Lower Back Pain

Low back pain (LBP) is the most common condition that patients seek chiropractic care for. It is even more common today since many people have started working from home due to the pandemic, and are still doing so. Increased sitting time, less physical activity, and suboptimal home office setups are huge causes for this. Working from bed sounds comfy, but your back will hate you later. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common causes for lower back pain include muscle strains/ligament sprains, herniated/bulging discs, arthritis, osteoporosis, ankylosing spondylosis, etc. Other causes may include pregnancy.

According to Mayo Clinic, the most common causes for low back pain include muscle or ligament strain, herniated/bulging disks, arthritis, osteoporosis, or ankylosing spondylitis, etc. Other causes of LBP that are less common include pregnancy.

Age, lack of exercise, excess weight, diseases (such as arthritis or cancers), smoking, psychological issue like stress and anxiety, and improper lifting techniques are some risk factors to consider when dealing with lower back pain. BLTs are delicious, but not when it comes to back pain. Avoid the back BLT (Bend, Lift, Twist) when lifting and carrying heavy (or even light) objects. Always remember to lift with the legs and avoid rounding the back.

Reducing Lower Back Pain: The Chiropractic Way

So what can we do to help with our LBP? Don’t worry, here at Elevated Chiropractic we have your back! 😉 Getting adjusted, making postural changes, enhancing the home office set up, and performing at home exercises will help decrease pesky low back discomfort. 

Remember to evaluate your workspace to ensure it is ergonomically friendly. Chair and monitor positioning are key for ultimate comfort. The top of your monitor should be at eye level. Be sure you have adequate lumbar support (for the low back). Amazon has lumbar support cushions for office chairs. Slouching on the couch is not advised, even though it may be the most comfortable seat in the house, long incidences of sitting on the couch can turn you into one injured couch potato.

A standing desk may help with reducing low back pain. Using a walking pad with your standing desk is also a good way to keep yourself from being sedentary and prevents health problems caused from prolonged periods of standing/sitting. A walking pad will also help you get your steps in!

Be Well-Adjusted!
 

Chiropractic adjustments are helpful in alleviating low back pain. How may you ask? Mobilizing restricted joints in the lumbar spine sends positive feedback to the brain to tell the body that this area needs a little extra love. Healing nutrients and blood flow are then sent to the area. We also LOVE soft tissue therapy here, so we implement manual therapy, Graston (or scraping), and cupping to enhance patient outcomes.

At-Home Healing

Due to the fact that lower back pain may be caused from various things, it’s important to understand what the root cause of your lower back pain is. Being evaluated by one of us is important to determine a treatment plan specific to your condition. If you’re unable to make it into the clinic, figure out motions hurts more, back bending or forward bending. If one direction hurts more than the other, some of the exercises below may help your symptoms until you can come in to see us.

When bending forward hurts more, try these exercises:

McKenzie Extensions

If you have pain with bending forwards, do this exercise.

AVOID this exercise if your condition was caused from trauma such as a fall, rollercoaster ride, or motor vehicle accident.

AVOID this if you suspect you broke a bone or had spinal surgery.

1. Lie down on your stomach. Place your hands under shoulders.
2. Slowly straighten your arms to lift your upper body. Hold for 2 seconds. Return to starting position.
3. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps, 3-4 times a day.

You may experience discomfort at first, but the discomfort should dissipate as you continue the repetitions. If the pain doesn’t dissipate, lay back down you may need to regress the exercise. If that is the case, prop yourself up on your elbows as if you’re reading a book at the beach. You may lay in that position for 3 minutes at a time.

Bird Dog

Channel your inner hunting hound with this exercise.

1. Star on all fours with your arms stacked under your shoulders and knees stacked under your hips.
2. Avoid twisting your back and pelvis when performing the exercise.
3. Start with your left arm on the mat while reaching out in front of you with your right. Press your left arm into the mat and create tension in the right arm by squeezing your fist. Pretend you’re squeezing a stress ball (not shown in the picture).
4. As you reach your right arm out, kick the opposite leg (left) backwards towards the wall behind you. Pretend you’re pressing your heel into the wall.
5. Continue to squeeze your hand, press your heel backwards, and press hand into the mat as you hold the position for five seconds.
6. Slowly lower your arm and leg back to the starting position. Switch sides.
7. Complete 3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side.

If your pain is aggravated by leaning backwards (extension), try this exercise:

Dead Bug

1. Lie on the mat with your arms extended straight over your chest so they form a perpendicular angle with your torso. Bend your hips and knees 90-degrees, lifting your feet from the ground. Your torso and thighs should form a right angle, as should your thighs and shins. This is the starting position.
2. Engage your core by pressing your lower back into the floor/mat. You want to make sure your spine maintains this steady and neutral position throughout the exercise.
3. For this exercise you will be moving opposite arm and opposite leg. For example: if you are moving your right arm, you will also move your left leg and vice versa. Begin the exercise by slowly reaching your right arm backward and downward towards the floor. Simultaneously extend your left knee and hip, lowering your left heel toward the floor. REMEMBER KEEP YOUR LOWER BACK PRESSED AGAINST THE FLOOR THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EXERCISE (not meaning to yell, but this is SUPPPER important).
4. Move slowly and steadily, breathing in as you perform the extensions. Avoid any twisting or movement of your hips and abs. Stop the movement just before your arm and leg touch the ground. The floor is lava…only for your arms and legs.
5. Slowly return your right arm and left leg to their starting positions. Move slowly and steadily, exhaling as you go. Switch sides.
6. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side.

A good rule of thumb: stop the exercise if you feel pain. Muscle soreness/workout is different than pain. If you have any questions about the exercises or lower back pain, please feel free to reach out to us. These at-home remedies are not a diagnosis. For optimal recovery we need to decipher the root cause of your pain. At Elevated Chiropractic will be able determine an individualized treatment plan for you.