Chronic or long term back problems are one of the biggest cause of disability in the UK and is estimated to affect between one third and one half of the population. So what can you do to improve your spinal function and manage your pain?

Get Active

There is a lot of fear around “doing more damage” in people who have chronic pain.

Your spine is designed to move, we are designed to move! And our modern lifestyles are resulting in more and more of leading sedentary lives were the most movement we get is to walk from our front door to our car and from our car to the office and back.

People who exercise to help manage or heal from chronic back pain find it often helps to reduce the back pain intensity. A short study of 256 participants with chronic back pain who exercised for 6 weeks, saw a 31% decrease in back pain symptoms. Exercise included aerobic and flexibility exercises. Furthermore, it was found that exercise did not increase the risk of future pain or degeneration.

Stretch

Make stretching a part of your daily routine. It can help to keep your spine flexible and mobile, aside from releasing tense, tired muscles. Prolonged sitting often causes stress to the spine. Stretching can help alleviate this.

Multiple studies have documented the efficacy of stretching for improving flexibility in patients with low back pain, with an average improvement of 10%. Stretches need to be performed within comfortable limits so as not to induce discomfort. Your chiropractor can advise you further on this.

Improve your Body Awareness

Most people with pain are used to listening to the loud symptoms from their body ie pain. People who become more aware of the subtle signals from their body can learn to adjust their activities to listen to their body and minimize the aggravation to injured areas. Breath based exercises such as Somato-Respiratory Integration can help to improve body awareness and empower individuals to listen to their body and act on what works best for them.

Help is Available

Chiropractors are qualified to address your musculoskeletal disorders and can help to relieve the pain of chronic or acute back problems. Chiropractors can provide both treatment and advice on chronic pain and help individuals to live a more active, fulfilling life.

To make an appointment call 01625 402053 or email on info@naturallyempowered.co.uk