As a chiropractor in Mesa, AZ, I have seen many lower back injuries in my 20 year practice. This experience has taught me that there is quite a bit of consistency in the stories about how the patient hurt their back. At times, the cause is a sudden move, or a slip and fall. Some painful back problems begin with over use, such as a single lifting event, or repetitive lifting and work episodes. What surprises many people, however, is that many painful back episodes occur in the morning, after a period of time of sleep deprivation, and after sitting for a prolonged period of time.
There was a wonderful article in this month's To Your Health Health magazine that talks about high-risk scenarios, and it gives three examples.
1) You get up in the morning after not sleeping very well. Perhaps you are on a business trip and you are not used to the bed. You are a bit stiff, but you ignore it. You sit in a soft chair to enjoy a cup of coffee, or read the paper. Upon getting up, there is a sharp stabbing pain in the lower back
2) The first thing that you do after getting up from bed is go into the computer to check your email. You sit down, and get engrossed in an email, video, or web site. You end up spending much more time than you anticipated. When you attempt to get up out of the chair, you can't stand up straight.
3) You get up in the morning and feel an urge to empty your bowel. You are dehydrated and a little bit constipated, so you spend extra time and you strain a little at the stool. When you start to get up, you feel a spasm in the lower back
My experience is that all three of the above patients, when they come to my office, say that they did nothing, or that they cannot recall doing anything to injure themselves.
In the mornings, we are stiff. Muscles aren't asleep, and all of our joints contain extra moisture, or are slightly swollen. During this time of the day, we are all very vulnerable to back injury.
There are some simple things that you can do in order to minimize your risks of a back pain episode.
1) After a long period of time of sitting, give yourself some time in the standing position before bending over. Automobiles and airliners are the worst. Long trips leave the back tight and stiff. Before bending to get luggage out of the trunk or from under the airliner seat in front of you, stand, bend a bit back wards, and move a little bit, allowing your spine to re-set. Then carefully bend at the hips and knees to lift luggage or objects.
2) When you are sitting, don't slump. Use the small pillows in the airplane to place in the small of the lower back, helping the back to maintain the normal curve down there. Slouching or slumping reverses the curve in the lower back, causing the pads of cartilage, or discs, to bulge backward and placing pressure on delicate nerves.
3) When getting up out of bed, stand up and move around a bit. Avoid sitting for very long, and take a shower before sitting to read or eat.
By following these simple rules you can avoid some painful back episodes. Don't forget to continue the exercises taught to you by your chiropractor, and to get your spine adjusted at least monthly. By being smart and by taking some preventative actions, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that lead to debilitating low back problems.
Keith E. Biggs, DC
(Dr. Biggs is a chiropractor in Mesa AZ. He is also an Acupuncturist. He has been in private practice for more than 20 years.)
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic @gmail.com
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