What to Do If Back Pain Has You Sidelined
Famed novelist Leo Tolstoy said that the human body is a 'machine for living', but you may have taken his advice too literally last week, as you certainly appear to have overdone it. You're suffering from some excruciating lower back pain, which is the body's way of telling you that you have overstepped the mark. What have you done wrong and what could you change in the future, but more importantly, how can you fix this?
Finding the Limit
Without a doubt, the human body is remarkably flexible and individual parts have the ability to turn in various different directions at the same time. This allows you to lift, bend, turn, twist and even jump if you need to, but you have to make sure that you employ the right form.
Poor Form
If you've been lifting heavy weights recently, have you been using your legs to stabilise and act as a fulcrum while you work? Poor technique here can lead to muscle sprains and back strains, and you should listen to your body at all times. If you were particularly tired, then you may not have focused on your form and you may have twisted your lower body too far, leading to the problem.
Sedentary Risk
On the other hand, you may not have seen the inside of a gym for some time and lead a generally sedentary life. Many people find that they are stuck behind a desk for most of the day, and this can lead to problems with spine compression. They may jump up from their desk and turn suddenly without thinking, and after a period of inaction, this can lead to back strain.
Overdoing It
If you are generally sedentary but are called upon to do some manual work on a weekend, you may have simply overdone it. If you had to clear your garage out and have been lifting some heavy boxes, you may have done some damage. Most people just jump into a job like this without stretching properly, and this can be particularly dangerous.
Getting Help
No matter how you caused the problem, you certainly need to find a solution. You may find it difficult to move around at all if your lower back is particularly painful, but this is where a chiropractor can help you out. They will talk through the problem with you to find out what you did wrong and may then be able to perform a couple of adjustments to relieve the pain.
Scheduling
Still, if the issue is chronic, then you may have to schedule a couple of appointments, but the first step is to pick up the phone and see the expert.