Back pain doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a serious problem. Most back pain results from injury or inflammation of the muscles, ligaments, discs, or small joints of the spine. Usually there isn’t just one cause but many contributing factors. Back and Neck pain are treatable and in many cases do not require input from a medical doctor.
Brentwood Physiotherapists are experts in treating all types of chronic and acute back pain. Research consistently shows the best way to recover is to get active. Resting can delay improvement by increasing muscle stiffness and pain. Your physiotherapist will determine the best way to get you moving and on the road to recovery.
But how do we make sure the pain stays away after it is treated? We need to identify the possible causes and make sure we do not aggravate the painful areas we have experienced in the past.
Here are the top ten causes of chronic or severe back pain:
- Working in awkward or bent postures
- Improper or heavy lifting
- Prolonged sitting
- Weak back or core muscles
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Being Overweight
- Not treating existing pain
- Not being active
- Bad Posture (sitting, driving, typing etc.)
- Pregnancy or carrying large backpacks
Take a look a this list and decipher which describes you the most. Do you lift heavy objects at work? Aim to reduce the workload and/or lift with your legs and not your back. Are you at a computer all day and realize you slouch quite a bit? Focus on keeping a straight back and good posture or invest in a standing desk (maybe your company will jump on board). Many hikers who carry large packs experience back pain, invest in a new bag that distributes the weight on your hips/legs.
Whatever it is you need to identify the cause to ensure you don’t aggravate your spine. The last thing we want is to re-injure your back or neck. Our physiotherapists are great at helping you identify the cause of the pain, treating it and making sure you don’t experience any more pain.
Make sure to stay active as this is one of the best ways to keep your spine loose and pain free. It may be difficult to get walking at first but once you do you will begin to feel better (don’t push too hard).
