Back pain is so common now that most people don’t even get it seen to. They suffer in relative silence and inevitably do more damage than intended.
Often, sufferers will forget how the pain started in the first place and have a routine to get themselves through daily life. In today’s pressurised environment, some take a cocktail of analgesics and anti-inflammatory tablets for quick relief, while running on a tight schedule. But this makes the body’s tolerance of pain killers higher and the effects either wear off quicker, or they just don’t work as they used to.
Apart from the lack of care from the body’s owner, day-to-day maintenance is also something that is overlooked. Routine is something we incorporate into our lives for the ease of planning and coping with our work, home and social life.
So why do we ignore what could be a serious injury? There are a number of reasons, but none of them are valid enough to be plausible as an excuse. ‘Not enough time’ seems to be the first one on the list. It’s considered the mother of all excuses and is hard to beat when it comes to answers. But it’s also the one that is the least valid. Simply, if you are put out of commission with a back that fails to function then all you have IS time!
The fact of the matter is simple. Back maintenance is easy, should be part of everyday routine, and the knowledge needed should not be seen as either the Holy Grail, or too boring to remember.
One of the first things we do in the morning is stretch, but that is more of a body reflex than a routine to release muscles that have been bunched up for hours in one position. A five minute stretch that incorporates the whole body will benefit your whole system inside and out. It does more good than just the feel-good factor to the muscles.
Many people have jobs that keep them static all day, so simple, regular movement keeps the muscles functioning and awake. Staying in one position can cause the body to send just enough blood and oxygen to the parts that it thinks need it. The result? You get tired! It’s simple I know, but children instinctively are always running around everywhere and the minute they stop to do something, they either get lethargic, or bored and run somewhere else.
Countless articles promote the benefits of water and how important it is to us. Our bodies are up to 80% water and we’re more dehydrated than we admit. The rule of thumb is, if your mouth is dry then you’re already dehydrated. As sentient beings, we allow this to become acceptable and it shouldn’t, as this will also help the back too.
The more hydrated the body is, the less likely the free radicals (no, not a protest cry, but atoms that cause tissue damage at the cellular level) are to locate in one area. Instead, the area will be flushed and muscle-repairing, oxygen-rich blood inhabits the area preventing scar tissue build up.
I could go on all day about the things we need to do to maintain our bodies and the bad habits we get into, but I’ll finish on a point which we all should know, with a bit that maybe you didn’t.
Posture and poise are not a show of pompous piousness, but a show of respect for the back. Slouching and hunching are arch (sorry about the pun) – enemies to the back and this can be avoided, even at the computer terminal.
Many people even get the recovery process wrong too. As I pointed out earlier, pain killers are something the body can get used to, but pain is also a strange thing. The body can get used to that too – if the pain is constant. Hot showers and baths to soothe a bad back are not good, as they can change the function of the muscle. Instead, the muscle must be allowed to pump blood through the affected area, not act like a cushion and pad the area out, as this can hinder recovery and movement.
The body is an amazing thing and the back allows it all to happen through a network of nerves, muscles and an intricate bone structure. So remember that a little bit of care, maintenance and a minor change to your routine can be the difference between a pain-free or persistent problem. Back to basics, you could say.
