Musculoskeletal conditions like neck pain and back pain are experienced by everyone at some point in their lives. Such conditions can be caused by several underlying factors, therefore it’s important to address their primary source to get a long-term solution.
If you talk specifically about back pain, it’s an extremely common condition that affects a large number of Americans each year. However, it can be treated effectively with physical therapy.
According to STAR Physical Therapy, “Back Pain is the most common musculoskeletal injury in the US. 61% of adult Americans have suffered back pain. Of those, 69% felt that it has affected their daily lives. The good news is that most cases of low back pain will respond well to conservative, proven treatments such as physical therapy.
Yes, most of the painful conditions liked to low back and neck, can be healed with physical therapy. A lot of such conditions are linked directly to the unhealthy spine. It means, if you want to avoid back pain and neck pain, you have to keep your spine healthy.
So, if you are struggling with enormous pain in your neck or back, here are some super helpful physical therapy hacks to prevent them.
Don’t Put Stress On Your Back While Lifting Weight
Whenever you have to lift something heavy, make sure you avoid putting stress on your back, because that can lead to muscle strains. Muscle strain is a condition that’s marked by muscle damage or damage to the tendons that attach a muscle to bones. A muscle tear can also injure small blood vessels. This can lead to local bleeding, which creates pain and discomfort.
So, if you want to keep your muscles, tendons and small blood vessels safe from injuries, avoid putting stress on your back.
Avoid Long Periods of Sitting
Back pain can also stem from prolonged sitting, so it’s better to take regular breaks. If your job demands you to sit for long hours, make sure you get up from your seat in every half an hour to avoid putting stress on your back. In addition to that, long periods of sitting also makes you vulnerable to lung cancer and endometrial cancer.
In addition to that, prolonged periods of sitting also drop the production of enzymes that burn fat. In other words, it is believed that enzymes that burn fat are dropped by 90% if you spend long hours sitting in one place.
Moreover, the good cholesterol in your body lowers by 20% if you sit in one place for more than 2 hours at a stretch. A study contained in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that people who sit constantly in one place for over six hours in a day experience early deaths when compared to those who restrict their sitting period to three hours. So, if you want to live a long life, avoid sitting for long hours.
Improve Your Posture
Problems linked to the spine are also caused by poor posture, so you must take appropriate action to improve yours. Always try to maintain a good posture while walking, and sitting. In addition to that, it’s also important to maintain a good posture while standing. Poor postural habits are one of the biggest causes of back and neck pain. So, if you are working on a laptop in your office, make sure that you sit up straight on your chair. Poor posture puts undue stress on your spine, which eventually leads to muscular imbalances.
And the worst part is that poor posture leads to poor circulation, which slows down the supply of those much-needed nutrients to your muscles. So, in case, you are suffering from a muscle injury, your poor posture will prove to be a big obstacle in your recovery process.
Use Proper Chair
One of the best ways to improve your posture is to use a proper chair. You should use ergonomic chairs both at home and at work to reduce the risk of back pain and neck pain. Since such chairs are very good for the health of your spine, they eventually play a crucial role in keeping you fit and healthy.
Adopt Right Sleep Positions
If you are someone who keeps experiencing frequent episodes of back pain, then it’s important for you to adopt correct sleep positions. For example, if you are someone, who sleeps on their stomach, consider using a pillow under it. It helps keep your spine in perfect shape.
However, if you sleep on your back, then it’s better not to use a pillow under your head because that disturbs the natural curve of your spine. On the other hand, people who have the habit of sleeping on their sides, should place a pillow between their legs.
Consult a Physical Therapist
If you are unable to reduce the pain in your back or neck, then it’s better to consult a physical therapist. Most people visit their physician for healing such conditions quickly with painkillers, however, that won’t give a lasting solution. Painkillers can’t reduce the inflammation, they can only subside your pain temporarily.
So, if your physician has asked you to consult a physical therapist, don’t try to ignore their advice, because that can create more problems for you.
Physical therapy accelerates the natural self-healing process of your body by addressing the root cause of the problem.
Your therapist will check your range of motion, medical history and symptoms to get a detailed idea of your problem. After that, they tailor a care plan to meet your individual needs. They may include both active and passive physical therapy treatments in your care plan to ensure a quick recovery.
Exercises are an integral part of the care plan designed by physical therapists because they help in strengthening muscles and joint flexibility, which plays a crucial role in enhancing one’s overall fitness. What’s really great about seeking physical therapy is that your therapist offers personalized care to you. And if the care plan designed by them is not showing the kind of results it should show, then they will change the treatment techniques so that you can return to your normal activities soon.
Whether you want to improve your posture, manage the pain caused by arthritis or heal a sports injury, a physical therapist can offer the right treatment to you.