If It’s Rigid All the Time, It’s Gonna Hurt!

Do you suffer from a bad back? Do you find yourself half scared to move in case you bring on another ‘twinge’? Have you found that, if you stay rigid and in one position your back doesn’t feel so bad….for a few minutes and then it gets worse and you have to find a new position? How long is it before you reach for the pain killers?

If you have a muscle spasm then an anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen can work well but a pain killer will only mask your symptoms for a while, enabling you to carry on working but also allowing you to exacerbate the problem if you’re not careful.  You will also find that pain killers will have less and less of an effect over time as your body becomes tolerant to them and so, to keep the same amount of pain relief, you have to up the dosage or opt for a stronger product.

I suffered from back pain for years after being in two car crashes and several horse riding accidents and I was told, at the time, stay in bed for a few days and you’ll be fine. Did this advice help? No. I wasn’t sick, I didn’t need to sleep for hours on end during the day so just lying about in bed meant that I focused more on the pain which got worse as the muscles around the affected area tensed up as well. After one particularly horrendous episode, almost all the muscles in my back went violently into spasm and I was prescribed Diazepam and co-codamol and more bed rest. On this occasion the spasms eased off because the Diazepam relaxed my body to the point that I was completely away with the fairies. After that I had numerous appointments with Chiropractors and then the doctor again, who gave me more pills and told me to rest and then, thank God, I discovered Yoga.

I won’t say that I never have back pain now – I work out a lot and occasionally get aches and pains as a result but I know now how to deal with it and it’s not by reaching for a pill bottle or taking to my bed for a few days. I simply perform these stretches, each one for a few minutes at a time:

This pose will stretch your lower back; if you find that the position is too strong, you can keep both knees bent and roll them first to one side and then the other

Cat stretch and cow stretch is a wonderful combination of stretch and extension and will give you increased spinal flexibility. Start in a neutral position and then alternately arch and round your back nice and slowly

Lying flat on your back and then hugging your knees to your chest is a fantastic way to release tension in your lower back. Breathe throughout, keeping your back flat to the floor and slowly and gently bring your knees closer and closer to your chest

Child’s pose will gently stretch the muscles in your back and sides and is wonderfully relaxing. Start in a kneeling position and then gradually ease your arms forward with fingers outstretched until your forehead is resting on the floor and then just breathe

I’m not a doctor and, if you have back pain you need to get a diagnosis from a professional but my personal experience has taught me that movement is far more beneficial than rigidity!