In celebration of Martin Luther King Day I would like to talk about how to alleviate back pain.
There are several different causes of back pain such as injury, muscle strain, or overuse. Sometimes you know exactly why you are experiencing back pain and in other cases, it surprises you. One thing is certain: physical therapy has tremendous benefits for alleviating back pain.
A combination of aerobics, strengthening, stretching, and guided massage, can first soothe one’s back pain, allowing it to heal, and then strengthen and support it to make it stronger, increasing flexibility and range of motion.
The goal of physical therapy is to make sure that the musculoskeletal system of the back is in perfect alignment and therefore, there is zero irregularities that continue to throw your back out of sorts.
Simple stretches can have a large impact on your back, helping to alleviate sharp pain. Some stretches that you’ll come across in physical therapy for the back are:
*****As a note, please only do these stretches under supervision by a trained physical therapist in order not to further injure yourself.
Lumbar Extension Stretch:
First lie down on your stomach with your elbows bent underneath you. Put your palms on the flat surface. Next, make sure you keep your hips and pelvis in contact with the bench or table beneath you and lift your upper torso off of the mat using your arms.
Keep the muscles in the back relaxed. Only go as high as you feel comfortable. Do 10 repetitions holding each repetition for about 10 seconds. See if you can hold it for longer, up until 30 seconds if possible.
Lumbar Flexion Stretches:
This type of stretch helps release tightness in your low back. One example of a stretch is putting a single knee to the chest.
First lay down on your back onto the bench or table and bend and hold one knee into your chest. Then switch knees and bring the other knee to your chest. Do each knee for 2-3 repetitions holding each repetition for a 15-20 second stretch.
Cross Bay Physical Therapy is located in Howard Beach, Queens. Our trained physical therapists have professional experience helping patients eliminate pain from a wide range of back pain problems.
Call (718) 835-0084 and speak with Dawn, Esther or John to schedule a consultation today! Same and next day appointments are often available.
By Benjamin Bieber