Rest or Move About?
One of the questions I am often asked - should I rest or move about when I have back pain. Am I making it worse?
Gone are the days when the guidance was to go to bed for a period of time!
So, what should you do?
The honest answer is, it depends! Let's see if I can unpick that for you:
1. Sudden back pain or injury - from lifting or similar
This is pain where you know the source - you remember doing something to cause the injury. There is likely to be inflammation and some swelling.
Rest, or taking it easier, for the first 24-48 hours is usually a good idea for this type of pain. This doesn't mean bed rest, but just pottering around the house and avoiding too much bending and lifting. If you need to rest, try laying on the bed for half an hour, rather than sitting in a chair all day. And consider using ice too, as we discussed last month, in our blog.
When the acute pain and inflammation starts to ease then you should start moving more to improve circulation and the healing of soft tissues. This also helps to ensure muscles don't weaken.
For clarity, by movement I don't mean going for a run, or returning to your boot camp workout! Gentle movement such as pottering around the house, doing some gentle stretches, or going for short walks is the order of the day.
You may experience some mild discomfort but it is important to move around to stop your soft tissues stiffening up and to improve the healing process.
Should you take painkillers, or does that just make it worse because you can't feel the pain?
Each case is different, but for this type of pain, it can be helpful to take medication if it's too painful to move otherwise. As I have already suggested, getting moving is important in speeding up your healing process, so this can help.
2. Recurring pain that comes and goes
You'll recognise this - your pain comes and goes, with no obvious reason to start it. Gradually, it becomes more frequent, or more painful. You're not sure why you get it, but it is possible that bad posture, or repetitive actions you are doing may exacerbate it. Inflammation or swelling is not obvious, but discomfort is more likely to be in the muscles.
In this instance, maintaining every day activities as much as possible is advisable. You may well be aware of specific activities that aggravate your pain - sitting for long periods, or having to do repetitive actions, are common. If your job requires you to sit in an office, adding movement can be challenging. Just getting up and stretching regularly, and taking a few deep breaths, can be hugely beneficial.
Try to maintain good posture as much as you can. When you return to your seat check your posture - are you sitting upright or slouching? Making small changes to what you are doing and adding in a little movement really can work wonders.
So, in answer to should you take painkillers if you are experiencing this type of pain?
Medication can mask the pain, whereas being aware of your discomfort will hopefully prompt you to take action and introduce some movement.
The decision on when to take medication is best done with advice from your doctor or chiropractor. Likewise, if you are unsure about resting or exercise, please seek advice.