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A home exercise program will usually be customized for the specific back problem. These exercises can often be done on the living room rug while watching TV. Other stretching exercises can be done throughout the day to increase flexibility. Just as a person with a heart problem needs to watch cholesterol, diet and exercise, a person with a back problem needs to keep the back flexible and strong. When posed with a lifting task, this same person needs to use proper body mechanics, or get assistance if the object is too heavy and poses excessive risk of re-injury.
Studies maintain exercise is more effective at treating simple back
pain than bed rest and drugs. That's ironic, because when a person's
back hurts, just the thought of exercise sounds painful. In truth, drugs
only mask pain symptoms. Exercise, on the other hand, is like oil for
the joints in the spine. In addition to improving blood flow to discs,
joints and muscles, exercise makes muscles more flexible, stronger and
resistant to future strain.
Try the following exercises to relieve simple back and neck pain, or
to prevent a future back pain attack:
Neck Stretch: Stretch the neck by
lowering one ear toward the shoulder, hold the position for 10
seconds and return your head to an upright position. Next follow
the same stretch to the opposite side. Do ten repetitions on each
side, keeping your shoulders lowered and relaxed at all times. |
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Press Up: While on your stomach, raise up using your arms, to press up and
back as far as possible. Remember to relax your back as you press
up. Hold for 15 seconds. |
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Rotational Curl: Keep knees together. Raise left shoulder toward right knee. Then
raise right shoulder toward left knee. |
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Place a belt or a strap around your foot. With knee straight,
slowly lift right leg with strap toward chest. Hold for 15 seconds,
then repeat with the left leg. |
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When To See A Doctor
If a certain exercise hurts or causes discomfort, stop doing it. If after three days your condition hasn't improved, play it safe and see a spine specialist. Or you can call our nurse. For instance, anyone experiencing significant weakness or pain into the leg or arm, or loss of bladder control, should see a spine specialist immediately.
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Here are some good back stretches that you can do standing up at work. You may find they relieve discomfort. Over the long term, these same exercises will increase the flexibility of your back and make it more resistant to strain.
Standing at work, raise your knee toward your chest, and slowly
pull it across your body. Repeat with other knee. |
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Back extension: Standing near your desk or work area, place your palms against your low back. Lean your upper body back, without arching your neck. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat three times. [top] |
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Side Bend: Standing near your work area, lean to one side, stretching as
far as you can. You should feel a slight stretching sensation from
your shoulder to your waist. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat three
times on each side. |
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First Aid For Back Pain
If you are suffering from back pain caused by a minor strain or sprain that has no obvious cause, here are some first-aid remedies that you can do at home.
- Take a recommended dosage of aspirin or an aspirin substitute like Aleve or Tylenol.
- As with any sprain, apply ice then heat. Apply ice first, then use a hot water bottle or a heating pad to apply heat. The ice is used to reduce inflammation. The heat is used about 48 hours afterwards to increase the flow of blood to the affected area.
- Rest your back, but not for more than two days. The longer your muscles are inactive, the stiffer they become. Resting on a firm mattress is a good idea.
- Walking is also a good method to get the blood flowing, and it stretches
stiff muscles. If you do not think you can handle the weight, try walking
in a pool.
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Need
more information on back and neck pain?
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