The lower back area has a lot of bones that make up the structural part of the "backbone." These are called vertebrae and are what protect the spinal cord, which sends signals from nerves in one's body to the brain.
The lower bony parts extend outwards onto processes known as spinous processes or lumbar spines. There are four spaces between these points where there are intervertebral discs - shock absorbers that soften impacts if any fall occurs.
This article offers health, fitness, and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting any fitness program or treatments suggested to help determine if it is right for your needs.
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These lower backbones and discs are susceptible to small problems that can become large. This is because there is a lot of physical activity that goes through the lower back.
This means that sports injuries like fractured vertebrae or damaged intervertebral discs can be common lower back problems.
Are you experiencing lower back pain? This article is for you!
Learn the most common causes of back pain, its available treatments, and some exercises that you can do to help relieve pain. Additionally, learn a kinesiology taping protocol that you can try to help with the discomfort.
What causes low back pain?
The number one cause of lower back pain is often determined as muscle strain heavy lifting or other physical activity that puts pressure on the lower back.
Some of the other most common causes of lower back pain include:
- Poor posture
- Sudden movements that put a lot of strain on the back
- Lifting heavy items, especially when twisting while doing so
People who are in good shape should be aware that lower back pain can come from doing squats or other things that put weight directly on the lower spine area. It is possible to fracture one of these lower backbones by doing this if you’re not careful enough.
Additionally,lower back pain in children could be caused by tumors or infections. Cancers affecting these areas do occur but not as frequently.
If lower left lower back pain occurs along with fever, vomiting, or tiredness one should also seek medical attention ASAP.
What are the common lower back pain symptoms?
Some of the lower back pain symptoms include:
- Dull and achy pain in the lower back
- Burning pain that runs from the lower back to the back of the thighs
- Tightness and muscle spasms in the low back, pelvis, and hips
- Worsened pain when standing or sitting for a long period
- Having difficulty standing up straight when standing to sitting
How do you diagnose lower back pain?
Your doctor or physician may do a physical exam and conduct imaging tests like an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to diagnose your lower back pain. They may also ask about your activity level, sleeping habits, and past injuries to properly recommend a treatment plan tailored to your individual case.
How to manage lower back pain at home
Treatment may include physical therapy, medications that reduce inflammation, rest at home with counter pain relievers, among other lower back pain treatments.
Here are some things that you can do to mitigate lower back pain:
- Maintain a good posture. This helps to reduce lower back pain by correcting the position of the spine. This means not slouching or arching, but holding your head and neck upright while sitting, standing, walking, and running.
- Maintain a healthy weight. This helps to reduce lower back pain by correcting the position of the spine. This means not slouching or arching, but holding your head and neck upright while sitting, standing, walking, and running.
- Get enough sleep. Make sure you get enough sleep every night because lower back pain can be brought on by fatigue and sleeplessness. How much sleep is needed depends on the individual, but usually, at least seven hours is necessary to feel refreshed and well-rested during the day.
- Stay active.Remaining active is very helpful in lower back pain. Try walking, light jogging, etc., to stretch the lower back muscles in addition to being good for cardiovascular health.
- Kinesiology taping. Kinesiology taping is a good way of providing support for your lower back while alleviating some of the discomfort that you feel. Taping may also be used by your physical therapist or doctor as a part of your overall treatment plan.
If these techniques do not provide enough relief or if one experiences lower back pain daily, it may be time to see a professional. Visiting a doctor, therapist, or health care provider will help you get a professional assessment of your condition, allowing for a more personalized treatment plan.
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Kinesiology taping for lower back pain
Active folks are slowly turning to kinesiology tape to alleviate the discomfort that they experience from an injury. They’ve also turned to kin taping to get support without having to compromise their range of motion.
Given its elastic nature, kin tapes move as you move, making it ideal for athletes and people who love to move. These are just of these tapes’ many benefits.
If kinesiology tape is something new for you - and you want to learn more about it - we’ve made sure to address all your questions here. And, we highly recommend that you read up on the kinesiology taping guidelines as well - it’ll be useful for when you’re taping!
Here are the steps when taping for lower back pain to help relieve discomfort and provide support in the area:
- Find a partner that can help you apply this protocol as it is a hard-to-reach area.
- Prepare two I-strips. With the help of your partner, locate your hip bones.
- Next, with the first strip, have your partner anchor the tape just below the area and position it at the side of the spine.
- Then, bend forward and turn to the opposite direction of the tape to stretch out the muscles in the area. Apply the rest of the kinesiology tape with 10% tension. There should be wrinkles in the tape as you return to an upright posture.
- Repeat steps 3 to 4 for the other kinesiology tape strip.
- Rub in the tape to activate the adhesive.
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Shop NowLower Back Pain Exercises
Lower back pain is one of the more common aches or pains that can affect people. While the condition may not be as serious as, say, heart attack symptoms, lower back pain can still be a painful and frustrating problem.
There are lower back exercises if you wish to strengthen your lower back. Here are some of the exercises/ stretches that you can try at home:
Knee to chest
This exercise helps in lengthening your lower back that helps relieve tension and discomfort. Here are the steps:
- Lie on your back. Then, bend your knees while having your feet flat on the floor.
- Interlace your fingers and clasp your right leg with both your hands. Position your hands under your knees.
- Keep your left foot flat on the floor, gently pull your right knee to your chest until you feel a stretch in the lower back. Do this in thirty seconds to a minute.
- Make sure to relax your legs, hips, and lower back.
- Release your knee and do this to your other leg.
- Repeat this thrice for each leg.
Pelvic tilt
Doing the pelvic tilt helps in releasing tight back muscles and aiding flexibility. Here are the steps:
- Start by lying on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat, and your arms by your sides. You will notice that your lower back will slightly lift off the floor due to the natural curvature of your spine.
- Push your stomach out by gently arching your back. This will stabilize your core.
- Hold this pose for ten to fifteen seconds.
- Without your pelvis leaving the floor, push your pelvis towards the ceiling. Tighten your abdominal and buttocks muscles while doing this. In doing this, the lower back should feel like it’s pressing on the floor.
- Hold this position for five to ten seconds, then relax.
- Repeat this move daily, ten to fifteen times. Then, you can slowly build up to twenty-five to thirty repetitions.
Cat-cow stretch
The cat-cow stretch helps increase flexibility while easing the tension in your core muscles and lower back. Here are the steps:
- Start by getting on your hands and knees, Make sure to keep your knees at hip-width apart.
- Start with the cat portion of the stretch. Start by pulling your belly button up toward the spine by arching your back. Drop your head forward while doing this. Hold this position for five to ten seconds. With this, you should feel a gentle stretch on your lower back.
- Return to your starting pose.
- Next, is the cow portion of the stretch. Start by raising your head up while letting your pelvis fall forward. Hold this position for five to ten seconds.
- Return to the starting pose.
- Repeat the cat-cow stretch fifteen to twenty times.
Conclusion
When it comes to lower back pain, there are many causes and treatments available. From the blog we’ve provided you with a general overview of what symptoms may be present when dealing with this injury, as well as some tips on how you can deal with them effectively in your day-to-day life.
If you want more information about other injuries that affect our bodies such as shoulder impingement as well as lateral ankle sprain, make sure you read through our entire collection of blogs for even more helpful advice!
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