Surely on some occasion you have felt that twinge in the lower back area. Is about low back pain or low back pain, a pain that any of us can suffer at any time. Subjecting the back to bad postures, to an excessive load of weight, to being overweight or to daily overexertion can cause this pain.
Although many people do not give importance to this type of pain, you should know that it can become chronic. Therefore, carry out exercises for lumbago It is essential to prevent pain from lasting over time. While massages and stretches are effective against low back pain attacks, they are not the only remedies that will help you fight back pain.
An example of exercise is walking, but is walking good for low back pain? Faced with low back pain, it is better to avoid sedentary lifestyle, move and strengthen your muscles, something that you can easily do on foot. I mean, yes, it’s good to walk if your back hurts or you are experiencing low back pain. Although it is true that in the acute phase it will be more difficult, avoid bed rest for more than 3 days, since it can be counterproductive.
Now that we know that it is good to walk with low back pain, we must learn how to do it in the most appropriate way. And it is that the posture for the walk is very important: you must tighten the abdomen slightly to protect the lumbar and throw the shoulders back, so that the back is straight naturally, leaving the weight well distributed.
For the walk to be effective and combat low back pain, bet on walks long, at a good pace and with good equipment. Sportswear, comfortable and light will allow you to walk much better and maintain a correct body posture while doing this activity. It is also recommended to wear comfortable shoes to be able to walk properly.
As you know, not exercising to strengthen the muscles can be an aggravation of lumbago. Therefore, unless there is a pathology behind the back pain, episodes of low back pain can be avoided by avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, adapting correct postures and strengthening the muscles.
Taking care of our back, carrying out good habits, will help to cure lumbago effectively. If you want to keep your back pain free, take note of the following tips to cure lumbago:
Adopt a correct posture
Whether you are sitting or standing, it is very important to adopt a correct body posture. Failure to do so can lead to low back pain. Avoid overloading the area lower back, since it is not prepared to support excess weight. To do this, try to sit with your back resting on the backrest and not on the edge of the chair. You can also use a cushion to fill in the gap in the lumbar curve.
If you need to be on your feet for a long time, change the position of your feet often to spread the load and weight. You can place one of the feet on a footrest or alternate your support.
Flee from sedentary lifestyle
As we have pointed out previously, one of the best remedies to combat low back pain is to get moving. By leading a sedentary life, the muscles around the lower back will tend to weaken and will be more prone to injury. Physical activity is always indicated to reduce low back pain, strengthen the muscles and protect the lower back.
If your back hurts, it is good to both walk and do other exercises, including yoga, pilates, tai-chi, or swimming. Move at least 3 days a week and your back will appreciate it.
Avoid excess weight
Carrying weight is a way to punish the lower back. If you have to, avoid creating tension in this area. To do this, spread your legs, lower your body bending the knees and go up little by little with the object that you must carry close to the body. This process must be the same to leave the object on the ground.
When we carry weight, it is important to distribute the load and avoid lifting weights above the shoulders to keep the lower back in good health.
Avoid rest
If you are suffering from low back pain, we do not recommend bed rest or, at least, not extending inactivity for more than 3 days. As soon as you pass the acute phase of pain, the ideal is to start moving as soon as possible, performing mild aerobic exercises and avoiding those that can affect the lower back, such as trunk extension.
If what you want is to relieve pain, try lying on your back with your knees bent and you will feel the stinging decrease.
Apply hot and cold
In the face of lumbago attacks, it is advisable to apply cold by means of ice packs in the lower back area. Then, for the next 2 or 3 days, it is more advisable to apply heat to relieve low back pain until the pain subsides completely. The use of electric mats, hot water bottles or infrared lamps can be used to give heat for low back pain, although not longer than 20 minutes.
Receive massages and physical therapy
Another method to cure lumbago and help reduce pain is to massage the lower back area. As you know, low back pain can occur as a result of tense and contracted muscles, so it is important to act in the area to relieve them.
To treat low back pain during massage, you can apply an arnica ointment, a plant that helps reduce pain and swelling. We also encourage you to go to a professional physiotherapist that, through its techniques (electrotherapy, massage therapy …), it will not only improve pain but also redirect and correct bad habits that can trigger low back pain.
Reduce stress and anxiety
The pictures of stress and anxiety increase the tension in the lower back, causing the muscles of the back to contract with greater intensity, which causes more back pain. Try to relax and avoid all those situations that can increase stress.
Staying in good weight
Being overweight is not a good ally for the lower back, so it is necessary to avoid overloading the vertebral structure to reduce back pain. In this sense, we recommend you not only carry out a healthy and balanced diet, low in calories, but also practice exercise and redirect bad habits, for example, quitting smoking. It is the best way to prevent low back pain.
Pay attention to the mattress on the bed
It is proven that mattresses directly affect our quality of sleep. Sometimes, the structure of the mattress can be degenerated, something that our back suffers night after night.
Look for mattresses firm consistency, not stony, that provide good support. This will reduce your back pain. On the other hand, to sleep with low back pain, it is recommended to choose to do it on your back with a pillow or cushion under the knees or on the side with the cushion between the legs.