Pain in the Back...
Is often caused by simply being stiff and out of shape. But you, gritting your teeth in pain, already knew this. Without strong back muscles, and strong stomach muscles to support them, it is too easy to strain the tendons, ligaments and muscles which hold together your incredibly complex spine. Whether your strained your back lifting something, or did it in a sport which requires twisting and leverage (like hockey), nobody is immune from a back injury, but weekend warriors are at the most risk.
It is no help to tell you that some 80% of the population will suffer serious back pain at some point in their lifetime. Less to tell you that in many cases the pain you're experiencing comes not so much from this one incident of hoisting a forkful of sheep waste-by-product while cleaning out the shed... but from years of stress and strain on the back, aggrivated by weak muscle support.
You can lie on the couch and try to tough it out with ice and gritted
teeth, but we'd recommend you see your doctor or physical therapist to
get a comprehensive evaluation of the problem, its solution, and get a
long-term preventative care program put in place. You just don't want
to be going through this again any time soon.
Your Personalized PT therapist will do a complete evaluation
of your posture, strength, and flexibility, then use manual therapy to
release the muscles in spasm and releave pain and restore function. Stretches
are used to bring flexibility and movement back... so you can get off
the couch and back to doing what you love to do. Learn
more about Manual Therapy. Learn
more about other therapies we use.
Treatment
If back pain lasts more than a few days, you should call your doctor. Low impact activities (walking or swimming) may be suggested so you can keep active, but if your pain persists, you should see a doctor or therapist promptly.
Prevention
The best way to prevent back pain is to lift properly... keeping heavy objects close to your body and lifting with your legs, not your back. Keep your muscles stretched, strong, and flexible, and pay attention to your core muscles which support and stabilize your back. Personalized PT customizes exercise and stretching programs to fit your needs, to both repair and prevent injury. Contact us to arrange a consultation.
