5 Tips for Low Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care. Whether caused by poor posture, muscle strain, or injury, back pain can significantly reduce your quality of life. In this article, we will explore at-home remedies for back pain relief and how chiropractic care offers a long-term solution.
What Causes Back Pain?
Back pain usually stems from a multitude of factors, such as:
Direct Injury - usually from some type of trauma to the low back
Underlying conditions - such as osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, disc bulges, infections, ankylosing spondylitis and many more.
Stress - commonly used as a main cause for many things but stress can play a roll in the pain experience of low back pain.
There are many factors, and to see them all, have a closer look at the image to the right which is from an article written by Cholewicki et al, 2019. It illustrates all the possible contributing factors to low back pain. Some surprising ones to note and be aware of are, your beliefs, sedentary time, comorbidity factors, & previous injuries.
How can Chiropractic help low back pain?
In concept it is quite simple. We aim to reduce your pain experience (symptoms) with hands-on techniques to make your daily life more tolerable. As your pain improves we utilise exercises in a home & in clinic rehab program to address the underlying cause and get you back to moving with confidence.
At-Home Solutions for Back Pain Relief
While severe or chronic back pain often requires professional intervention, many home remedies can help alleviate discomfort and prevent the issue from worsening.
Stretching and Mobility Exercises Gentle stretching can relieve tight muscles and improve flexibility. These can be fantastic in an acute situation where even the simplest of movements cause pain. Try exercises like:
Child’s Pose: This yoga pose stretches out the lower back and helps to alleviate tension via lengthening the lumbar extensor muscles.
Cat-Cow Stretch: This dynamic movement aims to improve mobility and can help reduce acute pain via the motion that is created between the spinal vertebrae.
Pelvic tilts: A favourite of mine for low back pain that is focused at the base of the spine/back or at the pelvis.
Tip: Perform these exercises daily & be as active as possible. We know that there is a correlation between improved recovery time/outcomes and being as active you can be during pain/injury.
Ice and Heat Therapy
Ice therapy is effective for reducing inflammation in the early stages of pain. If it’s possible utilise the three sandwich bag technique (See it on our instagram page here) or an ice pack. This can be great in early stages for pain management.
Heat therapy is best for relaxing stiff muscles and improving blood flow. A heating pad or warm bath can ease discomfort, this can be good in the subacute/chronic phases of pain. Heat should be used with caution though, some severe conditions of the spine and low back can be aggravated by heat.
Strengthening Low Back Muscles: Whilelow back pain can come from many issues from the low leg and not directly from the back itself, it can be very helpful to do direct strengthening exercises to improve load tolerance & capacity which can help reduce sensitivity in the area.
45 degree back extensions: Strengthens the low back extensor muscles.
Jefferson curls: very good and improving low back strength as you move through a greater range of motion. BE cautious initially on how much range you use at first, it’s best to start small and slowly build your range.
Thoracic rotation exercises: While they may not be low back exercises, strengthening your torso in the rotational plane can be extremely helpful as it can improve your motion and strength through the gait cycle & lots of daily movements we do
Tip: Be confident your back pain will ease. Approximately 5% of all cases of low back pain are non-serious and can self-resolve. It is important to keep a positive attitude and belief that your pain will ease. Of course if you do suspect there is a more serious cause to your pain, immediately go see a doctor or health professional for proper assessment.
