What Not to Do About Lower Back Pain

If you're experiencing lower back pain, there are some things you've probably tried but should not do.

The first thing people tell us they are doing when experiencing lower back pain is bending over forward at the waist, stretching out the painful area and trying to make it feel better. In reality, this is likely making it worse!

If you or someone you know is experiencing lower back pain, don't bend forward, for starters. Secondly, click here to set up a no-charge evaluation where we can help you find out what's causing your lower back pain.

We're here to help, and if we can't help you, we'll send you to someone who can.

How to Stretch Your Hips to Keep Them Feeling Great

A lot of times, the back of the hip goes unstretched and doesn’t get enough attention. You can remedy this using the 90-90 position. It’s similar to the hurdler’s stretch that you’ve probably done sometime in your athletic career. Begin by sitting on the ground and setting your hips, knees, and ankles flat at 90 degree angles. From that point, arch your lower back to accentuate the stretch and work the back of the front leg.

For all my yogis out there, this can seem like a remedial position. In order to make it more difficult, pretend there is a string coming straight up from your belly button and it’s pulling you forward. One common mistake people make with this type of stretch is folding over and losing the integrity of the lower-back arch. 

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Just like all stretches, you should hold the 90-90 position for two minutes.

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That arch is the most important part of this stretch. It separates your hips and allows the stretch to originate from the back of the hip. Just like all stretches, you should hold the 90-90 position for two minutes. That’s the amount of time you really need to make a difference in that tissue.

If you do have hip pain and the first stretch didn’t resolve it, click here to schedule a complimentary screening at the Wellness Revolution. If you have any other questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Why Does Your Back Hurt?

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21 Day Purification Program

One of the most common causes of lower back pain is having tight hips. Cyclists and runners encounter this problem frequently, as do people who play hockey or sit at a desk all day. If this is you, you probably have tight hip flexors.

There are a few stretches you can do to avoid back pain and maintain good hip health. One stretch in particular helps the psoas muscle. This muscle runs down your spine, goes down, and inserts in the back of your hip. It is one of the muscles that brings your knee up towards your chest, so you can see how sitting all day would shorten that muscle.

"Sitting all day can shorten the psoas muscle."

You need to lengthen your psoas muscle in order to maintain good hip health. To stretch your left psoas muscle, step forward with your right foot. Maintain a neutral spine by squeezing your left glute. Next, pretend there is a string attached to your hip and pull straight out. You will feel the stretch immediately.

One common mistake during this stretch is overarching your low back, which takes slack off the muscle and doesn’t provide a deep enough stretch. Hold the stretch for 2 minutes on each side to prevent low back pain.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

A Simple Exercise to Relieve Neck and Back Pain

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Hey everyone, Dr. Tony here. Today I’m going to talk about something that everyone does that is horrible for your spine. We are also going to show you how to correct it. If you get tension or pain in your shoulders or neck, this is something you absolutely want to check out. We see it in the office over and over again. 

Walk into an office or a classroom and you’ll see someone sitting with their back bent and head pushed forward. We’re attracted to the screen, but that often leaves us in a vulnerable position with horrible posture. Even when people are told or reminded to sit in their ideal posture, studies show they only hold it for an average of one minute and 37 seconds. 

Today I want to offer you some solutions and things to think about on your own. One thing you can do is set a timer, maybe every 30 minutes, where you can check your posture and make sure your body is in the correct position. 

Another thing you can do is what’s called a cervical McKenzie extension. If you find yourself with poor posture, what you want to do is retract your chin, keep a straight back, look up as far as you can go, then return to center. 

It’s a simple exercise, but can have great results. I suggest doing ten of these, 5 times a day. If you have any pain doing this exercise, come see us, because you shouldn’t. If you do, it means there’s a problem, but a problem we can fix. 

As always, if you would like to schedule a free consultation, we’d be glad to meet with you to help take better care of your body, spine, and muscles. Give us a call or send us an email if this interests you, or if you have any questions for us. We look forward to hearing from you!