Rest It or Work It: 6 tips for back pain

Back pain can be debilitating--or irritating--but rarely can it be ignored. So, one of the frequent questions we get from clients who come in with pain is: "Do I rest it or do I work it to get rid of the pain?"
It seems obvious to some that when something hurts, you need to stay off of it...and, in many cases this is where people can get into trouble. Many times, back pain is caused by postural deviations and imbalances which place stress on vertebrae or on the sacro-iliac joint at the junction of the pelvis and spine. Muscles will begin to spasm and compensate around that joint to stabilize and prevent further injury through movement. Many times doctors will simply suggest that a back-pain sufferer stay off their feet and avoid lifting anything--and sometimes this is exactly what needs to happen. However, after the point that acute pain has subsided, too much rest can cause the muscles to further weaken and worsen the postural deviation that started the pain in the first place. In my opinion, and that of many respected practitioners, the key to regaining a healthy spine is through correcting the imbalance, strengthening muscles and retraining the body proper movement patterns for bending, lifting and rotating.

So, how do you know when to rest and when to work? Here are my tips:

1) If the pain is acute or has an electrical, shooting quality, get cleared by a doctor prior to working out...there is nothing gained by herniating a disc or creating nerve damage.

2) Hire a corrective exercise specialist...a trainer who is specifically trained to assess and correct postural deviations and who is willing to work with you, your doctor and your chiropractor if necessary.

3) If you have dull, aching, aching pain which often presents itself after bending, sitting, or lifting, you are likely in the beginning stages of pain caused by postural or movement imballances stressing your spine and SI joint. You may want to seek assistance from an exercise coach to help you correct and strengthen.

4) If you have had a traumatic injury which is causing shooting pain, a high level of pain, you will likely need to work with a physical therapist and chiropractor to get you to a base level of strength.

5) If you have joint pain following or during a work out---STOP AND GET THE HELP OF A QUALIFIED EXERCISE SPECIALIST. It is so easy to correct things BEFORE damage is done!

6) Finally, NEVER let anyone convince you that you can not function and that you need to just wait around and take pills. There are amazing practitioners all over the world, from CHEK trainers to Physicians and Chiropractors, who can help you--you just need to find someone who believes in your body and health as much as you do!