Back Pain is the most common complaint and normally affects over 94% of the world population at some stage in their lives. During Lockdown due to COVID 19 we have seen this increase even more as most people are moving less and working from home in awkward positions. Here at Bodies Under Construction, our team have worked with people for many years who have back pain. We truly have a great knowledge of how to diagnose and manage your back problem and consistently see people making several common mistakes.
Could you or someone you know be making one or more of these mistakes? We list the most common mistakes below and what YOU can do about it.
Mistake # 1 Ignoring the pain, thinking it will go away on its own.
We often ask clients, how long have you had your pain? The replies most commonly vary from months to years. I was hoping it would sort itself out.
Just getting on with things and thinking the pain will go away, may work but this will take a lot of time, plus, that’s if the pain ever goes away anyway. In addition pain causes an automatic inhibition of the stabilising muscles of the spine. They don’t just recover on their own and require input to get them firing again. Early intervention is shown to help reduce your pain in the long term. So if there is a niggle get it assessed by a professional. During lockdown we are able to offer you virtual as well as face to face appointments. There really is no excuse to suffer with your back pain!
Mistake # 2 Trusting in medications, hoping the issue will resolve.
Yes, taking medication can help to ease pain. However, medication is not treating the real source of the problem. You need to see a Health Care Professional who can diagnose the problem and advise on a recovery plan.
Often medication does play an important part on the recovery journey. But only in the initial stages. If you are looking for a more natural solution. Try icing the affected area for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day. Yikes. It’s going to be a little cold but so worth it when you feel the relief! Motion is lotion. So make sure you move little and often in order to loosen up.
Mistake # 3 Too often our clients tell us that they have been following the advice of a friend or family member to manage their symptoms.
What may have worked for your Auntie Jane to ease her back pain is not necessarily what is going to work for you. We are all individuals and very different in our body make up, and your back pain could be coming from an entirely different source! You need to seek professional advice and diagnose the root cause of the problem! There is no time to waste and your problem could persist a lot longer than it should, if you take advice that doesn’t work for you.
Mistake # 4 Youtube and Online Classes
I regularly have clients who attend and demonstrate a set of exercises that they have found on Youtube for their symptoms. In addition as they have been following home video’s, insta lives, they end up in a real pickle. I’ll be honest, it’s the not the exercise that is the problem but when they should be included in the recovery and rehabilitative plan. The effectiveness of these exercises can really vary, as often, the exercises are incorrect and potentially harmful for that particular problem or at the stage of healing.
A favourite saying of mine is: “The benefit is in the detail!” Sometimes how these exercises are executed will either help you move in the right direction or hinder your recovery.
Exercise for your back should be specific for your needs. Therefore, understanding what’s actually wrong with you will help you make a much better informed decision about what exercise will be most beneficial.
Mistake # 5 Rushing back into activities too soon.
Rushing back to activities too quickly can be detrimental to your recovery. Too much stressful activity on the body, with the body in a weakened state can quickly escalate your back pain. There are phases of recovery to consider. Initially when your pain and inflammation settles most people think that they are fine and can return to all normal activity. Commonly in clinic this is where we have patients return with another flare of their symptoms, as they haven’t done the required work to restore lost mobility, strength and stability. If you are currently having treatment for your back pain( or not as yet) consider these phases and how important doing a full plan of care would be to you!
1. Reduce Pain and inflammation
2. Restore Mobility, Strength and Stability
3. Return to full normal activity and sports and exercise
4. Maintenance and Injury prevention
Mistake # 6 Playing it too safe and resting for too long.
Current research suggests that exercise is the best action to take to help you recover from back pain.
Again remember, resting is almost like doing nothing, and you are always better trying to do something to help yourself recover.
A common question I always get asked is: What can I and can’t I do. The answer is, continue to do what you would like to do, but be sensible! If it feels good and serves you – continue with the movement or activity. If it doesn’t then avoid that exercise or activity that increases your pain. But keep moving. Motion is lotion for your body.
Mistake # 7 Waiting too long to ask the right person for help.
The longer you wait to ask the right person, the longer you’ll suffer with pain. You may also prolong the amount of time that it will take to recover from your back pain. My advice is to contact a health professional ASAP. If you are already making any of these mistakes, you are not alone and you should know at the outset, rarely is it ever too late to get things right.
Here is the great news: Even if you have been making ALL of these mistakes we can still help you! Our team are pretty experienced in dealing with Back Pain. We know we can definitely help you with this. You have nothing to loose except your BACK PAIN! 😉
If you’d like more info on this, and some easy, actionable tips you can use now to start easing your back. We have a free back pain guide that we can send you. Click on the image below to download your free report now.
…Meaning A Better Night’s Sleep, More Energy, Less Worry, And Above All…MORE Freedom To Do Things With LESS PAIN And Less Tension!… And That Would Be Nice, Right?
Leslie is a Master Trainer for the world renowned Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute(APPI). He is regular key note speaker at conferences and travels internationally to present on modified exercise for rehabilitation.
Leslie is the founder of Bodies Under Construction Clinics situated in Berkshire and London. A specialist Private Physiotherapy Practice for People of all ages, but especially those in their 30’s. 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and beyond, who want to keep healthy and active.
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