Question: What's the best way to deal with lower back pain?
Asked by kam17 more than 1 year ago
3 answers
What's the best way to deal with lower back pain? I am very tall and have always had issues with my lower back. It aches when I sit for too long (plane rides are brutal) and is always arched, refusing to lie flat in a Pilates, for example. Should I go to physical therapy, see a chiropractor, attend a series of Rolfing sessions or try some other body manipulation technique???
Treatments:
Chiropractic, Pilates, Rolfing, Physiotherapy
Can you help out?
Top Answer – As rated by the community
Alison more than 1 year ago
OK. Don't go to a chiropractor. Rolfing is ace (I had some recently to understand it) and physio would be useful but a really good Pilates teacher would more than likely give you similar exercises to that of a physio. You would ideally take some one-to-one sessions. The teacher would assess your posture and talk through possible reasons for your pain then take you through exercises to address the issue, not just looking at the back, but at the body in its entirety. After a few session you should feel relief and hopefully have a greater sense of your body and its posture so that you can avoid aggravating factors.
One specific piece of advice: to achieve a neutral pelvis in Pilates (avoiding the arching/ lordosis) I suggest you elevate the legs where you can. (Rest the feet up on a barrel/ stack of mats/ sofa at home).Talk through this with your teacher and if s/he can't help, you need to find another teacher (maybe you already need to if this important issue hasn't already been addressed.)
All the best.
Alison
http://www.abpilates.co.uk
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Other answers (2)
movethreesixty more than 1 year ago
There could be many reasons for your low back pain. I will try to answer as best I can having not any information about your history i.e exercises, trauma etc.
Taller people tend to suffer more from spinal pain due to the longer levers. Therefore posturally problem can occur and ultimatley the spine suffers as a result. If the posture is not corrected then disc height can alter and spinal segments can wear out. There are small spaces in the spine that nerves exit out of to feed muscles at certain levels of the body. Compressed nerves can inhibit muscles and stretched nerves can irritate muscles and skin tone tone. Seated postures are the worst as the pelvis can sit in an awkward position. Commonly the pelvis posteriorly rotates (tucks under) during sitting thus opening the vertabrae at the back of the spine and closing it at the front. Then spine degenerates at the front and each segment can become wedge shaped. Abdominal weakness is a byproduct of poor posture. If the abdominals are weak then in the internal organs drop forwards creating a bulge. As the weight of the internal organs pull forwards it can weaken and irritate the spine. Consider what you eat aswell. Food has a direct influence on the spine! Viscerosomatic pain is very common yet commonly overllooked!
You may have a underlying problem that needs to be ruled out first. It is always a good idea to get an x-ray of the spine to rule out any major subclinical issues.
Your problem may be as simple as musculoskeletal. Poor posture or stooping can create amnesia in the postural muscle groups of the spine. They need to be re-engaged and re-educated. The best way to tackle this would be through deep tissue massage and Corrective Exercise.
There are a lot of poorly educated exercise trainers and therapists so choose wisely!
Good luck :)
Sources: Claud Serjeant http://www.movethreesixty.com
Answer Comments
CatherineAnnis more than 1 year ago
Firstly, and most importantly, before you do anything, I'd strongly suggest you go to a physio and have the reasons for your back pain properly diagnosed. No matter how good a teacher is, they are simply not qualified to offer a diagnosis.
Once you have this diagnosis, you may discover that your pain is being caused by postural issues. If so, then 1:1 Pilates or Yoga can definitely help. One of the most important things you can do is to keep mobile - our bodies are designed to move, and it's this lack of movement that can cause stiffness - hence you feel stiff and achey after sitting for a long time. Gentle movement will help during plane journeys - get up, walk around, bring your knees to your chest, small side bends, will all help. Find a teacher that you like, and who you understand. You could have a few private lessons to begin with, and then gradually join a class, once your confidence and body awareness have improved.
Yoga may help you on several levels - not only will it improve your mobility and body awareness, it will also help you to manage stress levels associated with the pain. If you can find a teacher specialising in Scaravelli inspired yoga, this may be particularly helpful, as this approach works specifically with the spine. Any yoga you do should be gentle - avoid anything advertising as astanga, vinyasa flow, or dynamic. I'd suggest you keep to simple, easy positions, which don't put too much stress on your spine. Especially at the beginning. Whichever approach you go for, choose a teacher with experience in dealing with back pain.
Good luck.