Back Pain is a term used to cover many conditions and often limits a person’s ability to perform normal tasks.

Over the years the medical fraternity has had various strategies for dealing with this collection of complaints.

We now understand how pain and pain behavior turns off muscles, particularly those near the spine and lower abdominals. These are the very muscles we use to protect our spine. It is also worth noting that smoking reduces the activity in these same muscle groups and significantly increases the likelihood of back pain due to this loss of muscle control. Smokers in one study showed significant reduction in strength, both before and after challenges throughout the range of spine flexibility.
Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.
Most back pain is not serious and is muscular in nature. There are a few conditions that are less common that involve dysfunction of the spinal disc.
Muscle strain, and muscle spasm are the most common problems. Learning to move through the discomfort is key to returning to full fitness. Movement and regular changes of position is the first key to ensuring more muscles that assist our back during a range of movements are kept active and do not weaken through lack of use. Discomfort when performing some of these prescribed movements is usual.
As you first start to move be mindful of how you are breathing. Holding your breath as you perform the activity makes the task harder as you will have stiffened the muscles you are trying to move. It is better to breath out as you are moving, as this helps to keep the muscles relaxed and flexible.
No single position is ‘good’ for our bodies, we are designed to move. In jobs that encourage prolonged sitting or standing, perform small movements to subtly change your posture. The discomfort and aches we feel in our backs are often our body’s way of indicating that we need to change how we are doing things. Increase movement and change the activity if it is repetitive over prolonged periods of time. Regular 30 second stretch periods during your day can make all the difference to how you feel at the end of your shift. ACC have some great posters for office and industry to show how to safely perform these movements.
Your footwear, armchairs and car seats would be worth reviewing if you have persistent “niggling” discomfort as it may be the back pain is a combination of low activity, sustained posture and poor supported seating posture.
Working your core stability muscles is often a mantra of the fitness industry. These must be done well and include flexibility and rotational components. If you are simply bracing your abdominal muscles, particularly if you continue to do this throughout the day you will be significantly hindering your ability to breathe well. This puts the body in a position of forced stress. Stress from whichever source increases muscle tension, and so will add to the back ache. Strengthening our core muscles means endurance and flexibility training for back extensors, abdominals and pelvic floor muscles to allow our body to rotate and move in any direction in a controlled manner to provide stability as well as function.
Seek the advice of a trained professional if you require assistance in starting these exercises.

Lynda Wheeler is a neurophysiotherapist working at Synergistics Wellness Centre.