Got these two questions in my clinic this week that I wanted to share the answers with you. They’re both on the common topic of back pain:
1.) “Paul… How do you continue to try and stay fit (gym, work, golf etc…) when a long standing, persistent back injury keeps recurring? It seems that during the course of physio things are fine, but as soon as it stops my problems return. I know the obvious answer is more physio, but I feel this only masks the problem. – Danny. 52, West Park…
AND –
2.) “Because of lower back problems I have been unable to do any exercise and have consequently put on weight which I struggle to get off. I have a quite healthy diet but really could do with some exercise. I’m sure the extra weight I carry isn’t helping my back problem. In fairness, the weight gain wasn’t due to inactivity but a thyroid problem. Any thoughts? – Jayne, 61. Darlington.
I’ll start with Danny’s worry about why his back problem keeps happening. I note that he mentions that physio “masks” the problem… And I’d have to agree… to an extent… because it’s like this: physio can never be a full-blown cure where you’re not going to suffer again. The real long-term success at fighting things like back pain is in what YOU do in between or after your sessions.
As in, the lifestyle changes you make, the exercise classes you attend, the type of exercise that you do or don’t do, right down to the length of time you spend sitting and even how you do it. Neil tells me he is a teacher…now I bet that his day is consumed with a lot of sitting at a desk or in important meetings etc.
And that means chronic back pain is more likely because “backs” aren’t made to sit and reason why sitting is the chief cause of most chronic back pain) The long term solution?
Regular posture style exercises to increase muscle control using Pilates routines mixed with lots of Yoga style exercises to make the muscles and joints more supple and flexible.
One thing I must point out – “exercising” …(running, swimming, golf etc) rarely makes backs stronger and there is a huge difference between exercising and doing exercises such as Pilates and Yoga — which are exercises that get you in good enough shape to be able to “exercise”!
Pilates style exercises are also perfect for “Jayne” concerned about the impact of her weight and her lower back, and she is right. Back pain is made worse by the amount of weight any person has to carry.
But the issue is one and the same… that being constant pressure added to the lower back which makes it even more vital to do strength and control exercises to support her back on a daily basis, which allow her to exercise and therefore lose more weight, quicker.
So, the answer to both of these questions is to be found in LONG term commitment and discipline to doing the right exercises. And by long term, I’m talking at least 3 months before you even notice any difference so you’ve got keep at them to feel the benefits.
If you want tips for easing back pain by at least 20%, just go to www.paulgoughphysio.com/back-pain to pick up a free special report (worth £58) with 9 top tips to keep active with less back pain.
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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