Lower back pain is something that most people face at one time or another—especially if they have a manual labor or desk job. There are multiple causes for this pain, but the most common culprit is bad posture.
Posture
Our bodies are not meant to sit in a chair for eight hours a day, yet many of us do just that, and it takes a toll on our spines. Bad posture puts too much weight on the lower part of the back, straining discs, joints, and muscles. It’s more than just temporary discomfort—you can actually change the shape of your spine over time, restricting blood vessels and nerves.
What You Can Do
Fix your posture by sitting with your shoulders straight and not sitting on the edge of your chair. Keep your feet flat on the floor. Remember to also get up every half-hour or so and move around to stretch out your muscles and give your back a break.
Get to a Healthy Weight
Another cause of lower back pain is obesity. Extra weight in the stomach area pulls the pelvis forward, stressing the lower back. Being overweight can also cause problems in the vertebrae of the spine.
This is just another reason to get out and exercise. Weight loss can greatly reduce or eliminate lower back pain, and a regular exercise routine can help prevent the development of lower back pain in the future.
Trust Access
The team at Access Physical Therapy & Wellness is experienced and skilled at treating lower back pain. Access believes that physical therapy is safer and more effective than pain medication for treating pain. Dedicated to improving patients’ health and happiness, the therapists at Access will complete an evaluation and create an individualized treatment plan to help eliminate your lower back pain.
Rather than just masking the pain with opioid pain medication, #ChoosePT to treat the underlying cause of your back pain and work on improving your posture every day.
#ChoosePT
#ChoosePT is a campaign run by the American Physical Therapy Association to promote physical therapy as an alternative to opioid pain medications. Prescription opiates have potentially harmful side effects and can easily become addictive. Physical therapy is a safe way to treat pain.
If you’re suffering from lower back pain, we can help. Please visit our locations page to find an office near you and schedule an appointment.
