How to cope with backache
What type are you? Understand what type of backache you actually have. You should treat it differently depending on whether you’ve hurt the disc or the joint. If you’ve leaned down to tie your shoelace or you’ve been digging the garden and your back has locked, the more mobile you keep yourself the better. If you’ve tried to lift something heavy or twisted something at the gym and blown a disc, you need to lie down and take the pressure off. It’s more likely to be a disc problem if there’s leg pain.
Find the right exercise: Both pilates and yoga are great for backache, depending on your strain. If you know that you’re stiff, but actually quite strong, look at a yoga class. If you’re relatively supple but weak, think about pilates.
Walk tall: Having a good posture will help with sore back muscles. The simplest thing to remember is to stand tall and walk tall. Try to lengthen the spine as much as you can. This will automatically engage all the posture muscles in the right way.
A good habit Every morning, try to do some basic stretches, to lengthen your muscles. I have patients who ask, “When should I stop doing them?” and I say, “The day you stop brushing your teeth.”
You should stretch and exercise and treat your back properly. In bed, never sleep on your front because you will inevitably end up twisting your neck.
As cold as ice People know that, if they turn their ankle or strain their knee, they should put ice on it straightaway. For some reason when they strain the joints of their back they heat it up, and it’s not right. They’ll take an anti-inflammatory to calm the inflammation, then put a heat pack on it to heat it up and the two go against each other. In the acute stage of backache, within the first 48 hours, always use an ice-pack.