a lot to one side in order to get your weight off that foot, then you dont have an equal distribution.

If you dont address this issue now, this can cause other imbalances, and guess what. These new imbalances can increase back pain intensity and the frequency of that nagging pain.

We can eliminate that.

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S To Improve Hip Extension

Fortunately, the fix for limited hip extension is quite straightforward: to start, all you truly need is a consistent stretching program for your hips.

Tight hips are so common these days because theyre brought on by sedentary lifestyle habits sitting at a desk for work, commuting back and forth, sitting while watching TV. These positions keep our hip flexors contracted for long periods of time, which is what builds that tightness in the first place.

And while many of these scenarios feel like necessary or routine parts of our lives, these regular habits actively work against the range of motion and dynamism needed for successful running.

But! That doesnt make it impossible to combat. Implementing consistent stretching will do just the trick to keep your hips from staying taut and limiting your runs.

Most traditional stretching programs will suggest holding each stretch for 30 seconds. However, our team has found firsthand that increasing your static stretches to 1-2 minutes can yield much better results.

This is because our muscles need a bit of extra time before giving into their own pliability. By holding the stretch for a minute or two, we allow the tissue to truly relax into the stretch.

With that tip in mind, find the right stretching program for you. If you perform your stretches consistently for about 6-8 weeks, youll likely notice a major improvement in your back pain with running.

When Should I See My Doctor

How to Fix a Sore Lower Back

If you have back pain and have lost feeling or movement in your limbs or are having problems controlling your bowels or bladder, call triple 000 immediately and ask for an ambulance.

You should see your doctor or other health care professional for further advice if:

You should see your doctor as soon as possible, if you have a history of cancer, are prone to infection, or use intravenous drugs.

For most people, back pain will resolve in a few weeks with appropriate self-care. After 2 months, 9 out of 10 people will recover from back pain.

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Hot Or Cold Therapy For Low Back Pain

Hot or cold packs may help ease pain and reduce symptoms. The soothing relief from heat, or the dulling relief from a cold pack, is only temporary and will not treat more serious causes of back pain. However, they may provide greater mobility for people with acute, subacute, or chronic pain, allowing them to get up and get moving.

Causes And Diagnosis Of A Pulled Back Muscle

Trauma, stress, and tension may all cause strains and sprains. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Falling, especially if you hit the ground hard or fall in an awkward position.
  • Repetitive movements that stress and irritate the back muscles.
  • Unsafe lifting, lifting while twisting, or lifting a very heavy object. Parents sometimes injure their backs throwing or playing with children.
  • Excess weight that puts excess strain on back muscles. People who are overweight, people who suddenly gain weight, and pregnant women are more vulnerable to pulled muscles.
  • A sedentary lifestyle. This may weaken the back, increasing the risk of injuries.
  • Poor posture when sitting or bad form when doing athletic activities.

A medical professional may suspect a strain or sprain based on symptoms and your medical history. If another injury, such as a broken bone or herniated disc, is possible, the provider may do other tests, such as an x-ray or MRI scan.3

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Icing And Heating The Muscles

Heat or cold packs may reduce swelling for lower back injuries, though this has never been proven scientifically to anyone’s satisfaction, according to the National Institutes of Health. The conventional wisdom holds that cold is best for fresh injuries and heat preferable for injuries more than a couple of days old. For acute spasms, many chiropractors recommend alternating the two. In this case, first shock the muscle out of spasm by applying ice for 10 minutes or so, then apply heat to sooth it. This cycle can be repeated several times.

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