Our Top Tips For Reducing Back Pain As We Get Older

I swear on significant birthdays your body just starts to hurt more. One common site for 85% of the human population is back pain. It can feel pretty awful when you get out of bed in the morning. Rolling over in bed can be a problem and putting on your socks makes you feel older than you are!

The two Nicks and Mitch have given some of their best advice to help reduce your pain today. 

Tip 1: Stop Sitting Well

Nick C: I have been changing the way people sit with lower back pain. A lot of people sit with 'really good posture' that places them in way too much spinal extension which compresses their back. I've been getting people to relax their tail bone and soften their chest to create a more neutral spine and people are enjoying it a lot. Effectively getting them to sit up less with far better results in terms of pain relief.

Tip 2: Posture in General

Nick C: Taking the above “excessive ” sitting posture, I recommend everyone try that same posture when they squat at the gym or stand in general and you instantly recognise how it places too much pressure on your back. Try relaxing your tail bone muscles and softening your chest in other positions to reduce compression on your back.

Tip 3: Add Some Variety: 

Mitch: Too often as we age we tend to pigeon hole our bodies into one type of movement, whether that be walking or swimming etc. Our body loves variety and still as we age it will adapt and change as we expose it to different types of movement stimulus. To help with preventing back pain as you age try starting something new for movement. Always start slow and listen to your body but with time you will feel your body change and adapt! 

Tip 4: Add Some Resistance: 

As we age resistance and load becomes even more important. Our bones, muscles and tendons need load to stay strong, and as we age we need to maintain these things. We need it in all our joints, not just our legs, so if your exercise is solely walking then look for some loaded exercises you can do for your arms too! Just remember that if you haven't been doing resistance training before, you will need help from a Physio, personal trainer, pilates instructor etc to make sure you are loading safely. 

Tip 5 Eat Less Inflammatory Food

Nick T: Processed food like burgers, fries and a few beers can increase the inflammatory load in your body. If you suffer from low back pain this will cause more back pain. Ever noticed how your back hurts after a weekend like that? Start to reduce your weekly alcohol intake. For example do you  really need a couple of wines from Monday to Thursday or Friday? Could you use a meal plan service or prepare your meals on a Sunday night to stop adding extra processed food to your week? Reducing inflammation in your body and adding fish oil and tumeric can really reduce your day to day pain.

Tip 6 Meditate Daily For 10 Mins

When you have had pain in the same place for more than 3 months it starts to become a “brain thing” as well as a “back thing”. The area of your back pain represented in your brain starts to enlarge relative to other parts of your body on the brain map. What does that mean? It’s creating more pain signals than is actually the case. Normal movement can suddenly be perceived as a threat.

Stress can make this pain worse as your nervous system is over stimulated. The simple act of returning to a focus on your breath can down regulate your nervous system and reduce your pain. Try breathing 10 cycles of 4 seconds in through the nose, 4 second hold, 6 seconds out through the nose. Twice per day. Otherwise try the app headspace for 10 mins per day. 

If you need some help with where to start. Come in and see Nick or Mitch to get a solid plan in place moving forward. They are normally booked a couple of weeks ahead so book online HERE