Kick Back Pain in 2013!

Back pain can manifest as a dull pain or completely leave you flat.  Previous injuries from sports or car accidents only exacerbate being prone to back pain.

Until recently I had been immune to this sort of discomfort.  Maybe it was my age or my full-time position as a fitness professional and busy stay-at-home mom for preschoolers, but now that I have a more sedentary job I, well, feel your pain.

Aggravators of back pain can come from standing, heavy-lifting, poor support while sitting, your  mattress, and/or even your shoes.  There are musculoskeletal symptoms such as herniated discs that can wreck havoc on your body, but for this blog, we'll focus on common aggravators such as the aforementioned.

Relief comes in a variety of sorts.  One simple activity you can do to help a sore back is to take frequent breaks from your seated position, walk around and stretch.  You can strengthen your back and abdominal muscles with Pilates and yoga.  Proprioceptive training, which, as I have referred to many times, is balance training.  This essentially makes all of your muscles “stand at attention” and become strong.  You can practice balance training on your JumpSport Fitness Trampoline: stand on it, gently bounce on it and then come to a complete stop, raise a heel then a foot.  These exercises will help to strengthen your muscles and may alleviate pain associated with weakening muscles.

Some people find relief through accupuncture, massage, or chiropractic therapy.  My mother in law has been sipping on parsley tea for over a year now as directed by her Amish chiropractor in Pennsylvania.  She has experienced little to no pain in her back since adopting the regimen.

Keeping one’s body within a healthy weight range and wearing shoes that support the skeletal system as opposed to aggravating it with high heels or flat sandals can work wonders.  Exercising and moving in rotation, side to side, as well as forward and backward moves the spine the way it was meant to be moved.

If you have back pain that is chronic and cannot be rectified by these measures, it is best to consult with your medical provider.  Hopefully, however, many of you (myself included) can alleviate back pain by making simple adjustments that will ultimately yield better health and happiness.

In good health,

Heidi Aspen Lauckhardt-Rhoades

Writer and Social Media Correspondent

Fitness Professional

Twitter: @ATweetFit