Top four tips for reducing and preventing back pain

Sitting at your desk at work. Taking walks with your grandkids. Sleeping well at night. There are many activities that are a lot harder to do if you have back pain. 

What’s really unfortunate is that back pain is far too common. Medical research reports that 80% of Americans will develop back pain at some point in their lives. Physical therapists are experts at helping people reduce and prevent pain in their back and other body structures. There are four tips in particular that our physical therapists recommend that can help you treat and avoid back pain. 

These four tips can help reduce or prevent your back pain

Back pain is caused by a wide range of problems. Injured or damaged spinal discs can compress spinal nerves and cause pain. Muscles in your back can be strained or torn, which can also lead to pain. Even just sitting or standing for long periods with poor posture can be a back pain culprit. 

Your physical therapist can help you look at your daily routine, and they can make recommendations that can help reduce or prevent back pain. Four of the tips your physical therapist is likely to give you are: 

1. Exercise regularly — Weakness in your hips, core, hips and legs can be a catalyst for back pain. Exercising regularly can help strengthen the muscles in these areas. In turn, this provides greater support for your spine. It can also decrease your risk of developing back pain. 

2. Use good posture — Anytime you slump forward or backward, you’re putting more stress on your back. Your physical therapist may suggest that you take a closer look at your posture; this can help you identify times when you’re using poor posture and prompt you to switch to better posture. 

3. Seek early help for your pain — Many people who experience back pain are convinced that a few days of rest will make their pain go away. In many cases, it will. But patients who experience pain for more than a few days may have a more serious back issue. If this is the case for you, you should seek help from a physical therapist or other medical professional.

4. Avoid masking the pain with medication — Over-the-counter pain medications are an excellent tool for combating minor aches and pains. However, they can also mask the pain of a back problem that requires expert medical care. To ensure that you’re not masking your pain, try to take as little pain medication as possible. Also, you should seek help if your pain doesn’t subside within a few days or doesn’t diminish when you use medication. 

Find help reducing and preventing back pain at Back in Motion Physical Therapy

Need help reducing and preventing back pain? Our team of therapy specialists at Back in Motion Physical Therapy are primed to help you. We offer free screenings intended to pinpoint the root cause of your back pain. Our physical therapists also excel at constructing individualized physical therapy plans designed to decrease back pain and prevent it from recurring. 

Not able to come into one of our therapy clinics? No worries! Our team offers physical therapy services that you can use from your own home, including virtual care and at-home therapy appointments. We even have a newsletter that can help you learn more about back pain and other common types of pain. 

Don’t wait to get our help with your back pain. Contact us today for more information about how we can help with your back issues or to schedule your free screening.