In the last blog posts about back pain, I broke down the three different areas of your spine and explained how “back” pain is sometimes in the upper part and sometimes it’s in the lower back.
Most people ask me about if stretching can help and the next most common question is this:
“Is it ok to exercise when my back is hurting? I’ve just got into a good routine sticking to the gym and working out, and I really don’t want to stop”.
I get the frustration.
It’s hard enough to get started but you succeeded, started to get into your routine, and now someone tells you to stop because of the back pain and potential risk related to it. I also know that the thought of doing any movement at all when you’re going through some kind of pain might feel a little scary. That is a normal reaction true to anyone who doesn’t want to willingly cause any harm to their body.
How to stay active without hurting your back more
You don’t want to run the risk of making it worse in case it turns into something more serious. You don’t want to go ‘too hard’ in the gym in case you pull another muscle. And you don’t want to wake up one day to find that you can no longer roll out of bed easily, walk down the street, or even drive because what you did, made it worse.
But don’t let that worry you too much – that’s rarely ever the case!
An aching lower back doesn’t mean you’ve got to be housebound, take pills and use heat or ice packs until it magically disappears.
You CAN keep moving and working out! In fact, not moving at all can make your back pain worse.
Stay active but do not overdo it
If you suffer from upper or lower back pain that comes and goes, simple walking with additional exercises and movements designed to improve lower back strength, will make a big difference.
Walking is a completely natural movement that keeps your joints mobile and muscles working – even those in your arms, trunk, and legs – which play an important role in keeping the muscles in your back that hold you upright, strong.
Stretching combined with walking will improve your back’s strength, flexibility, and posture, which in turn, can help stop back pain from creeping up on you when you least expect it. What’s more, it can also reduce how painful it feels and how much it gets in the way of day to day life.
Next comes key strengthening exercises to help keep your flexibility and the best way to stay pain-free.
So here’s the important question to answer now that you know it 100% is okay to exercise even if you’ve got a “bad back”…
Exercises that you actually should be doing
Of course, too much exercise, or the wrong set of exercises could make it worse or keep it hanging around longer than it needs to. That’s what we do at Hands-on Therapy Services – we specialize in occupational therapy for back pain in Miami; the find the root cause of the problem, and give you the confidence to know which exercises are the best for you.
If you are done trying on your own or someone you know is having some kind of upper back or lower pain, and not sure what to do about it, give us a call at Hands-on Therapy Services – our occupational therapy clinic in Miami. Talk to a specialist before booking a paid session. Be clear on what you need before any paid session.
Call us at 786-615-9879 or text us 786-763-0352 and speak with our specialist right away. Just ask us for our Free Reports or videos and we will be happy to send them your way.
About the author: Hoang Tran is a certified occupational therapist, the owner of Hands-on Therapy Services and author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”. She loves helping people with back pain problems and effectively brings them back to full functionality, without pills, injections or surgery. Call at 786-615-9879 or email at hoang@handsots.com
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
