Lower back pain – causes, prevention, and how to relieve it at home
Back pain is the most common issue for humans. Since evolving to walk on two legs, we have been putting extra pressure on our spine and vertebrae. Because our lower back is positioned under everything else, it carries the most weight in our daily lives. Looking at the chart underneath, we can see that nearly everything we do puts pressure on our spine, with sitting down being the most harmful. Thinking about it, how many hours a day do you sit down? 6 hours? 9 hours? It’s no surprise so many people experience lower back pains considering their lifestyle.
Another thing to think about is how much water you are drinking. Between our vertebrae, we have what’s known as nucleus pulposus – a gel-like fluid, that helps to absorb shock and lubricate for better movement. If we’re putting too much pressure on our spine and not drinking enough fluids, this gel could dry out a little bit. The result will be pain in our back, reminding us to take care of our bodies.
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Lower back pain prevention
The best way to avoid back pain is exercise. After a long day of sitting down, some quick stretches can really help. Even better would be taking breaks throughout the day at work, but this of course isn’t possible for everyone. Drinking enough fluids can also be a big help in keeping your body working.
Exercises to help relieve pain
We recommend grabbing a yoga mat or doing these exercises on a carpet because that way you won’t hurt your knees.
The first exercise is known in yoga as cat-cow. This easy exercise consists of only two positions, but can really help in stretching your back. Position your palms and knees flat on the ground below you. Take note of your breathing – take a few deep breaths to start off. When inhaling, slightly bend your back and raise your tailbone. Keep your gaze up and hold this position for a few seconds. When exhaling, move your shoulder up, almost like you’re pushing away from the floor. Rotate the tailbone downwards. Continue with these two moves for a few minutes.
For the second exercise, lay down on your back. Press your elbows on the ground and cross one of your legs to lean on the other knee. Slowly, rotate your hips to the left while turning your head to the right. Then, repeat on the other side. Exhale while twisting and inhale when moving to the center. Continue for around two minutes.
For the third and last exercise, gently hug one of your knees to your chest while stretching the opposite leg. Try to keep your lower back on the mat and don’t forget to breathe normally. Switch sides every 20-30 seconds, repeating the whole exercise for a few minutes.
Using TracPal to help relieve pain
Traction is the most commonly used way to help relieve pain in different parts of the body. TracPal is the perfect tool to help you with that at home. It can help you with pains in the neck, hips, knees, shoulders, or even your back. Just loop it around your door and lie down. When used for the lower back, one way to use it is just by lying down and placing your legs in the hoop. To increase the traction, you can rise on your elbows, and while grabbing the edges of the mat, gently arch your back downwards. Breath deeply while stretching.
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