There is an epidemic, at least in the States when it comes to
treating back pain. Most doctors do just that... treat back
pain rather than finding and eliminating the cause.
You can treat your symptoms for an eternity, and you may feel
better for a short period of time. To truly get at the heart
of the matter though, you have to find and eliminate the cause
of low back pain.
I'll let you in on a little secret. Most chronic low back pain
can be resolved in six weeks or less. It's true!
A majority of chronic low back pain is caused by simple factors
including:
?? Poor Posture
?? Injury
?? Muscle Imbalances
?? Improper Lifting
?? Extra Weight
Let's take a look at each of these more closely.
Poor Posture
Posture is everything when it comes to back pain. Good posture
results in stability and strength. Bad posture results in back
pain. Many people can alleviate chronic back pain simply by
taking the time to improve their posture. You probably can too!
Injury
We are all subject to injury at one time or another. You can
work toward preventing injury in certain circumstances however.
A lot of the injuries that result in low back pain are caused by
improper lifting techniques. You may be lifting a heavy box, or
you may be lifting a heavy weight without warming up adequately.
Either way, if you injure yourself you are subject to back pain.
What can you do to improve your chances for recovery? One of
the best things you can do is exercise. You should incorporate
stretching activities into your daily regimen. By doing so you
will condition your back and are les likely to get injured, and
more likely to recover faster when you do get injured.
Muscle Imbalances
Muscle Imbalances occur when two muscles that oppose each other
are unequally matched. If you exercise your back regularly for
example, but never exercise your stomach, you body will be in a
state of imbalance. No matter how strong your back is in this
situation, you are going to be subject to back pain. Eliminate
the muscle imbalances through rehabilitation and proper exercise
and you stand a good chance of eliminating back pain.
Improper Lifting
OK, go back and re-read the section on injury. You need to lift
correctly in order to avoid injury. NEVER bend from the waist
when picking something up off of the floor, even if it is a
feather. Always bend from the knees, and use your leg and
abdominal muscles to support you when lifting an object. Many
improper lifting injuries actually occur in the gym. This
happens when a person attempts to lift a weight that is too
heavy or fails to warm up properly. You can avoid these
injuries by paying close attention to technique at all times.
Extra Weight
Carrying around a few extra pounds may not seem like a big deal,
but when it comes to back pain it could mean the difference
between no back pain and chronic back pain. Even if you are
carrying around just ten extra pounds, your body will have to
shift and redistribute itself to accommodate the extra weight.
Consider losing the extra weight, and you may realize your back
pain soon follows.
Steve Preston, President of Fast Fitness has been training and
counseling clients for 15 years. He offers personal fitness
training, metabolic testing and customized fitness and nutrition
plans. His new guide "The Better Back Guide: 6 Weeks to
Improving Strength and Reducing Pain Without Surgery" teaches
people how to reduce, eliminate and prevent chronic back pain
using a six week program. You can read more about his guide
and his other fitness guides and services at:
http://www.fast-fitness.net
Learn More about Back Pain at: http://www.backpainworkout.com
Source: Steve Preston
License: Creative Commons - No Derivatives