7 surprising ways to get rid of back pain

Suffering with stiffness, aching, or sharp pangs up your spine? Physiotherapist Laura Harman gives her top tips on how to get rid of back pain

Back pain is one of the\r\nmost common physical problems that most people will experience at some point.\r\nWhether it’s general stiffness, constant niggles or something more serious, for\r\nmany people there is not one particular treatment that will work but a\r\ncombination of small changes that can help eliminate pain.

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It often takes a number\r\nof different approaches to find a solution, as always it is important to see\r\nyour GP in the first instance if you suffer from constant or debilitating pain.\r\nLaura Harman ofLondon’s Boost Physiogives her top seven tips\r\non how to get rid of back pain – some of them may surprise you and better yet\r\nthey could make all the difference.

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1. Use your\r\nimagination

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Poor posture can cause\r\nmuscular imbalance which puts pressure on certain areas of the spine which will\r\nlead to pain/wear and tear in time. One great way to correct your posture is to\r\nimagine there is a helium balloon attached to the top of your head stretching\r\nyou up tall to elongate the spine. This is not about walking around with a book\r\non your head like a 1950s debutante.

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The idea is to keep the\r\nchest open so don’t allow your shoulders to round forwards, keep a neutral\r\nalignment of the lumbar spine/not too arched and not too flat. Our bodies are\r\ndesigned to have mild natural curves in the spine to create balance and shock\r\nabsorption as we move. The problem starts when these curves increase which\r\ncreates imbalance and pain, what we should have is a mild inward curve at the\r\nneck, an outward curve over the middle of the spine and inward curve at the\r\nbottom.

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2. Experiment with new\r\npositions in bed

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If neck pain is a real\r\nproblem, make sure that the pillow is only supporting your head, which means\r\nkeep your shoulders and neck off the pillow. If your shoulder and neck are on\r\nthe pillow the joints on that side will get squashed and will stretch the\r\njoints on the opposite side, causing the neck to stiffen up. You may have to\r\ntry different types of pillows till you get it right, there is no one type of\r\npillow that works for everyone.

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Another way to take the\r\npressure off your back is to lie on your side with a pillow in-between your\r\nknees to keep your pelvis level.

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A firmer bed rather than\r\na softer bed will prevent stiffening up during the night. A bed that is too soft\r\nwill mould the mattress round your body like a jelly mould, which means that\r\nyour spine is not getting the support it needs.

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3. Activate your core

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Incorrect lifting and\r\nbending techniques can put harmful strain on the spine (particularly the\r\nintervertebral discs). Make sure you bend your hips and knees rather than your\r\nspine. If lifting, activate your core, don’t twist and carry the load close to\r\nyour body. Pilates classes can help with your core and remedial Pilates lessons\r\nwith a qualified physiotherapist can really help with back pain.

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4. Mix up a gym\r\nworkout with Pilates for a strong back​

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A strong back can reduce\r\nyour risk of back pain. A lot of people will either do gym work or Pilates but\r\nthis will not “fully” strengthening the spine, you need to do both to help\r\nalleviate pain.

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Simply speaking, we have\r\ntwo sets of muscles in the body. Those that produce movement (global system)\r\nand those that provide support/stability (stabilising system). Both sets of\r\nmuscles need to be strong in order to prevent back pain. Therefore, doing a\r\ncombination of Pilates and general gym exercises to strengthen muscles such as\r\nyour gluteal, abdominal and back muscles e.g. squats and lunges is advisable.

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5. Ditch the flats

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We’re always told that\r\nhigh heels will play havoc on your back and knees but wearing flats can also\r\nlead to back pain, especially if you a have a foot that is over-pronated\r\n(flat). If you wear very flat shoes such as ballet pumps, or flip flops, with\r\nno arch, your foot will roll inwards every time you walk which can transfer\r\nabnormal forces up to the knee, hip and lower back causing pain. Wearing a\r\nsupportive shoe will keep your body in a good alignment which can help with\r\nback pain.

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6. Standing desks

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Sitting can increase the\r\npressure on the discs in the lumbar spine, particularly if you are sitting in a\r\nslumped position. Try a standing desk to off-load your discs. Best advice –\r\nvary between the two as standing for prolonged periods can also put pressure on\r\nthe facet joints in the spine.

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Sitting can increase\r\nthe pressure on the discs in the lumbar spine, particularly if you are sitting\r\nin a slumped position

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7. Don’t stop moving

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Try not to sit or stand\r\nfor prolonged periods of time. As a general rule, you should aim to get up\r\nevery 20-30mins, change positon/move around, stretch or just walking around\r\nyour work space can make all the difference, taking thepressureoff\r\nyour spine.

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Laura Harmanis senior chartered\r\nPhysiotherapist and clinical specialist atLondon’s Boost Phyiso. She says, ‘I like to\r\nuse a combination of hands on techniques and Pilates principles to treat my\r\npatients. I strongly believe that restoration of normal movement and function\r\nis key to preventing injury and reoccurrence of pain.’

Laura Harman – Healthista