Lower back pain (LBP) is one of the most common pains that individuals experience. It can result from a strain (injury) to muscles or tendons in the back. Other causes include arthritis, structural problems and disk injuries. Pain often gets better with rest, movement and medication. You can reduce your risk of low back pain by keeping at a healthy weight and staying active. Studies have found that four out of five people experience lower back pain at some point in their lives, hence, you are not alone!

Here are a few things you can do to manage that pain and be on track to a pain-free life again!

There are two ways to manage lower back pain – passive and/or active modality.

Passive Approach to Relieve Lower Back Pain

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy reduces swelling and inflammation in the injured muscles. The temperature of the water allows the blood to circulate better throughout the body. Furthermore, the weight of the body is supported by the buoyancy of the water, which allows for the joints and muscles to truly relax as the pressure is reduced by a significant amount.

Massage

A simple massage is the easiest way to get pain relief. However, this should be conducted by a professional. Deep tissue massage is often used to reduce the compression in the tissues which caused the restricting of blood flow. Hence, with massage, the goal of improving blood circulation is the goal. At RAW, you are able to book a sports massage session that aims to relief your lower back discomfort.

Active Approach to Relieve Lower Back Pain

Shift Centre-Of-Mass Backwards

Most of the time, lower back pain can cause compression in the lower back region. This could be due to the centre-of-mass being shifted forward from the base of support. Hence, there are certain exercises that can help the body “shift” backwards. These exercises include breathing and strength exercises. An example of a strength exercise would be a goblet squat. The goblet squat requires the athlete to hold the weight, usually a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of them as they squat. With the weight in front of them, the body must naturally shift its centre-of-mass backwards to maintain balance and equilibrium as they perform the exercise. Hence, consistently performing this exercise could potentially help relief that lower back pain.

Using one or more of any of the four methods listed above, you are inclined to be one step closer to re-achieving a pain-free life! Feel free to book a session with us at RAW, where we provide one-to-one strength training sessions that assist you in getting rid of that lower back discomfort using science evidence based techniques and approaches.

Stay Active

It is no surprise that individuals would prefer staying at home, lying on their beds the whole day when in pain. However, that is an equation to slowed recovery. To experience FAST lower back pain relief, an individual should focus on staying active and moving more throughout the day. This can include going for a light jog, using the elliptical machine, or even just walking every morning before starting the day! The main goal to staying active is to improve blood circulation throughout the body. When an individual is injured, the blood flow is restricted due to certain compressions. This in turn causes deprivation of important nutrients such as protein, vitamin A, and zinc to be transported to the injured area which ultimately facilitates the recovery process.

Our personal training allows you to meet your lifestyle needs and is flexible to fit into your busy schedule. Feel free to contact us for details.