Back Pain
You know it. That debilitating pain that makes you think about every move you make.
Lots of us have had or are having back issues. There are many different causes such as accidental direct impact caused by trauma to the spine, accumulative stress from an injury to an ankle, knee or hip creating imbalances throughout the body which affects the spine, repetitive movements such as manual labour or even playing regular golf, weakened muscular stability from pregnancy or inactivity, digestive or emotional issues and much more.
I've injured my lower back twice. The first time was from repetitive manual labour such as digging and the second time was while chasing my son and bending to scoop him up before he face planted onto the ground.
I didn't get scans to prove I had a prolapsed disc but I couldn't stand up and on the first occasion the physio concluded it was a prolapsed disc.
The second time around I had gained a much better knowledge of how to treat my injury for a faster recovery. From the previous injuries I sustained as a boy (see my story) it was just a matter of time before another injury would occur.
My protocol for helping repair and maintain a healthy spine may not fix your back problems but you may find some of my principles useful in your recovery.
Directly after my injury-
I spent most of my time sitting/laying on the floor and not in a chair.
I tried to get good spinal movement focusing mainly on spinal extension.
I moved regularly to increase blood flow and reduce excessive tightness.
When bending, I used my hips and not my spine (see my blog The Lost Art Of Bending Over).
I released some of the tension in my body such as my glutes, calves, hip flexors but not too much focus on the lower back as excessive stretching took away the tightness, which in turn released some of the protective stability around my spine.
Once the intense pain had subsided-
Reassess how I was moving and how I could improve it.
Reduce/eliminate activities that compounded my existing issues.
Add more floor sitting. This may sound silly or uncomfortable but it's hugely powerful. (It may be uncomfortable to begin with so use cushions/bolsters as a kind introduction to these positions).
Move more. Not exercise more, just move. Stand up, sit down, fidget, walk around, just don't stay in a chair or one position for hours at a time.
Squat. Not with weights, just lowering into the squat position (heels lifted if needed). My hips really appreciated this movement and the spine can't be healthy if the hips aren't healthy. (You may find this blog useful- how do I improve my squat as well as this article on squatting).
I'd always recommend advice from a movement professional such as myself, rehab coaches, physios or chiropractors to build a good platform from which to start from. You may find simply avoiding some foundational movements from fear of pain can be more problematic in the future.
I hope my basic protocol gives you some hope of getting back to a life less based on fear of injury and pain but of calmness within the body and the freedom of movement to enjoy life.
Thanks for reading!
