It may seem hard to believe, but if you pay more attention to what aggravates and what alleviates your pain, it can truly help. The main division in lower back pain types is between forward flexion preference and backwards extension preference.
Try this yourself, from sitting, gently lean forward as far as you comfortably can. You could walk your hands down and up your thighs. Slowly return up to normal. Next stand up and put your hands on the top of your buttocks and gently bend backwards as far as comfortably possible. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly return.
Now the big question is, which direction do you prefer? Most commonly, people prefer backwards extension and should therefore avoid flexing forward as much as possible. Watch this especially when getting up from a chair. Try to slide your hips forward to the front of the chair while keeping your back straight. Then get your feet under you and stand up with your back straight. This could relieve a lot of your lower back pain. Conversely, if you prefer forward flexion, then avoid bending backwards as much as possible and when getting up from a chair, lean forward and walk your hands up your thighs.
Still have pain? Ice packs may help, some of the right stretches may help, and even some drugs can help in the short run. If the pain continues more than 48 hours you should really see a Chiropractor. A brief history and examination can usually tell us what the problem is and lead us in the direction to bring some fairly immediate, natural relief.
For more information visit www.drkmatheson.com or call 705 326 4543
Dr Kevin Matheson, Chiropractor, 36 Albert St North, Orillia, Ontario