Do you get shooting pain in the lower part of your back? Do you have trouble lifting things in your home? Do you have problems standing up or sitting down? These are the symptoms of back pain that many people experience at some point in their lives. The pain can hamper your everyday activities and turn into a nuisance.
The Misconception of Bed Rest
Most people assume the moment they have back pain, they should get into bed and rest their back. On the contrary, this will delay the healing process and also make the pain worse. When you have back pain, stretching is the one of the best ways to alleviate pain, although with a little bit of caution.
The spinal column has many muscles, tendons, and ligaments attached to it. Together, they are designed to move fluidly while offering support and balance to the upper part of your body. So if you go to bed with back pain, the gravity of the pain will worsen rather than improve. Gently stretching the spine and the contiguous tendons, ligaments and muscles, increase mobility as well as fluidity, thereby alleviating the pain.
There are certain back stretches that can help your back realign itself. You can do these stretches on your rug, floor, or carpet, for instance. If you do not commit to these stretches and hope that you back will improve itself while you sleep, you are preparing yourself for a rude awakening when you have to get up in the middle of the night or if you sleep all the way until the morning.
Exercises to Alleviate Back Pain
Here are a few exercises that you can use to help stretch your back and ease the pain.
Modified Cobra:
- Lie on your belly and extend your body
- Place your palms on the ground and bend your elbows. Ensure your chest does not elevate at this point
- Use your palms as a lever to raise your upper body and head, while keeping the pelvis and legs flat on the ground.
- Straighten the elbow completely and hold the position for about 10 seconds
- Repeat the exercise 4 to 5 times to help with your back pain.
Knee to Chest:
ü Stretch out on your mat, with your back parallel to the ground and legs straight
ü Hold your leg under the knee and bring it to your chest until you experience a tension in the thigh
ü Hold the position for about 20 seconds (10 seconds too is okay)
ü Release the leg and assume the starting position
ü Repeat with the other leg
Never ignore back pain (well, you really cannot). While these two exercises will gently stretch your back, if the pain persists, Wirth Chiropractic in Greenville, NC right away. The chiropractor will evaluate you and find the underlying cause of pain, and then suggest a treatment that is customized to suit your needs. The realignment and spinal manipulation can do wonders with lower back pain and your morale.
