As Chiropractors, we frequently see patients for a range of conditions. A common complaint we care for in practice is lower back pain. The lower back and pelvis are a complex region made up of a lot of muscles, joints, ligaments, and nerves. It is designed to support and stabilize the entire spine sitting on top of it as well as sustaining movement of the legs below it. Therefore, it is important that we keep these areas active, relaxed, and strong to avoid lower back pain or tension. Lower back pain can occur on the left or right side. In many cases, people can experience pain or stiffness in both sides of their lower back which can also lead to numbness, tingling or weakness down the legs. There are several things that can cause lower back pain including poor posture, physical overloading stress, back/disc injuries or degeneration (wear and tear).
Common symptoms associated with low back pain
If you are experiencing lower back pain, you may also notice the following:
Muscle tightness & spasms in the back area
Decreased lower back movement
Pain in the back, hips or legs
Leg numbness or pins and needles
Forward positioning of the pelvis
What people can do to avoid lower back pain
There are several things you can do to help reduce lower back pain from occurring and prevent it from flaring up in the long term. Here are 5 tips to helping avoid lower back pain causes:
When driving or sitting in a car, ensure your back and pelvis are sitting directly into the crease of the seat. Your car seat also should be at an angle between 90-110 degrees.
Wear comfortable, supportive shoes that have a medium to low heel. Good footwear is super important, especially for people standing for long periods of time.
Doing some mindfulness activities and/or regularly stretching will help to de-stress your body, relax the muscles & joints and improve back flexibility
When lifting heavy or big items, ensure you bend through your knees and use the strength of your legs + back in order to not strain the back region.
Lying in bed, ensure your mattress is supportive, avoid sleeping on your tummy and for extra support through your back, try sleeping with a pillow between your legs
Exercises to reduce and prevent lower back pain
Another tool you can use to reduce and prevent lower back pain is to perform specific stretches or exercises. Here are 3 of our top exercises to assist with any lower back pain or tension build-up.
Knee hugs
This exercise is a personal favourite as knee hugs will not only stretch the lower back but also targets the gluteus muscles and sciatic nerve.
Supine Twist Stretch
The supine twist stretch is a great way to stretch the entire lower back and its big muscles.
Seated Glute Stretch
Lower back pain can also be caused by tightness through the gluteus muscles in your bottom. This exercise will target the glute muscles, specially the big ones like Gluteus Maximus and Piriformis.
The lower back and pelvis region plays a massive role in the mobility and functionality of the entire spine and body. If you are experiencing lower back pain, try these simple exercises or implement the useful tips from this blog to make an impact on your back pain today. If you need more tailored advice, please seek out the advice of a health professional.
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