Instant back pain relief-5 proven techniques
If you have back pain that does NOT bother you for 11 months of the year and then out of nowhere can cause you enormous problems for one month of the year, then this blog is for you.
It can be so frustrating to be able to move, lift, exercise, run and live freely for a large proportion of the year. To then suddenly be struck down by crippling back pain for no rhyme or reason.
This does tend to happen around this time of year, as many families start to look forward to their family holidays. What happens here is the body is starting to switch from your fight/flight (sympathetic) nervous system.
You recognise this when the tension and stress levels are high in your body, always rushing around through traffic, navigating kid drop offs and spinning many plates.
It can be challenging at the best of times. When it comes to the holiday, your body is starting to switch to rest/digest (parasympathetic) nervous system. This then relaxes everything and can start to switch off certain muscles that may have been tense.
You think ‘Great’, I can finally relax.
But this can often be the worst thing for your back, because those muscles were guarding and protecting.
As soon as they switch off this can create instability in the spine and cause the back to spasm. Just as you get off the plan or pick up your luggage on your way to that first sun set cocktail.
When you are doing any sort of lifting or you are getting up from a sun lounger, make sure you are holding your core in and squeezing your glutes to prevent this from causing any damage in your back.
I have included some of the techniques that I give my clients when they are away to help with back pain. You don’t need to use these reactively when back pain sets in but do them proactively as well when you are not in pain.
What are the best exercises to help with low back pain?
1. Door Frame Stretch
- How to Do It:
- Stand at a door frame, cross your arms over and hold onto the frame.
- Keep your back flat, shoulder blades back, and walk your feet in.
- Lean back, letting your body sink, feeling the stretch in your glutes and hamstrings.
- Benefits:
- Relieves pressure from the lower back.
- Stretches the glutes and hamstrings.
- Duration: Hold for 30 seconds, repeat five times.
2. Hang Stretch
- How to Do It:
- Grab the top of the door frame and let your body hang, taking the pressure off your feet.
- Benefits:
- Decompresses the spine, creating more space between the vertebrae.
- Duration: Hold for 20-30 seconds.
3. Foam Roller Technique
- How to Do It:
- Place a foam roller under your back.
- Roll from side to side and up and down, focusing on the muscles, not the bones.
- Benefits:
- Relieves tension in the QL muscles and erector spinae.
- Duration: Roll for 15-30 seconds on each side.
4. Rolled-Up Towel
- How to Do It:
- Roll up a bath towel and place it in the small of your back.
- Lie back, keeping your knees bent and head supported.
- Benefits:
- Provides gentle support and extension to the lower back.
- Duration: Relax for a few minutes, then roll off to the side to get up.
5. Massage Ball
- How to Do It:
- Use a tennis ball or massage ball on the muscles beside your spine.
- Roll the ball gently, focusing on tight spots.
- Benefits:
- Targets specific muscle tension and knots.
- Duration: Hold on tight spots for 10 seconds, then relax.
Important Tips
Safety: Always ensure you perform these stretches and exercises safely and consult with a professional if you experience any discomfort or pain..
Frequency: Use these techniques as needed, but avoid overdoing them to prevent hypermobility.
Book a consultation with a Chiropractor here
If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this assessment as well to diagnose their back pain. It is a great tool to understand where your back pain is coming from, it is free and takes 60 seconds. Click here for assessment
