How To Loosen Up A Tight & Sore Lower Back
Back pain statistics are staggering. At any given time, 31 million Americans deal with lower back pain, and it’s among the most common reasons people miss work, notes the American Chiropractic Association.
Sitting at a desk all day, poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle are common causes of lower back pain and tightness. And, although regular exercise is one of the best ways to prevent lower back pain, intense activity and weightlifting can sometimes cause stiff and sore back muscles.
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Easing your back lower back discomfort depends on its cause. Stretching, stabilization and self-massage are among the techniques that can help.
Should You Exercise With Lower Back Pain
It is safe to exercise with acute lower back pain that is not connected to a more serious medical condition. In fact, exercise can improve mobility by lubricating the joints and improving blood flow. If you plan to exercise with low back pain, it is best to avoid activities that require twisting or lifting heavy objects such as equipment or weights.
What Causes Back Pain
Your spine or backbone is a complex structure that is made up of 24 small bones called vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other. Discs sit between each vertebra to act as cushions or shock absorbers and give your spine flexibility. Vertebrae are joined together by small joints called facet joints. These joints allow you to move and bend your back. A mesh of ligaments and muscles hold the spine together and provide structural support, which allows you to move.
Back pain can originate from any of these structures, but in most cases, this pain doesnt result from any significant damage to your spine. This pain usually stems from surrounding muscles, ligaments or joints and occasionally spinal disc problems.
For at least 9 in 10 people, back pain is not caused by any particular condition and is referred to as non-specific back pain.
This type of back pain results from a range of different factors such as:
Less than 1 in 100 people have back pain that is related to a serious medical problem such as cancer, infection, a spinal fracture or specific conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. Research has also shown that you actually dont need to know the cause of back pain to treat it successfully.
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How Are Conditions That Cause Tight Back Muscles Diagnosed
Almost every medical condition thought to cause tight back muscles, from blunt force trauma to fibromyalgia, can be diagnosed with a physical exam conducted by a medical professional. More serious conditions causing tight back muscles that involve neurological issues may need to be identified during specialized scans or examinations.
For conditions related to the spinal cord and TLF, doctors may order an immunohistochemical analysis of spinal fluid. This tests the fluid for the presence of certain proteins that may be connected with excessive tightness in the sheath, as well as levels of myofibroblasts, small connective tissue cells that increase contractile force to help close wounds on the skin .
Certain kinds of arthritis that cause muscle tightness can also be detected by the presence of nodules and rashes on the skin.
Summary
Almost every condition that causes tight back muscles can be identified by a physical exam. Conditions involving the spinal cord and TLF may require an analysis of spinal fluid, while arthritis can sometimes be diagnosed by rashes and skin nodules.
How Common Is Lower Back Pain
Around four out of five people have lower back pain at some point in their lives. Its one of the most common reasons people visit healthcare providers.
Some people are more likely to have lower back pain than others. Risk factors for lower back pain include:
- Age: People over 30 have more back pain. Disks wear away with age. As the disks weaken and wear down, pain and stiffness can result.
- Weight: People have overweight/obesity or carry extra weight are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight puts pressure on joints and disks.
- Overall health: Weakened abdominal muscles cant support the spine, which can lead to back strains and sprains. People who smoke, drink alcohol excessively or live a sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of back pain.
- Occupation and lifestyle: Jobs and activities that require heavy lifting or bending can increase the risk of a back injury.
- Structural problems: Severe back pain can result from conditions, such as scoliosis, that change spine alignment.
- Disease: People who have a family history of osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer and other disease have a higher risk of low back pain.
- Mental health: Back pain can result from depression and anxiety.
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Sitting With Your Spine Curved Forward
When you sit for a long time, the following changes occur in your spine:
- Increased pressure within each spinal segment3Gupta N, Christiansen CS, Hallman DM, Korshøj M, Carneiro IG, Holtermann A. Is objectively measured sitting time associated with low back pain? A cross-sectional investigation in the NOMAD study. PLoS One. 2015 10:e0121159. Published 2015 Mar 25. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121159
- Reduced strength in the muscles of your upper and lower back3Gupta N, Christiansen CS, Hallman DM, Korshøj M, Carneiro IG, Holtermann A. Is objectively measured sitting time associated with low back pain? A cross-sectional investigation in the NOMAD study. PLoS One. 2015 10:e0121159. Published 2015 Mar 25. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121159,4Heneghan NR, Baker G, Thomas K, Falla D, Rushton A. What is the effect of prolonged sitting and physical activity on thoracic spine mobility? An observational study of young adults in a UK university setting. BMJ Open. 2018 8:e019371. Published 2018 May 5. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019371
- Decreased nutrient supply to the spinal tissues3Gupta N, Christiansen CS, Hallman DM, Korshøj M, Carneiro IG, Holtermann A. Is objectively measured sitting time associated with low back pain? A cross-sectional investigation in the NOMAD study. PLoS One. 2015 10:e0121159. Published 2015 Mar 25. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121159
When you sit on the edge of your chair or hunch towards your computer, the strain on your spine is moreand can cause stiffness and pain.
How Can Back Pain Be Prevented
In most cases, you can prevent back pain by making changes to your lifestyle.
Doing exercise helps to keep your back flexible and strong. Exercise improves your posture and helps your muscles to support your spine. Exercises that can help prevent back pain include:
- low-impact aerobic exercise
- strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights, climbing stairs or hiking hills
- stretching exercises, such as Pilates and yoga
Maintaining a good posture is important when you sit at home, in your workplace, or in your car. Try not to slouch, and use equipment that supports your back, such as a lumbar support or footstool if you need.
Keeping a healthy weight is also important. Excess fat can strain your back and lead to back pain, sciatica and inflammation.
Practise safe lifting in your home or workplace. Whenever you pick up a heavy load, squat down, hold the object close to your body, and lift with your legs.
In addition:
- Quit smoking Smoking increases your chances of developing persistent back pain.
- Relax Learning relaxation techniques and mindfulness can help to reduce stress and muscle tension in your back.
- Avoid high heels wearing high heels can place strain on your back.
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Herniated Disk In The Lower Back
A herniated, ruptured, or “slipped” disc means that a vertebral disc â one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones â has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it. This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to “slipping.”
Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to 50. Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.
Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back, leg, and foot.
Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, and MRI scan.
Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation.
Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc â the part that was squeezed out of place â can also be helpful.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: lower back pain, moderate back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that gets worse when sitting, leg weakness
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Less Sitting And More Breaks
Sometimes prevention is the key and this can certainly apply to lower back pain. Many peoples lower back pain can be traced all the way to the amount of sitting they do each day. According to U.S. News, 86 percent of Americans sit for 13 hours a day. Thats a lot of sitting, and if by chance you are going to sit for that long, I urge you to take as many breaks as possible from it.
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Exercises Or Stretches For Back Pain
Knee to Chest: Start by lying on the back with the knees bent upward. With both hands, pull one knee up into your chest. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Return the leg slowly to the floor and repeat with the opposite leg. Hold for the appropriate time and then return this leg to the floor. Finally, grasp both knees and gently pull both legs into the chest simultaneously. This is a lower back stretch.
Single Knee and Double Knee To Chest Exercise
Hamstring Stretch Seated: Sit on the edge of a chair with your leg that your stretching straight out. Your other leg should be bent. Keep your back straight and lean forward until you feel the stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
Seated Hamstring Stretch
Cat Stretch: Start on your hands and knees. Sag your back and belly toward the floor. Then slowly arch your back, tugging the abdomen toward the ceiling. Return to original position and then repeat.
Cat Stretch For Back Pain
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Move : Prone Hamstring Stretch
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Tip
Point the toes of your elevated foot toward your body to add a calf stretch element to this back stretch, Becourtney says.
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What Are The Risk Factors For Developing Low Back Pain
Anyone can have back pain. Factors that can increase the risk for low back pain include:
Age: The first attack of low back pain typically occurs between the ages of 30 and 50, and back pain becomes more common with advancing age. Loss of bone strength from osteoporosis can lead to fractures, and at the same time, muscle elasticity and tone decrease. The intervertebral discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility with age, which decreases their ability to cushion the vertebrae. The risk of spinal stenosis also increases with age.
Fitness level: Back pain is more common among people who are not physically fit. Weak back and abdominal muscles may not properly support the spine. Weekend warriorspeople who go out and exercise a lot after being inactive all weekare more likely to suffer painful back injuries than people who make moderate physical activity a daily habit. Studies show that low-impact aerobic exercise can help maintain the integrity of intervertebral discs.
Weight gain: Being overweight, obese, or quickly gaining significant amounts of weight can put stress on the back and lead to low back pain.
Genetics: Some causes of back pain, such as ankylosing spondylitis , have a genetic component.
Smoking: It can restrict blood flow and oxygen to the discs, causing them to degenerate faster.
Backpack overload in children: A backpack overloaded with schoolbooks and supplies can strain the back and cause muscle fatigue.
Can Back Pain Be Prevented
Recurring back pain resulting from improper body mechanics may be prevented by avoiding movements that jolt or strain the back, maintaining correct posture, and lifting objects properly. Many work-related injuries are caused or aggravated by stressors such as heavy lifting, contact stress , vibration, repetitive motion, and awkward posture.Recommendations for keeping ones back healthy
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Move : Piriformis Stretch
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Six Stretches To Help Alleviate Low Back Pain And Tightness
Letâs admit it, having low back pain is no fun, especially when you wake up in the morning with it knowing that you have a full day at work ahead of you. That is why we believe that every morning you should spend a few minutes stretching out the most important and most engaged muscles in the low back.
Sitting at your desk all day can lead to lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder tightness, and other ergonomic issues. Performing daily stretches can help you loosen your muscles and improve your flexibility, making your body more resilient and better able to handle a full day at your desk.
Use this stretch to align pelvis and stretch lower back and rear end muscles. Lie flat on your back with toes pointed to the sky. Slowly bend your right knee and pull your leg up to you chest. Wrap your arms around your thigh, knee or shin, and gently pull the knee towards your chest. Hold for 20 seconds and slowly extend the leg to starting position. Repeat three times each leg.
- Lying Knee Twist
- Use this movement to stretch the paraspinal muscles and strengthen the abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with your legs extended straight out. Bend the right knee up and cross it over the left side of your body. Hold in a position that allows you to feel a gentle stretch through the back and buttocks muscles for 20 seconds. Tighten your core muscles and rotate back to center. Repeat three times on each side.
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Paget Disease Of The Bone
Paget disease of bone is also called PDB, osteitis deformans, or osteodystrophica deformans. It is normal for bone cells to renew themselves throughout life, but in PDB the renewal becomes disordered. New bone cells are produced too quickly, causing the bones to become weakened and overgrown.
The cause of PDB is not known. It may be due to an inherited trait combined with certain viral infections.
Symptoms include enlargement, bowing, and abnormal curving of the bones, with pain and tenderness. The skull, pelvis, spine, and upper arms and thighs are most often affected. However, many patients have no symptoms and the condition is discovered while assessing something else.
If not treated, Paget disease of bone can lead to bone deformity fractures osteoarthritis and hearing loss due to changes in the small bones within the ear.
Diagnosis is made through blood tests and an x-ray or CT scan.
There is no cure, but symptoms can be managed with medication, pain relievers, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.
Supine Figure 4 Stretch
This classic yoga pose helps open up the hips as much as it is good for massaging your low back. This pose stretches the outer glutes, as well as your piriformis, both of which can contribute to a tight lower back, says Hillary Wright, adjunct professor of biology, anatomy, and physiology at Manhattan College. Its an effective stretch to relieve pain and increase hip mobility, Hashish says.
How to do a supine figure 4 stretch: Lie on your back on a yoga mat with both knees bent and feet planted on the floor. Lift your right leg, flex your right foot and cross your right ankle over your left thigh. If this is enough stay here, or draw your left knee in and hold behind your left thigh to increase the intensity. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths and then switch to the other side.
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What Research Is Being Done
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge of the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world.
As a primary supporter of research on pain and pain mechanisms, NINDS is a member of the NIH Pain Consortium, which was established to promote collaboration among the many NIH Institutes and Centers with research programs and activities addressing pain. On an even broader scale, NIH participates in the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, a federal advisory committee that coordinates research across other U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies as well as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
