When back Pain Occurs, Should you rest?
What is Back Pain?
Non-specific acute low back pain (NSALBP) is a common injury treated in the health care space. NSALBP is a sudden onset of low back pain in the absence specific underlying disease or morphology. Back Pain effects each and every one of us differently and at its worst can be significantly debilitating. Symptoms of Back Pain include a sudden onset of sharp stabbing low back sensations aggravated by lumbar spine movement such as bending and twisting.
How to Treat Back Pain?
So what is the best thing to do when acute back pain occurs? Should you rest? Take the day off work to let it settle?
A common misconception in the management of NSALBP is to completely rest to help resolve your symptoms. Now I’m not saying that resting will not help manage your symptoms but completely resting is not going to help you get any better. In fact I would argue that complete rest has a greater chance of prolonging your NSALBP and aggravating your pain. Relative rest (staying as active as tolerated) and performing therapeutic exercise (movement exercises) is a greater option to complete rest and is extremely effective and easy to perform.
The correct prescription of a specific therapeutic exercise program to your presentation can be extremely effective in settling/resolving Back Pain. Exercises may include relaxation breathing techniques, lumbar rotations, knee rocks, walking etc. Our bodies are built to move and not stay sedentary and through performing correct therapeutic exercise tailored to you, you will not damage your back through movement.
Not only will therapeutic exercise assist in managing your symptoms but is a great way to get active and return your previous level of function faster.
Back Pain and Physiotherapy
At TPM all of our Physiotherapists’ are highly trained to diagnose and treat Acute Back Pain appropriately and effectively. Treated correctly, your Back Pain will resolve quickly. So if your are experiencing a sudden onset of low back pain avoid complete rest, stay as active and tolerated and seek physiotherapy guidance.
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