Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints that we see here at Clear Physio and it’s likely that you’ll experience issues with this at some point in your life.
Typically, symptoms will improve within a few weeks but they can last for longer and they can recur over time, so it’s important to know what you can do to help manage your discomfort, as well as potentially putting plans in place to prevent recurrence.
You can help ease back pain and speed up your recovery by taking anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen, as well as using either hot or cold therapy, where an ice pack or a heat pack is applied to the area to reduce pain and swelling, and to relieve joint stiffness and/or muscle spasms.
Staying as active as possible is also advisable to help improve recovery times – and new research suggests that walking can be beneficial for treating and preventing chronic lower back pain.
Carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the study found that walking for over 78 minutes per day on average significantly reduced the risk of developing low back pain, even if just going at a slow pace.
Furthermore, going for longer walks can also reduce the risks of lower back pain developing in the first place.
Lead author of the study Rayane Haddadj said: “Our findings suggest that daily walking volume is more important than mean walking intensity in reducing the risk of chronic lower back pain.”
How can physio help with back pain?
Aside from staying active and trying at-home therapies, physiotherapy can be a very beneficial intervention for back pain.
Exercise programmes designed specifically for you by a physio can provide you with relief and get you moving once again, improving flexibility, strength and mobility in your lower back. If you’d like to find out more, give the Clear Physio team a call today.
