YOU – Without Back Pain (How to Prevent It, How to Get Help if You Have It)

How can you prevent back pain?

Maintain a physical fitness regimen. The US Department of Health and Human Services has developed the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. It is recommended that adults exercise at a moderate level for 150 minutes each week or vigorously for 75 minutes each week. If you cannot do that level of activity yet, start with a few minutes each day and try to build up your tolerance. Any activity is good activity!

Get help to stop smoking. Current and former smokers are more at risk for back pain than non-smokers.
Plan your lifting activities. Position your body close to the object to be lifted and carry it close to your body. Bend your knees and legs to handle the weight. Get help with heavy objects.
Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, especially in the summer and in hotter climates.
Don’t sit for long periods. If you must, make sure to take frequent walking breaks. Every 20 minutes is ideal.

Condition specifically for your sport.  If you are an Athlete, you have a special need for strength and control in your back and hips. Make sure you condition specifically for your sport to help prevent injury.
Maintain close to your ideal weight. Additional weight can cause strain in the lumbar spine. Following a healthy diet will help you maintain this.

What should you do if you have back pain?
From the research, we know that there are best treatments for each of the different types of back pain. Here are some things we know for sure:

Bed rest is a No-No. Studies suggest that bed rest for more than 2 days may actually make the overall condition worse. It is best to keep moving, but do it with more awareness and take it slowly. Stay as active as you can.

Get to a Physical Therapist quickly. In the case of Acute low back pain, if you get hands-on manual therapy within the first 14 days of an injury, you have a good chance of recovering fully and quickly.

Stabilize the area. In the case of chronic low back pain, we know that “stabilization exercises”, or strengthening the muscles of the trunk and lower extremities, is one of the best treatments available. You need specific exercises for you and your particular problems, so make sure you are evaluated by a Physical Therapist who is an expert in exercise prescription. Exercises recommended on the internet may not be right for your particular issues.
Address pelvic floor dysfunction. The pelvic floor muscles provide structural support to your internal organs (including your bladder), to your pelvis, and to the lumbar spine. If these muscles are weak or are in spasm, you may first notice this as buttock pain or very low back pain. (You may experience leaking of urine when you cough or sneeze, you may notice pain with intercourse, or that you have to make frequent trips to the bathroom at night or during long shopping trips.) This is also a frequent occurrence in women after childbirth and is a significant reason for low back pain in pregnancy. Women’s Health Physical Therapists are specially trained in treating these problems.

Low back pain can be debilitating if left untreated. Seek Physical Therapy treatment early for injuries to help prevent acute low back pain from becoming chronic. If you have chronic low back pain, get to Physical Therapy to learn what you can do to become more active – safely.

Visit www.bodycentralpt.net or call us to (520) 325-4002 to make an appointment

Dr. Jennifer Allen is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in the areas of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, and is a Certified Hand Therapist. She is a co-founder of Bodycentral Physical Therapy and the Ultimate Sports Asylum in Tucson, Arizona.