Eastbourne Chiropractor: Help! I have lower back pain
During this time of isolation, some of you are really struggling with lower back pain. Today’s’ blog is about giving you a few things to try in order to give you some relief. Please remember if you are really struggling, please give us a call and leave a message if there is no answer. Someone will get back to you and we will try to help.
My lower back pain, version 1
Do you have lower back pain that runs across the curve in your lower back? When you are sitting, if you slightly twist to one side and arch back, does that aggravate you lower back pain? If you lie in your bed and try to lift one straight leg up, is that very painful and possibly causes pain in your buttock and down the back of your leg? If yes to these questions, there is evidence of some irritation to the lumbar joints along with muscle spasm. If you have pain in the back of one leg that travels past the calf and down to the ankle, along with numbness or pins and needles below the knee, this could indicate a disc injury.
What can I do to help myself if this is my lower back pain?
First of all, use ice in the painful lower back area. Remember to wrap the ice pack in a thin towel, place it on the painful area for about 15 minutes. Please read Gary’s blog on the use of ice or heat to give some more information.
Try to keep moving, little and often rather than overdoing it. Every time you stay still for too long things will seize up again.
If your complaint is general lower back stiffness and pain, then have a look at Louise’s exercises to help get things moving
If you are in complete spasm, try the McKenzie exercise as explained below and avoid any of the stretches where you bring your knees to your chest. If the McKenzie exercise causes pain that is localised to the lower back, keep going and ease into it. If the exercise aggravates nerve pain down the back of your leg, especially past the knee, or aggravates numbness or pins and needles in the lower leg, then this exercise is NOT for you.
Try the McKenzie exercise for lower back pain
- Lie on your front on the floor, or if this is difficult, then do it on your bed.
- Place your hands underneath your shoulders, and on a breath in, push your upper body off the floor, looking up slightly.
- Go as far as you can, it will hurt, then release your breath before you lower down. The releasing of the breath helps you relax into the stretch.
- Keep doing this. Your arms will probably start to hurt. Have little rests if you need to. Try get to the point where you can straighten your arms fully.
- When you have achieved at least 3 stretches will fully straightened arms, then carefully roll onto your side and push yourself up and walk around for a bit. Try to avoid bending forward.
My lower back pain version 2
Do you have lower back pain that runs across the back really low down? Is it painful on the bony bits lower down and to the side? Is it hard to stand up from sitting? When you sit and twist slightly one way and arch your back, is the pain not particularly aggravated? Are you getting discomfort in your hips or even some referral to the front of your thighs? Is the pain more focused to one side? If you answered yes to this could indicate a sacro-iliac joint problem. If the McKenzie exercise is easy for you, then this would also indicate the problem being lower down than the lumbar region.
Now obviously we cannot diagnose you without actually seeing you so take any of this advice with a pinch of salt and listen to your body.
What can I do to help myself if this is my lower back pain?
Once again, ice could help and ease the pain.
Then have a look at Louise’s exercise video to help.
If you are in extreme pain, I would recommend 2 stretches.
The piriformis stretch and the gluteus medius stretch. I find these 2 stretches helpful when I am in pain along with self massage techniques.
The Piriformis stretch
- Lie on your back, with your knees bent.
- Cross one leg over the other so that your ankle rests of your knee.
- Slowly pull the leg that has the foot on the floor, towards your chest, lifting the foot.
- This should create a stretch in the buttock of the leg which is crossed.
- Hold for 3 deep breathes. On the out breath you might be able to bring the knee even closer to the chest.
- Then do the same on the other side.
The Gluteus Medius stretch.
- Lie on your back with your right leg straight and your left leg bent.
- Grab your left knee with your right hand and pull your left leg towards your chest and then pull across to the right.
- Hold it in a position where you feel the stretch in your left gluteus muscles.
- Hold here for 3 deep breaths, on the out breath try to increase the stretch by pulling the left knee closer to your chest and across your body.
- Then do the same on the other side.
Remember, we are here to help. Please don’t hesitate to call us at our Eastbourne clinic us. Take care and good health to you all. Karen
Want to find out more about low back pain?
We have a huge variety of blogs on low back pain. If you’ve found this blog helpful and would like to find out more, then please check out one of our other blogs on low back pain below.
General advice and self-help advice
Muscle spasm in the lower back
Do Chiropractors Treat Back Pain
Do I need acupuncture or a chiropractor to treat my lower back pain?
New NICE guidelines recommend chiropractic techniques for the lower back pain and sciatica
Stretching and exercises
Chiropractor’s Basic Stretches for Lower Back and Pelvic Pain
Karen’s Top Tips For coping with back pain
Chiropractic Advice for Women Suffering Back Ache
Simple Exercises for Low Back Pain part 1
Simple Exercises for Low Back Pain part 2
Posture and Low Back Pain
Anterior pelvic tilt and correction: Part one
Anterior pelvic tilt and correction: Part two
Sleeping and Low Back Pain
Best Sleeping Position for my Back and neck
What is the Best Sleeping Position for my Back Pain?
Gardening and Low Back Pain
Common gardening mistakes that are bad for your back
A chiropractor’s guide to protecting the back when gardening
Tips to prevent back ache when gardening
Are you losing your dog in the grass? How to avoid back strains from gardening
Back pain in the elderly
Tackling Back Pain – Do older people just accept back pain?
Related
By Karen Philip
Related Articles
Archives
Call now 01323 722499
You must be logged in to post a comment.