As the holiday season approaches, many of you may be heading off to visit friends and family. You may find your self sleeping on a temporary bed, a sofa or the floor! There’s also eating large meals and sitting in uncomfortable chairs, falling asleep in a chair and lifting and playing with small children. All these things can lead to a bit of a grumbly back. Here are our tips for helping settle your back discomfort until you can see a physiotherapist.
1) Use Heat to soothe muscle spasm. Many other professions may suggest ice, but this will just cause your muscle spasm to tighten up more against the cold and who wants an ice pack on their back in the depths of winter!
2) Keep moving. It may be tempting to take to bed rest or sit down and rest all day, but this can make things worse. Go for short gentle walks and do some of the suggested exercises.
3) Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Slowly lower your legs to one side until you feel a gentle stretch. Return to the central position and repeat the other way. Keep your knees together during the movement.
4) Lie on your back with your knees bent. Lift one knee towards your chest and pull it as far as you can with your hands. Lower your leg and repeat with the other leg. Now lift both legs and pull them both towards your chest as far as you can to flatten your lower back.
5) Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tilt your pelvis towards you by flattening your back on the floor/bed. This can be achieved by squeezing your bottom muscles and tummy muscles.
If your problem persists or becomes severe please seek help form us or a medical professional. You can book in via the website or call 01275 219948.