A Simple Stretches Guide to Do at Home to Alleviate Back Pain

Better Posture, Better Health.

24 May 2023

A Simple Stretches Guide to Do at Home to Alleviate Back Pain

24 May 2023

If you are suffering from back pain, you’re not alone. Back discomfort is one of the main causes of medical visits according to the American Chiropractic Association. Among different treatment alternatives to treat the back pain, physical therapy is a safe and effective technique to alleviate back pain and improve overall mobility.

It’s essential to warm up the muscles with some light exercise or a hot shower before performing any activities. It is also important to listen to the body and refrain from any movements that cause discomfort or pain. Check out the following simple stretches which can be done at home to alleviate the back pain.

Knee-to-Chest Stretch

The knee-to-chest stretch is a light stretch that helps in relieving tension in the lower back muscles. To perform knee-to-chest stretch, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Then bring one knee up towards the chest and hold it with the hands for 10 to 15 seconds. Release and repeat on the other side in the same procedure.

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Cat-Cow Stretch

The cat-cow stretch is a yoga-inspired stretch that helps lengthen and strengthen the back muscles. Start on the hands and knees, with the wrists directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Then take a deep breath in, arch the back, and lift the head towards the ceiling (cow pose). Exhale, round the spine, and bring the chin to the chest like a cat pose. Repeat this movement for 10 times.

Child’s Pose

The child’s pose is a soothing and restful stretch that assists in releasing tension in the lower back and hips. Begin with the spreading arms and knees, then sit back on the heels and hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Breathe deeply and allow the muscles to relax while performing the stretching.

Seated Spinal Twist

The seated spinal twist is a moderate stretch that enhances spinal mobility and relieves back pain. To perform seated spinal twists, sit on the ground with the legs straight out in the front. Bend the right knee and place the foot on the outside of the left thigh. Place the left hand on the right knee and twist the torso to the right, looking over the shoulder. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Cobra Stretch

The cobra stretch is a mild backbend that strengthens the back muscles and enhances the posture. Simply lie on the stomach with the hands under the shoulders and the elbows close to the body. Take a deep breath in and raise the shoulders while lifting the chest off the floor. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds and release.

The above five stretches can be done at home and are an excellent way to alleviate back pain and improve mobility. However, if you have severe or chronic back pain, it’s essential to consult with a physical therapist before starting any exercise program. Visit PrimoCare Medical Clinic to consult with the physical therapist. You can inquire or make an appointment in advance here.

References:

American Chiropractic Association. (2021). Back Pain Facts and Statistics

Better Posture, Better Health.

How Can I Treat Chronic Back Pain?

According to research, 90% of middle-aged to elderly people are suffering from back pain. Back pain can be divided into many forms, from short-term pain to chronic pain that comes from a variety of causes whether it is a sprain bone pain or pain caused by an accident. In some cases, the back pain may be caused by being overweight as well.

Chronic Back Pain

Uncomplicated muscle soreness generally resolves in less than a week but if you have back pain continuously for more than 2 weeks onwards or have other complications such as weakness, numbness, fever, history of trauma, unintentional weight loss, history of cancer, steroid use and intravenous drug use, you should consult with a doctor to identify the cause of pain and get treatment before chronic back pain occurs. However, chronic back pain is considered as one of the key symptoms of Office Syndrome. Myofascial Pain Syndrome is caused by repetitive work on the same muscle for a long period of time resulting in muscle inflammation and pain in various sites.

How to Prevent Chronic Back Pain?

The following methods will help prevent back pain. In order not to let it happen again, start doing these methods yourself.

Exercise
Many of you may think you should not exercise while you are suffering back pain. But in fact exercise is one of the best things you can do for your back pain. Stretching exercises can help you improve mobility at some stiffness areas of your body such as your lower back and have a lot of benefits to not only your back pain symptoms but also improve your overall health status. And the exercises should be considered by a professional.

Control Body Weight
Being overweight can result in back pain as the main function of the back muscle is to support the body stability and it should be controlled to be within the standard with nutritious food and exercising regularly to help prevent back pain.

Take a Break
If you sit in any position for too long it can result in back pain. Try to rest for 10 minutes every 1 hour, and change the sitting position correctly. This can help prevent back pain.

Keep the Body Posture Properly
Whether it’s sitting, standing, walking, or lying down, getting the right body posture until it becomes habitual is important. Because in addition to helping you to look better, it will also help prevent pain in different parts of the body as well.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is the therapy to restore and strengthen the ability to use the body with various techniques through the audit method and treating the deficiencies of the body caused by the condition of the disease or abnormal movements. However, physical therapy may help relieve pain recovering from injury and help keep the body in balance.

Techniques and Methods of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy focuses on rehabilitation of various ailments with behavior modification together with exercise or use physical therapy tools such as:

The science of massage to relax after exercise (Sport massage)
It is a muscle massage for exercisers or those who have been using heavy muscles and it is different from other massages. The relaxation massage after exercise will focus on deep muscle massage. In sport massage, various techniques are used so that people who exercise can use their muscles to their fullest potential and reduce the likelihood of injury while exercising

Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound therapy is the usage of high frequency sound waves to reduce pain, swelling or inflammation of tissues. It accelerates tissue repair and loosen tense muscles as well as increasing the flexibility of the joints in the deep layers. It can also be used to help in the treatment of office syndrome as well.

Shockwave Energy Therapy
Shockwave therapy has the ability to stimulate the injured fascia so that the body can create new muscle cells and helps to break down the fascia and loosen the muscle layer. Shockwave energy has the ability to relieve chronic pain.

Physical Therapy Procedures

Physical therapy is one of the important steps in helping to restore the bones and muscles of the body through the use of techniques such as the science of massage, relaxation after exercise (Sport massage), ultrasound therapy and shockwave therapy, etc. The treatments in addition to physical therapy, also include

Assessment of the body structure to determine the cause of illness, pain, muscle inflammation, chronic pain and the balance of the body.
Building knowledge and understanding to adjust working posture as appropriate for individual.
Educating and promoting exercise continuously in the right way so that the muscles are strong and flexible in order to prevent muscle injuries

Who Should Get Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy can be performed both before and after having abnormal symptoms as physical therapy is about taking care of and restoring the functioning systems of different parts of the body such as muscles, bones and blood circulation in order to work more efficiently

Office syndrome patients : Many symptoms like painful symptoms related to the musculoskeletal system can affect daily life or cause movement impairment. These symptoms can be treated with physical therapy to restore the patient to be able to return to daily life as usual.
People with chronic back pain: There are many types of physical therapy to reduce chronic back pain such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or physical therapy with muscle relaxation including adjusting the patient’s daily posture to be correct
People with neck and shoulder pain : Physical therapy can treat and relieve aches and pains so that everyone can go on with their daily lives as usual. The doctor will make a diagnosis and consider the appropriate treatment for each patient by focusing on treatment at the root cause of symptoms including alleviating pain to a minimum

However, visit Primocare Medical Clinic to identify and assess the body structure to treat aches and pain and myositis chronic pain. We are ready to take care of your health completely with prevention and maintaining physical health by exercise management with the use of specialized tools. You can inquire or make an appointment in advance here.

Reference

16 Ways to Avoid Back Pain

9 Tips for Better Posture

What to Know About Myofascial Release Therapy

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