Muscle Sprain Or Strain
Sprains are the tearing or stretching of ligaments. Strains are the tearing or stretching of muscles and tendons. Regularly lifting heavy objects, especially without proper form, can easily cause a person to sprain or strain their back. Sprains and strains can also occur after an awkward, sudden movement.
What Does A Trampoline Do To Your Spine
After you jump onto a trampoline, your spine will be pushed towards the ground by the force of momentum before it springs back in the air. This movement changes the way your spinal cord is aligned and this can affect some of its functions.
Our spines are continuously subjected to stress, and thats how we experience pain and injuries. If theres a sudden impact in our spines, it travels up to our brains causing an explosion of pain signals that can range anywhere from mild discomfort to severe agony.
Injuries like spinal fractures are always a risk when jumping or playing on trampolines, but theyre not always as serious as they seem at first glance.
Diagnosis Of Upper Back Pain
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They may then be able to diagnose and explain the cause of your back pain or they may need to refer you for some tests. Upper back pain is often caused by muscle strain, but sometimes there might be a more serious cause. There are particular symptoms your doctor will look for that may indicate this. They call these red flags and they include:
- a recent injury to your back such as a car accident or a fall
- back pain caused by a minor injury or lifting something heavy particularly if you have osteoporosis
- if youve had cancer or you have a weakened immune system
- other symptoms such as a fever, unexplained weight loss and chills
- a recent bacterial infection
- if youre younger than 20 or older than 50
Your doctor will also ask you about the pain to understand how severe it is and what could be causing it. It can also mean a red flag if:
- symptoms havent eased despite changing position or resting
- youve had pain for more than two weeks despite having treatment
- you have pain that you dont think has been caused by a sprain or strain in your upper back
- you are very stiff in the morning
- you have pain all the time and its getting worse
Your doctor may ask if youve had any weakness in your legs, or any bladder and bowel problems such as incontinence. This may point towards pressure on the nerves in your spine or spinal cord, which could be caused by a slipped disc or injury.
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Manual And Physical Therapy
Manual therapy includes spinal manipulation or massage to improve blood circulation and reduce muscle tension and back pain.
Physical therapy includes exercises and massage to relieve upper and middle back pain. Your physiotherapist may recommend certain exercises and stretches that you can do at home.
Simple Exercises For Upper And Middle Back Pain
Back pain can really put a damper on your day-to-day routine. Find out some common causes for upper and middle back pain and simple exercises that can help!
There are many causes of upper and middle back pain, and most of them are related to overuse or strain. Poor posture, overdoing it in the yard or lifting something too heavy for you can all put strain on your upper and middle back, causing injury and pain. For mild to moderate pain, these exercises can help give you some relief.
As always, talk to a doctor if your pain is severe or doesnt seem to be going away. If you have a serious injury, you may need to rest and recover before working on stretching and strengthening, and a physical therapist can be a big help. There are also rare cases where upper and middle back pain can signal something more serious, like gallbladder disease or even cancer, so definitely talk to a doctor if youre in pain for more than a couple of weeks.
Even with muscle strain, back pain can impact different people differently. Dont think of this list of exercises as a hard-and-fast routine. Instead, try these out, and cherry-pick the ones that work best for you. And if something hurts, back off or stop the exercise. You dont want to make your pain worse!
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Avoid Rushing Into The 2 Most Common Mistakes For Treatment
MISTAKE #1. Do not to rush into basic strengthening exercises such as sit-ups, crunches or lower back extensions. This may help for some, but in most cases, these areas are already tight, short and strong. Tightness and overly strong muscle conditioning is usually the case with the lower back and hamstrings.
MISTAKE #2. Simply resting and returning to your daily whatever. Werent you doing this JUST BEFORE it happened? No, my friend. There needs to be a plan and you are here for actual solutions right?
Observe the degree of your pelvic tilt. The three common positions are neutral, anterior and posterior. An excessive angle can trigger another spasm.
Exercises such as sit-ups and crunches can help but should not be done first as they are considered as isolation type exercises. They do not condition the core muscle groups to protect you. If you are in need of some specific exercises, begin with these 10 exercises.
The Universal Guide To Upper Back Pain: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know Straight From The Experts
In This Article: | | | | | | | |
Upper back pain can be a little like salsa or Buffalo wingswe know, bear with us.
- First, theres mild: Just a twinge of the tastebuds if were talking sauce, and slight pain thats easy to ignore when it comes to the upper back.
- Then theres medium/moderate: Now were getting somewhere. Youre gonna feel it, but usually only if you take a deep breath or sneeze or move too quickly.
- Finally, weve got spicy: the equivalent to pain so intense you feel the burn from doing the simplest daily tasks, or even nothing at all!
Upper back pain is usually caused by soft tissue injuries, such as sprains or strains, muscle tension caused by poor posture, or looking downward for long time periods. Photo Source:123RF.com. Thing is, upper back pain affects everyone differently. Partly thats because there are so many possible reasons for your upper back pain. The first step in solving your upper back pain problem is understanding why its happening. To do that, start with learning your anatomy.
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Carrying A Heavy Purse Or Bag
One of the big mistakes we make when carrying a bag all day long is keeping it slung over one shoulder. This uneven distribution of weight leads to poor posture, spinal misalignments, and back pain. Try to use a bag that allows for even weight distribution or avoid packing the bag with too much weight if you have to carry it on one side.
This is important for kids too. Backpacks can get really heavy. Get children backpacks that evenly distribute the weight and encourage them to wear the bag properly rather than hefting it over one shoulder.
How To Relieve Middle Back Pain
Middle back pain stretches and strengthening are a great way to work on healing middle back pain, but what if they dont completely help with your pain? Sometimes you need more than one approach. Physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and some types of injections are other treatment options to consider.
At Arizona Pain, we know that middle back pain can seem like an unsolvable riddle. With therapeutic options tailored to you, we can help you put the pieces together. Get in touch today.
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How To Stretch The Middle Back
The one thing that most back pain has in common is that it can be relieved with simple stretches and exercises to build muscle strength and reduce tension. Mid-back stretches and middle back strengthening exercises can offer profound relief and healing for many chronic pain conditions.
But this area of the body can be difficult to stretch. The skeletal structure only allows movement so far in one direction you cannot stretch bone. There is no need for huge, dramatic stretches, though. One way to think about it is to imagine the shoulder blades as flat plates that can be shifted around on the back. Connected to muscles and tendons, even starting with this simple visualization can be helpful.
Am I Likely To Get Back Pain
Several factors can increase your chances of having upper and middle back pain. Among them:
- Age.Back pain starts for most people in their 30s or 40s, and itâs more common the older you get.
- Being out of shape. The stronger the muscles in your back, shoulder, and abdomen, the lower your chance of injury.
- Weight. If you carry extra pounds, you put more strain on your back.
- Underlying conditions. Diseases such as arthritis and cancer can cause back pain.
- Smoking. Smokerâs cough can strain your back. And if you smoke, you may be slower to heal, which can make your back pain last longer.
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Stop Your Activity And Find Immediate Rest
This may already make sense, but many of us prefer to keep moving. Some professionals actually recommend that you stay in motion, but if you are the unfortunate one to have a disc or nerve problem, then that is poor advice. You may end up visiting them for that instead.
Dont try to actively work or move until you know the source of the injury.
A very common reaction is to keep moving but MAY be dangerous. Although this might feel helpful, it is important to determine whether your pain is more than just muscular in nature.
Why you should NOT move:
Moving when you have any of these injuries can cause further injury, intensifying the pain.
If you have a history of ANY of these injuries or suspect that your lifestyle may contribute to it , then rest is a better than simply muscling through it with medication.
Lastly with this first tip, you should know that you should also apply this caution to not just your back but also to your hips, knees and neck.
Forcing yourself to move when these areas are injured can be very risky. Make sure that you arent adding to the pain. The wrong movement can set you behind.
How To Treat Middle Back Pain
If you have a problem with vertebrae in your spine you might need to rest for a short time , and then gradually become more active.
It may help to apply heat to the area. Voltarol non-medicated Heat Patch is designed to target back and muscle pain, providing up to 8 hours of localised pain-relieving heat. The thin, self-adhesive, odourless patch provides effective pain relief and muscle relaxation in a non-medicated, tablet-free format.
Pain-relieving medicines can help you get up and moving. To decide which medicine is best for you, it may help to learn a bit about pain, and what happens in your body in the article: Understanding the difference between acute and chronic pain.
Voltarol Back & Muscle Pain Relief 1.16% Gel is a topical medicine that relieves pain, reduces inflammation and helps speed up recovery with its triple effect action.¹ ¹¹ It brings targeted, local relief for pain and swelling .¹² ¹³ The active ingredient in Voltarol Back & Muscle Pain Relief 1.16% Gel is a NSAID called diclofenac. Diclofenac works to inhibit prostaglandins synthesis .¹ By reducing their amounts, diclofenac helps to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.¹
Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you would like advice about what would be the best treatment for you.
Once you feel more comfortable, its a good idea to see a physiotherapist to do an exercise programme to strengthen the muscles in your back and improve your posture. ¹
References
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Hope For Those Suffering From Upper Middle Back Pain
If you are among the millions who suffer from back pain, then you will be happy to know that upper cervical chiropractic care can help more than just those with scoliosis. This specialty in the chiropractic field focuses on the adjustment of the C1 and C2, the top two bones in the spine that are located at the base of the skull. Misalignments in this area can have far-reaching effects on the body and can particularly affect the rest of the spine since the bones and soft tissue have a built-in tendency to shift to keep the head level.
Upper cervical chiropractors take precise measurements of the C1 and C2 using modern diagnostic imaging techniques. This allows us to provide gentle adjustments that are tailored to each patients needs. If you have experienced general chiropractic, but not upper cervical, you are in for a surprise. Our adjustments are low-force and require little to no pressure. Some practitioners even use an adjusting instrument instead of their hands.
The results, however, speak for themselves. And unlike painkillers which come along with side effects and provide little long-term benefit, upper cervical chiropractic care is safe and effective on a long-term basis because it gets to the root of many back problems. To learn more, contact a practitioner in your local area to schedule a no-obligation consultation.
to schedule a consultation today.
Where Is The Middle Back
The middle back, also known as the thoracic region, begins at the base of your neck and extends to the bottom of your rib cage. Within this region, a network of important bones, discs, muscles, and ligaments exists. The main goal of this network is to support the spine and protect your most vital organs.
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High Plank Dumbbell Row
If you want to combine a core-strengthening exercise with a cardio workout and muscle strengthening all rolled into one low-impact exercise, this is the move for you.
Come into high plank with your hands wrapped around dumbbells instead of on the ground. Makes sure your shoulders and hips are in line. Press your navel towards the sky to keep your lower back safe.
Moving on either an inhale or an exhale , shift your weight into your left hand as you bend your elbow and bring the right dumbbell to your armpit . Alternate sides, making sure to maintain proper plank form with the crown of your head reaching forward, and your heels reaching back.
Complete three to five on each side, rest, and try another set. Again, increase either the number of repetitions or the amount of weight, one at a time.
Lower Back Pain: How To Tell If Its Muscle
When a patient visits my office with back pain, its my job to uncover the pain generator. We talk through the patients history, discuss their symptoms, and make a determination as to next steps. If need be, I prepare their case to be looked at by a surgeon, but generally, my goal is to help patients avoid surgery and find relief with more conservative measures.
Most cases of back pain are not caused by serious conditions. But its important to always rule out the possibility that a patient has another internal issue that mimics back pain . Colitis, kidney stones, gallbladder issues, vascular problems, or an aneurysm are examples of serious conditions that are capable of causing pain to radiate into the back, making it feel like youre experiencing back pain.
A thorough fact-finding investigation should help determine the cause. When did the pain start? How long did it last? What makes it better or worse? Key to determining the pain generator is the patients description of their condition and their medical history. For example, if a patient describes the pain as having come on suddenly and causing nausea, nearly prompting a trip to the emergency room, then disappearing just as suddenly, they may be suffering from a kidney stone rather than back pain from a spinal condition.
- Muscle pain
- Disc pain
Lets take a look at each type in more detail.
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How To Tell If Your Lower Back Pain Is Muscle
by Dr. Don DuffAug 20, 2019
The low back is a fairly complicated structure, so its no wonder the majority of peopleexperts estimate up to 80% of usexperience pain in this area of our bodies at some point in our lives. In fact, back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to the doctors office.
The key to relieving back pain is understanding the cause. But diagnosing the of a patients pain isnt always a straightforward exercise. It could be muscle, joint, or disc-related in some cases, it may even arise from issues unrelated to the back. So how can you tell if your back pain is muscle- or disc-related, or attributable to something else entirely? Well cover all the possibilities in this post.
Who Should Not Use A Mini Trampoline
For some people, a mini trampoline might seem like a great idea. They might use it to exercise and extend their own personal time and space. But for those with osteoporosis or other bone-related symptoms, the height of the trampoline is too much for them to handle.
It is important for people to consider their own health when they are considering a mini trampoline purchase.
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Reasons To Perform Middle Back Stretches
Though most people think that middle back pain is just upper back pain, it relates to the inflammation within the spinal thoracic region. This area runs from the base of the neck to the bottom of the rib cage and isn’t designed to move very much.
There is good news for those who suffer from pain in the back muscles. Because the thoracic spine doesn’t move the way the lower and upper spine does, the discs don’t see the same wear and tear. Therefore, middle back pain doesn’t often originate within the spine and comes down to muscle strains in the upper back and lower back. This also makes it much easier to relieve pain in the area and keep it from returning. Plus, it’s possible to improve mobility.
