Why are we bothering to discuss how to relieve lower back pain? Because I can assure you, having lower back pain is no fun. It limits you and stops you from living an active lifestyle. A quick glance at the following demographics will answer that question! Let’s put it this way: You are not alone in your suffering!
Demographics
Almost 1 in 6 people suffer from back pain in the UK, that’s close to 10 million people. That’s a lot of people walking round, almost daily, with pain that impacts their quality of life. It’s very hard to concentrate on work or fun activities when you’re in pain. It’s difficult to exercise when all you want to do is to find the most comfortable position to figure out how to relieve lower back pain and then, once you find that position, you just want to stay in it.
The TUC (Trades Union Congress) reported that British businesses lose an estimated 4.9 million days to employee absenteeism through work-related back pain. Interestingly, people in the North East of England suffer more than the rest of the UK, with 2% of its working population suffering from back pain. Affected employees take an average of 19 days off a year! This creates a considerable cost to the employer, especially small businesses. This figure has further been quantified by the Exchequer to be in the region of £5billion a year! It’s not actually clear what the total cost is because not everyone in pain is actually in the workforce.
One can imagine how this puts a huge burden on the NHS, as well as on businesses and UK plc. So how to relieve lumbar back pain becomes extremely relevant to a lot of people!
So here’s how to relieve lower back pain:
Keeping fit and exercising can have a major impact on our health, including on our backs and joints. Prevention is better than cure: To prevent back pain, core strengthening is particularly useful. Pilates and yoga are also well known tools for strengthening backs and for keeping joints relatively supple. Some of the pilates & yoga exercises are also extremely useful to relieve back pain. Walking at a comfortable pace, for at least 30′, on a level plain helps too – avoid hills until your back is better. Resting should be avoided unless you cannot move – sometimes laying or sitting can make it worse! Listen to your body!
Yoga stretching exercises for relieving lower back pain
Jen Hilman’s yoga & stretching exercises are a perfect answer on how to relieve lower back pain – view the following video:
Consult with your health practitioner
If you have a sore back, always consult your GP or other health professionals before embarking on an exercise programme that involves the painful areas. By joining a pilates and/or yoga group at your local gym or community centre you will be able to keep your back muscles strong to help to avoid a relapse. If necessary, ask your GP for a referral to an NHS physiotherapist before joining the gym. You need to know which exercises to avoid and which are most beneficial for your specific condition.
Muscle spasms
Muscles in spasm can be helped by going for daily walks at a pace which is neither too slow nor too fast, but rather, at a comfortable pace. If you can manage it, you should aim for 1-2 miles per day to help to relax the muscle, followed by a hot bath.
