At Central Coast Chiropractic our first step to managing your back pain is to perform a thorough history and examination.
Very often, back pain involves irritation to nerves, ligaments, muscles, tendons and discs. While for some people back pain is little more than a discomfort, for others it can leave them incapacitated. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for visiting a chiropractor. In fact, research suggests that up to 80% of people will experience back pain at some stage of their lives.
Back pain can result from several factors. While some cases of back pain originate from injury or accidents, often back pain is a result of accumulative stress to the spine which occurs from day-to-day activities over a period of time. Activities that can stress the back include:
- Bending and lifting
- Poor posture
- Sitting down for extended periods of time
- Overexertion
- Sleeping incorrectly
- Poor workplace ergonomics
- Incorrect exercise technique.
Chiropractic has consistently been shown to be effective in relieving lower back pain in the long term by addressing the deeper problems connected to the pain. By releasing tension in the joints and muscles, chiropractic aims to restore and maintain the normal function of your spine. Chiropractic care coupled with a self-care plan of exercise, including stretching, strengthening and stabilising, can very often assist in providing significant relief.
There are some things you can do to help minimise the risk of relapse and reduce the severity of your pain.
Some useful tips include:
- Avoid sudden movements, twisting or sharp movement while in pain.
- Maintain a healthy posture.
- Make sure that your workspace is ergonomically designed. This includes things like a supportive chair, a well-placed computer monitor, and a workstation layout that does not require repetitive twisting and turning.
- Sleep on a supportive mattress.
- Engage in regular exercise. (seek advice from your health care practitioner)
- Low-impact exercise such as walking, or swimming.
- When exercising, ensure you correctly warm up and cool down every time.
- Wear comfortable supportive flat or low-heeled shoes.
