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This week is Back Care Awareness week so we thought we would indulge on this.
It is easy to take it for granted when we are able to walk down the road, on the beach or to the shop and back without any pain or discomfort......
......just for a moment imagine that you couldn't?
How would that affect your day, your hobbies, your life?
I think most of us can safely say we would find this extremely hard if we weren't able to choose how, when and what we do.
It is so important to take a moment to remember we need to look after ourselves, hold on to that awareness and give ourselves the best chance to do all the things we wish, for as long as possible.
If back pain is familiar to you, this is a lovely time to maybe refresh your approach or even try something new.
BACK CARE
WHAT WE KNOW:
There are some basic fundamentals that WE KNOW will help you if you have back pain.
1) Movement
When you feel pain it is easy to sit, to avoid moving, unfortunately this is a downward spiral as the less you move the stiffer everything gets and the harder it will be to move and be pain free.
Nine times out of ten movement will help you.
A short walk or beginners Pilates/ Yoga session per day can make significant changes to your full range of movement but also your pain level. Any release of endorphins are a bonus as these are your bodies natural pain killer.
WE KNOW movement warms the muscles and helps to release tension, it also allows fluid to move around the joints and help to provide some shock absorbency and therefore protection.
2) Strength
Often the focus with back pain is to stretch, this can be helpful in many cases, however more often it's strength we need to replenish.
After back pain WE KNOW from research that the intricate muscles that support the spine don't engage as readily and they are weaker.
Focusing on strength can excel you recovery.
The important thing to remember is to try not to do too much, too soon. This is often where injuries can reoccur.
Introducing specific and functional exercises can speed up your injury time and significantly reduce your risk of reoccurrence. If this is an option, expert guidance will make the world of difference to your outcome.
3) Good Footwear
This factor is often over looked. The influence of footwear not only affects the foot mechanics, but also the knee, hip and lower back. You may already notice that you feel easier in some footwear compared to others.
Your footwear can help or hinder.
Some footwear requires less movement through the foot and more through the hip and back as you walk, others do the opposite.
Some footwear is so stiff and makes you have to work harder to propel yourself forwards. However, too much flexibility in a shoe for some creates more stress, instead of being propelled forwards there will be more side way and rotatory movements through the foot, knee, hip and back. This not only makes it hard work for the whole body, it increases your chances of injury.
Everybody's pain and back issues will be different and likewise their requirements for strength and footwear needs.
For more specific and personal advice please see your expert.
Thank you for reading.
Kind regards,
Emma
Back To Your Feet