Three Things to Avoid if you Have Back Pain
Worried about hurting yourself worse when you’re dealing with back pain? Not sure what activities to avoid?
We’ve got some guidance for you.
This month’s educational theme is ‘Aches and Pains’ So we’re compiling all of our favorite tips on working through aches and pains. This week we’re focusing on activities to avoid if you have back pain.
A lot of what we thought we we knew about back pain has been flipped on its head by a decade of scientific breakthroughs about pain. Come learn the secrets in our upcoming workshop, “Myth-busting Low Back Pain” on August 10 and 11. Sign up HERE.
#1. Avoid Bed Rest or Couch Rest
One of the mistakes people frequently make when dealing with back pain is laying in bed or on the couch all day with a heat pack or an ice pack. This may feel good for 30 minutes or so, but remember, “Motion is Lotion.”
When we stay in one position for too long and avoid movement, our muscles and joints get EVEN STIFFER (think about how your back feels after sitting in a car for 4 hours). This same concept applies to back pain flare ups: the more we lounge, the stiffer and more painful our spine can become.
What to do instead: Do your normal activities, include some gentle walking (maybe even your gym routine), but scale down anything that results in large increases in pain.
If you want to make sure you’re doing the right things for YOU, sign up for a free one-on-one with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy.
#2. Avoid pessimistic thinking
The reality is that most episodes of back pain resolve within 4-6 weeks. And nobody escapes going through life without some back pain flares. Think of it more like a headache: everybody gets them once in a while and while sometimes they can be caused by something serious, 99% of the time, the cause is not serious and the pain will pass.
Many people make the mistake of creating and believing an entire story around their back pain:
- “Oh no, bad backs run in my family, and I guess it’s happening to me now”
- “I probably won’t be able to golf/lift/pick up my kids again. It’s too risky.”
What to do instead: Remember that your body is made to heal itself. Think, “My back is hurting right now, but I’ll keep moving as best I can, and it should calm down in a few days or weeks.”
#3. Avoid prolonged sitting or standing
When we’re sitting, our spines are usually resting in flexion. When we’re standing, our spines are usually resting in extension. And when we have back pain, our spines can feel extra sensitive to everything.
The longer we sit or stand in one position, the less blood flow we get to our spinal muscles and the less lubricated our vertebral joints become.
What to do instead: If sitting, set a 30 minutes timer to get up and move around or change positions. If you’re standing, alternate which leg you’re putting more weight through. Move more, not less to keep your back from stiffening up. Incorporate some back stretching on your movement breaks.
Join our upcoming workshop, "Myth-busting Low Back Pain"
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