Nifty tips and tricks for rehabilitating a lower back injury
The first thing you need to know about a lower back injury is that it’s rarely caused by anything too serious🙌. There are some steps you can take in terms of getting care and at-home exercises that you can do to help rehabilitate a lower back injury.
Although a lower back injury is painful 😥 and can truly get in the way of living your life, our care options and expert advice will help manage your pain and support you in your recovery 😁.
Types of lower back injuries
A lower back injury has many causes, but the ones we see most regularly at Inspired Health Chiropractic are:
· Muscle or ligament strain – ouch! 😭
· A slipped, herniated, or ruptured disc.
· Sciatica
· Car accident injuries. 🚗
· Sporting-related injuries. 🏅
Risk factors that can lead to a lower back injury include small repetitive movements, being in one position for over an hour, a lack of physical activity, excess weight, lifting things the wrong way, psychological conditions (yes, believe it or not, depression and anxiety can affect lower back pain).
Care options
A visit to a chiropractor can help start the healing process. After a thorough examination gentle chiropractic adjustments and mobilising of the spine, as well as massage, can help relieve your pain and give you more mobility. We will also advise you on the best exercises you can do to lead to a faster, more comfortable recovery 🥰.
Give us a call 📲 on 01245 699 152 to find out more about how we treat lower back injuries.
When to get immediate medical assistance
If you experience any of these symptoms, along with back pain, it is important to seek emergency 🏥 medical care:
· Numbness or tingling around your genitals or buttocks.
· Difficulty urinating.
· Loss of control of your bladder or bowel.
· Chest pain.
· A high temperature.
· A swelling or bulge in your back.
· It started after a serious accident.
No matter what caused your lower back injury, there are several treatments available at Inspired Health Chiropractic and Wellbeing Centre that will be tailored specifically to you ☺. We look forward to hearing from you to discuss treatment options. Contact us 📞 here.
How to prevent a lower back injury
According to the NHS, there are some really straightforward ways that you can prevent future back injuries 🙌. This includes doing regular back stretches, staying active, avoiding sitting for too long, being careful when you lift heavy things, being aware of your posture when you sit, and ensuring you’re sleeping on a good mattress.
Simple rehab exercises and stretches
Let’s start with some of the simple stretches you can do to rehabilitate 💪 your back injury at home.
Hip rolls: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Slowly turn your head to the left and let your knees fall to the floor on your right side. Hold this for five seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat this movement on the opposite side. You can then do this stretch another ten times on each side.
Back extensions: Lie on your tummy and prop yourself up on your elbows. This should naturally extend your back. Next, start straightening your elbows gently until you feel a stretch and hold it for 15-20 seconds. Then, return to the starting position. You can do these ten more times.
The cat: Down on your hands and knees, slowly arch your back up towards to ceiling as if you were a cat stretching its back. Once you feel a stretch in your back, hold for 15 seconds. You can repeat these ten more times. Importantly, be sure not to arch your back downwards as this could put a strain on your injury!
Next up, let’s discuss some low-impact exercises 🧘♂️ you can do to not only rehab your back but strengthen it and prevent future injury 🤞.
The draw-in: Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Keep your arms at your sides. Breathe in and pull your navel towards your spine and hold this for five seconds, then release. You can repeat this ten times, then rest before doing another ten.
The bridge: Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keeping your arms at your side, press down into your feet. Then, raise your bum off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your bum and then lower back down to the ground. Repeat this 15 times.
It’s important to work on building strong core muscles – this should be something you work towards once your injury is fully rehabilitated 🏋️♂️.
Contact us to 🗣 chat more about the various exercises and stretches you can do to rehabilitate a lower back injury.
