Rest for Back Pain
Many people are prescribed bed rest for back pain. This seems like a sensible approach since most acute injuries need rest in order to let swelling subside, prevent further injury and allow the area to heal. This may not be the best advice if you are experiencing moderate back pain. According to the Western Journal of Medicine, while back pain accounts for a majority of sick days, you may find yourself at home more than needed if you stick to the rest rule.
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Why Not Bed Rest
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The Mayo Clinic suggests that some bed rest is good to alleviate the symptoms of acute back pain. However, extended rest may worsen your condition. The reason is the spine can quickly become stiff and risk further injury when kept in a position for too long. Additionally, many people don't lay in a position that alleviates the pressure on various parts of the spine. This can lead to more stiffness and reduce the range of motion in the affected area, causing more pain and more time off.
Moderate Activity
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Activity that doesn't hurt your back is highly recommended when recovering from acute back pain. If you can swim or cycle, these are low-impact activities that get the blood flowing, help stretch your spine and reduce compression. Just by moving, you will help your back to heal. Remember that if it makes it hurt more, stop doing it. This means that you will probably want to refrain from running and high-impact aerobic activities while dealing with back pain.
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Prevent Further Injury
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Along with high-impact activities, you will want to refrain from any stretching and lifting that can aggravate the injury. Chances are you probably got the pain by lifting something with poor form. Don't repeat what caused the injury. Stopping the activities that caused the injury are a much better form of rest than simply laying in bed. If hitting a kick serve in tennis is what caused the tweak in your back, stop until it is better. But don't let stopping the activity that led to injury prevent you from doing what will help it heal.
Increase Flexibility
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Increasing flexibility will help your back heal. You can do a lot of stretches that help release tension in your back that will help alleviate pain from stiffness and compression. Gentle side twists like a washing machine will loosen the hips and spine. Sit on the floor and reach for your toes. Make sure to breathe while stretching to get oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. While laying on your back, bring one knee at a time to your chest and hold it there. You can also flip onto your belly and rise up into a yoga cobra pose where your legs remain on the floor and your hands push your upper torso up lifting your head to the sky.
Improve Strength
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A lot of back pain results from your body compensating for weak muscles. Increase the strength of your core muscles and you will reduce further bouts with back pain. Do sit-ups and crunches to build your abdominal muscles. On an exercise ball, hang over the ball and raise your torso up to build lower back strength.
If Pain Does Not Go Away
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Pain that lasts more than four weeks or is increasing in intensity should be examined by a doctor. If you are experiencing weakness or numbness in your extremities or are having trouble holding your bladder or bowels, this may indicate a pinched nerve possibly requiring more aggressive medical attention.
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