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5 Ways You Can Make Your Lower Back Pain Worse

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When you experience a lower back pain flare-up, it can be tricky to know a.) what has caused it, b.) what can help ease it, and c.) what can make it even worse.

Why Is Lower Back Pain So Common?

The lower back, or the lumbar region, is the area of the back most susceptible to injury, wear and tear, and other pain-inducing complications, thanks to its design, structure, and function. The lower back supports all of a person’s weight from the torso up and has a great range of motion: two things it was not designed to do from an evolutionary standpoint.

The spine is part of an advanced skeletal system that, for hundreds of thousands of years now, has allowed us to walk on two legs, hinge at the waist, and perform maneuvers that others in the animal kingdom cannot. The human spine can hinge, twist, and constantly support upper body weight. However, its design is still so similar to the spines of our mammal relatives that walk on four legs—spines that are less flexible and, for the most part, primarily serve as horizontal suspension bridges for the mammals’ torsos. When we look at both the design element and the evolutionary element together, it’s understandable why humans have become highly susceptible to experiencing back pain and injury, especially in the lumbar region.

While building up abdominal and back muscles can help protect the spine as it supports the upper half of the body or performs moves like bending and twisting, there is still a risk of pain and injury due to its design.

What Types of Lower Back Pain Can Someone Experience?

Lower back pain can be acute, subacute, or chronic, depending on the injury or issue causing the pain in the first place. In many cases, patients have no idea what the root cause of their back pain is or where it starts—it’s just a generalized, nonspecific pain caused by natural wear and tear of the spine’s muscles, tissues, and tendons. In other cases, lower back pain can be localized with a known or knowable issue, such as a herniated disc, bone spur, spinal stenosis, compression fracture, osteoarthritis, or other specific condition.

Whether your back pain is general or specific, there are ways to help ease the pain and experience lasting relief, and there are ways to increase the pain and make the issue (as well as the associated discomfort) even worse.

Today, we’re looking at ways to make your lower back pain worse—in other words, what not to do when you’re experiencing lower back pain.

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Lifting Heavy Items

As mentioned, the spine is already busy supporting the weight of a person’s upper half. Any added weight puts added strain on our muscles, tendons, and joints. Plus, in the lower back, there are extra mechanical components like spinal discs and nerve endings that are susceptible to damage if too much strain is placed on the area.

People already experiencing pain in the lumbar area know something is wrong to be causing the pain in the first place. Whether it’s a general pain or specific pain (such as that caused by a herniated disc), lifting something heavy could lead to further damage and further intensify the pain. It can also cause a new issue on top of the existing one, adding additional pain to the pain already felt.

People experiencing lower back pain should avoid lifting anything heavy until their pain subsides or is treated. For some with a spinal condition or a permanently damaged spine, lifting heavy items may be out of the question indefinitely.

Frequent Bending, Stooping, or Twisting

The mechanics of our back allow us to bend over, stoop down, and twist as many times as we want or need. However, performing these actions too much can lead to overuse and add strain or pressure to the lower back. It can also expedite the wear and tear of certain structures, like the cartilage between our vertebrae that hold our spinal discs in place. Once that cartilage is overly worn, we risk the possibility of disc herniation, developing osteoarthritis, and experiencing other painful conditions.

If a person with back pain continues to bend, stoop, or twist at the waist, they are likely to experience intensified pain or at least prolong the pain. They may even experience far worse pain if these movements lead to complications like disc herniation or osteoarthritis.

Back-Bothering Exercises or Activities

People with back pain should still stay active, as movement can help stretch the area, loosen tendons and muscles, and relieve pain. However, some exercises can add to the strain or pressure and make back pain worse.

When a person has back pain, the pain can increase or intensify with movements or activities like:

  • CrossFit
  • Deadlifting
  • Golf
  • HIIT workouts
  • Kickboxing
  • Racket sports (tennis, pickleball, or racquetball, for example)
  • Running
  • Sit-ups
  • Weightlifting

And others that add strain to your back.

For back-protecting movement, try low-impact activities like:

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Gentle yoga
  • General stretching

Resting too Much or Staying Inactive

Resting your back is good, but too much rest and too little activity can make your back pain worse. Inactivity allows your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to become stiff or stiffer, which can increase the pain you are already experiencing. Plus, your spine needs muscular support and protection for better stability. However, if your muscles are not exercised, they will naturally weaken and leave the spine vulnerable to more pain and injury.

Do not “push through the pain” in your activity or movements. Instead, make gentle, focused moves that help loosen and strengthen the back without adding further strain or damage to the spine itself.

In addition to the activities already mentioned, some loosening and strengthening exercises include:

Sleeping on the Stomach

People with back pain understand how difficult it can be to find relief once they lie down for the night. It can be hard to settle into a comfortable enough sleeping position that either eases the pain or at least does not make it worse.

While some positions are better than others, sleeping on your stomach is harmful to the alignment of the spine and puts unnecessary pressure on the lower back. Whether you have back pain or not, sleeping on your stomach can cause you to start experiencing back pain or can make your pain much worse over time.

For the best spine alignment at night, sleep on either your back or your side and use proper support:

  • Sleeping on your back – rest your head on a pillow and tuck pillows under your knees to protect the curve of your lower back.
  • Sleeping on your side – rest your ear on a pillow, bend your knees slightly, and place another pillow between your knees to support your spine’s natural alignment. You can also rest in the fetal position, bringing your knees up to your chest.

Is Your Back Pain Not Subsiding or Even Getting Worse? Talk to Georgia Neurosurgical Institute to Find Relief.

Back pain is something so many people experience, and it’s something the team at Georgia Neurosurgical Institute can treat. Our neurosurgeons are highly trained in uncovering the source of your back pain and providing the treatments necessary to correct issues, ease pain, and help you find lasting relief. Our solutions include physical therapy, spinal injections, spinal surgery if necessary, and more.

Schedule an appointment with Georgia Neurosurgical Institute today: 478-743-7092.

Georgia Neurosurgical Institute offers exceptional treatments for the brain and spine to patients throughout Middle Georgia. With offices in Macon and satellite locations in Dublin, Locust Grove, and Warner Robins, we’re able to treat patients in and around:

  • Dublin
  • Forsyth
  • Locust Grove
  • Macon
  • McDonough
  • Milledgeville
  • Perry
  • Warner Robins

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