We conducted a survey recently of people suffering from back pain and the effect exercise has on the level of pain experienced.
The type of exercise you should choose if you have back pain may vary according to your diagnosis, but here’s a quick rundown of things which are safe for the vast majority of back pain sufferers:
Pilates
Pilates can help improve posture, core strength, flexibility and balance.
It involves slow, controlled exercise to work the whole body, but with a focus on the back and core muscles, making it great for people suffering with chronic back pain, as often the core and back muscles are weakened.
When you have back pain, there may be some more advanced moves which you may need to avoid.
Make sure you tell your instructor about your back so they can modify your routine.
Yoga
A gentle, flowing yoga practice will help improve flexibility through stretching and relaxation techniques.
Using just your body weight, there is also an element which helps increase total body and core strength.
Again, make sure you tell your teacher about you back as there may be some moves which you should substitute.
Nikki at Urban Yoga holds lunchtime classes at Core Strength Studios.
Weight Training
The better supported your body is, the less pressure your back will be under.
By maintaining a strong frame, you can protect your back against pain and leave it less vulnerable to future attacks.
Free weights and functional training are great as they also work your core muscles, but be aware of moves such as burpees, kettlebell swings and other explosive moves which may aggravate your back.
Start gentle, and work your way towards more dynamic moves as you get stronger, and be very careful to use correct technique.
If in doubt, grab an instructor for some guidance.
Walking
As well as providing cardiovascular benefits, walking is ideal when you have back pain. When we move, our joints secrete a fluid to lubricate and keep them moving freely.
The movement when you walk will help the release of this fluid and make you feel looser and less stiff. In addition, your core muscles will be ‘switched on’ which helps maintain their strength which in turn helps keep your spine supported.
It’s also a low-impact workout which, if you have back pain, may be more comfortable.
To make it more of a workout, increase the pace or take in a few hills to get your heart pumping!
Work-related back pain is a major contributor to working days lost to musculoskeletal disorders in the UK.
Official figures reveal that almost 3.5 million working days were lost to back pain in 2015/16, and a recent survey found that 38% of people in the UK claimed work caused their back pain.
Traditionally, work-related back pain has been more common among manual workers, but it is becoming increasingly more prevalent among desk workers, with 31% saying their workstation caused bad posture and back pain.
The average office worker spends 75% of their day sitting down, and more than half of that comes in periods of 30 minutes or more of sedentariness.
But what impact does this have on your body, and how does it contribute to back pain?
1. Your Discs
Sitting puts more pressure on your spine than standing. When you move, the discs in your spine (which act as shock absorbers in between your vertebrae) expand and contract, which allows blood and nutrients to be absorbed, keeping them healthy.
When you sit, your discs are compressed which, over time, can cause you to lose flexibility and increase your risk of herniated (slipped) discs. Moving just once every 15-30 minutes has been proven to prevent changes to your discs.
2. Your Muscles
When you stand up, your core and back muscles are activated and working to keep you upright. When you sit, however, these muscles aren’t working and remain in passive. Because of this, when you sit for too long, your muscles weaken over time.
When you have weak back and core muscles, your spine is less supported and more vulnerable to pain and injury. It is recommended that you stand for at least 2 hours over the course of the working day. This doesn’t have to be all at once, it can be taken in short bursts of standing, walking or fidgeting.
Anything but sitting still.
3. Your Flexibility
In a seated position, your hip flexor muscles at the front of your hip are in a shortened state.
Over time, this prolonged position can cause the muscles to adaptively shorten, meaning you lose flexibility and range of movement in your hips.
Because the muscles attach to your pelvis – as does your spine – this shortening and tightening can cause an imbalance and result in a tilting of your pelvis which in turn changes the position of your spine, causing pressure on the discs and low back muscles.
By taking regular breaks from your desk, and working on stretching your hip flexors, you can help alleviate this shortening. Deep tissue massage also can help improve the flexibility of the soft tissue.
4. Your Nerves
Your body is designed to move, not to remain seated for prolonged periods. In this unnatural position, your muscles can stay contracted for longer than they are supposed to and this sustained contraction can pinch the nerves which run through the muscular structure.
To reduce the risk of this happening, get up and move regularly. This will help the muscles release and boost your circulation.