Back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor. It can be caused by a number of things, including injuries, muscle strains, and arthritis. Thankfully, there are ways to manage back pain before it becomes a chronic condition that requires medication or surgery. Here are five things you can do on your own or with the help of a professional to help relieve and prevent back pain:
Try Movement Therapy
Movement therapy is the practice of movement for the purpose of improving health. It can be done in a group or with a personal trainer, and examples include yoga, tai chi and qi gong. Movement therapy can help relieve back pain and improve mobility (the ability to move).
Learn To Be More Active
If you’re having back pain, it’s important to be active, says Dr Lauren Papa. You don’t have to go out and run a marathon or lift weights at the gym–but even simple activities like walking and gardening can help relieve stress on your spine by strengthening muscles in the lower back area.
If you have trouble getting motivated to be more active, try these tips:
- Set small goals for yourself over time (e.g., walk 15 minutes every day). Then reward yourself once those goals are met! This will help keep you motivated as well as give you something positive in return for all of your hard work.
- Find an activity partner who has similar goals so that both of you can encourage each other along the way and make sure one doesn’t slack off too much while exercising together!
Get Stronger And More Flexible
If you’ve been told that your back pain is caused by weak muscles or poor flexibility, then strengthening and stretching are the exercises for you. These activities can help improve the way your body moves and reduces stress on your back.
The best part? They’re easy to do anywhere! You don’t need a gym membership or expensive equipment–just a bit of floor space and maybe some props like yoga blocks or dumbbells. And don’t worry about doing them wrong; just follow along with this guide for proper form so that you don’t hurt yourself further (and so we can all live happily ever after).
- Before starting any exercise program: Talk to a doctor first says Dr Lauren Papa! If they recommend against working out at all due to an existing health condition like heart disease or diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), then listen up! Their advice might be different depending on whether they’re talking about physical activity versus weightlifting specifically; still talk things over before making any decisions.
Stay On Top Of Your Posture
Good posture is important for your overall health, but it can also help with back pain. It’s a good idea to be aware of your posture and correct any poor habits you may have picked up over the years.
When sitting down, make sure that you’re sitting up straight and not slouching forward or leaning back too far. If you’re standing up at work or school, try to find a chair that has some lumbar support so that when you sit down on it, there will be some extra cushioning under your lower back area (the seat cushions).
