Suffering from back pain? Forget popping pills - just ditch your flat shoes and switch your pillows
- Laura Harman is a physiotherapist at London's Boost Physio studios
- Explains most people will suffer from debilitating condition at some point
- But says a number of small changes can both prevent and ease symptoms
Back pain is one of the most common physical problems that most people will experience at some point in their lives.
Whether it's general stiffness, constant niggles or something more serious, for many people there is not one particular treatment that will work but a combination of small changes that can help eliminate pain.
It often takes a number of different approaches to find a solution, as always it is important to see your GP in the first instance if you suffer from constant or debilitating pain.
Writing for Healthista, physiotherapist Laura Harman gives her top seven tips on how to get rid of back pain – some may surprise you and better yet, they could make all the difference.
Most people will experience the agony of back pain in their lives but there are things we can do to prevent it
EXPERIMENT WITH NEW POSITIONS IN BED
If neck pain is a real problem, make sure that the pillow is only supporting your head, which means keep your shoulders and neck off the pillow.
If your shoulder and neck are on the pillow the joints on that side will get squashed and will stretch the joints on the opposite side, causing the neck to stiffen up.
You may have to try different types of pillows till you get it right, there is no one type of pillow that works for everyone.
Trying different pillows until you get it right can stop neck pain and a firmer mattress can help the back
Another way to take the pressure off your back is to lie on your side with a pillow in-between your knees to keep your pelvis level.
A firmer bed rather than a softer bed will prevent stiffening up during the night.
A bed that is too soft will mould the mattress round your body like a jelly mould, which means that your spine is not getting the support it needs.
USE YOUR IMAGINATION
Imagining a helium balloon above the head help with posture, explains physiotherapist Laura Harman
Poor posture can cause muscular imbalance which puts pressure on certain areas of the spine which will lead to pain/wear and tear in time.
One great way to correct your posture is to imagine there is a helium balloon attached to the top of your head stretching you up tall to elongate the spine.
This is not about walking around with a book on your head like a 1950s debutante.
The idea is to keep the chest open so don't allow your shoulders to round forwards, keep a neutral alignment of the lumbar spine/not too arched and not too flat.
Our bodies are designed to have mild natural curves in the spine to create balance and shock absorption as we move.
The problem starts when these curves increase which creates imbalance and pain, what we should have is a mild inward curve at the neck, an outward curve over the middle of the spine and inward curve at the bottom.
ACTIVATE YOUR CORE
Incorrect lifting and bending techniques can put harmful strain on the spine (particularly the intervertebral discs).
Make sure you bend your hips and knees rather than your spine.
If lifting, activate your core, don't twist and carry the load close to your body.
Pilates classes can help with your core and remedial Pilates lessons with a qualified physiotherapist can really help with back pain.
MIX UP A GYM WORKOUT WITH PILATES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BACK
A strong back can reduce your risk of back pain.
A lot of people will either do gym work or Pilates but this will not 'fully' strengthening the spine, you need to do both to help alleviate pain.
Simply speaking, we have two sets of muscles in the body.
Doing pilates can help strengthen the back which can build muscles which support the rest of the body
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