Tips to Manage Back Pain Better
Maybe you've had a recent episode of lower back pain. Or maybe you've been dealing with chronic upper back pain that feels worse when you sit too long. As a physiotherapist, back pain is a very common thing for the people that I work with at my physiotherapy clinic in Toronto to mention when we talk about their history (even if it’s not what brought them into the clinic that day).
Back pain is a common thing for most humans to experience at some point in their lives. Knowing how to manage back pain better can be the difference between somebody feeling they can do most of their usual activities versus someone feeling all they're able to do is lie flat on the ground. Having an idea of where to start with managing your back pain better can be overwhelming. Here are my most commonly shared tips for managing back pain:
Try to stay as active as possible:
When back pain starts it’s a natural reaction to feel like you should avoid activity until things feel better again. For many people, this can look like stopping their workout routine, avoiding getting out to walk, or even spending more time lying down. One thing that’s common is the worry that activity may be making things worse and not knowing what you should or shouldn’t be doing.
Even though pain is present, try to keep as active as you can manage. It’s incredibly common to feel a slight increase in pain while you’re being active when back pain is present. If the pain isn’t worsening as you continue the activity and it’s not taking longer than 20-30 minutes for the slight increase in pain to settle down again, consider this a neutral activity (ie. it didn’t make you feel substantially worse or better following). If you’re starting back to something you’ve been feeling apprehensive about, start with a small amount of the activity (ie a few minutes or so) and if this feels neutral (or you feel better!!), then build this up progressively (ie. by a few minutes at a time). If you reach a threshold where you feel the activity was too much, cut back a little the next time.
Use movement snacks in your day:
I'm sure you’ve heard the saying “motion is lotion”. In most cases trying to introduce little movement breaks (or snacks) is one of the most impactful things that someone with back pain can do. Our spine is designed to move and historically most of us would have been more active in our days than we are in our current lifestyles. Getting your body moving with little movement snacks helps to break up postures that you may be using in the day that could be aggravating or prolonging your pain. It also gets your soft tissues and joints moving which helps to improve blood flow and stimulates your nervous system which helps with pain.
The type of motion that may feel the best for you could be different than what helps someone else feel their very best. That being said, the majority of people will find working through movements that are gentle and in a pain-free range won’t lead to more pain afterward. One of my go-to movements I recommend someone try at home before we get the chance to see each other for a physiotherapy assessment is the cat-camel stretch (this is also known as the cat-camel stretch). Here’s a video showing this movement:
While I didn’t coin the term “movement snack”, I absolutely love the idea. Small nibbles of activity are typically well managed for most people with back pain.
Avoid staying in the same position for long periods:
One of the biggest aggravating factors for the people I see with back pain is being in the same posture for longer periods of time. I know there will be certain times where changing your position just won’t be possible, but whenever possible a quick position change can make a big difference in your comfort level. If you find you lose track of time easily, set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move as often as every 10-30 minutes. This time interval depends on your symptoms - if it takes 30 minutes for your symptoms to come on/worsen, try to change position before the 30 minute mark to see if you can avoid producing or increasing your symptoms.
For the people that find sitting aggravates their pain, either standing up to walk around the room or going through a few movements in sitting can make a drastic difference in how comfortable they feel continuing to sit afterward. If you’re not able to get up to move around you can try the following movements to see if this helps you to feel more comfortable:
Get out for walks (and keep them short to begin with):
It’s common to feel that you can’t do your usual physical activities while you’re experiencing back pain. Try to get out each day to walk. Walking will help you feel that you’re getting some activity in and often the movement through the spine required for walking will feel better than sitting or standing.
Many people with back pain find that walking regularly can greatly improve their pain. You may even find that walking multiple times in the day helps you manage your pain even better! While I know getting in multiple walks each day isn’t possible for each person with back pain, if walking isn’t leading to more pain try to get out at least daily for a short walk.
Use a lumbar support when sitting
One of the easiest things to try to help your comfort while sitting is a lumbar support. If your chair doesn’t have a lumbar support and you don’t own one you can try the following. Make a firm roll with a small towel (or more if needed). You want your roll to be roughly 3-4 inches in diameter.
Where should the lumbar support be? The lumbar support should be supporting the lower back around the level of a mid-rise pant. To the sides of the base of the spine most people can feel two little divots and you’ll place your roll above these. Make sure your buttocks are all the way back in your chair and you should feel the roll giving you a small arch to the lower back. Typically most people will feel this makes them sit up straighter and some even tell me that they have an increase in their comfort level right away.
Seeing a healthcare practitioner (like a physiotherapist) for an assessment and treatment can greatly improve how your back has been feeling. While the information above can help you start to feel better, it is not meant to replace specific medical advice.
If you live in Ontario and have questions about physiotherapy treatment for back pain, feel free to reach me here. You can also learn more about physiotherapy or read more about me.
