Protect Your Back

Backache is such a pain! It's debilitating and can badly affect quality of life. Pain may be felt in the centre of the back or to one side or even pain radiating down the leg.

Lower back pain can be both prevented and the symptoms improved by the regular undertaking of simple core muscle exercises that require very little time.

The facts

  • Did you know that 80% of adults suffer from backache at some point during their adult life?
  • 90% of people with acute low back pain will recover within 4-6weeks.
  • Bad backs account for a significant proportion of sickness leave at work.
  • Currently 4.9 million working days are lost per year.
  • Lack of core control in sitting will cause the body to slump.
  • One in seven people suffer from back pain each week.

Some causes of lower back pain

  • Obesity
  • Poor posture
  • Lack of exercise
  • Heavy physical work
  • Accidents
  • Smoking
  • Family history

Prevention of lower back pain

  • Exercises such as brisk walking, swimming and cycling can be helpful. Seek advice from a health professional before embarking on any exercise program.
  • Stretching exercises may help you ease muscle tension, but if certain stretches performed causes pain to radiate down the leg then you must seek further advice.
  • When lifting any heavy object you must keep the load close to your body and bend your knees when lifting.
  • Avoid lifting loads higher than your waist.
  • Make sure you sit with a straight back and avoid slouching for too long.
  • Avoid sitting in one place or position for too long. Get up and move around.
  • Cut out smoking as it limits blood flow to the spinal discs and muscles in your back and slows their healing process.

Although backache can be the result of inherent causes, in many cases it is the result of poor posture coupled with weak conditioned muscles of the trunk and pelvic region.

Therefore, correct posture and a back conditioning programme to help strengthen the core muscles are essential in the battle against bad backs.

If you would like to try exercising through Pace 'n' Go without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home, there are a range of simple exercises that require no equipment which can be performed to help prevent and alleviate backache.

Samples of lower back pain exercises

Knee Rolls

Slowly allow both knees to roll from side to side making sure that you control the knees and only work in a pain free range.

The Ball

Take hold of the knee with both hands and hug the thigh into your midriff.

Cat and camel

Arch the back towards the ceiling, and then down to floor.

Stop making excuses! Start making some changes, and reduce the pain in your back.

Pace 'n' Go offer full postural and fitness assessments, locating your body's defects and weak muscles.

We can help to diagnose and offer a full rehabilitation programme to improve your strength, well being and reduce associated pain and discomfort through pilates, core stability and massage to name but a few of the modalities we have to offer.