#1 DO NOT SIT LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES!
Many of us are guilty of sitting for long periods without realising several hours have passed. Naturally, we begin to slouch after sitting for awhile. This not only causes the lower back muscles to switch off but also means all the pressure from our upper-body weight runs through the lower region of your spine. Overtime, the pressure builds up resulting in lower back stiffness and inevitable aches. The solution is SIMPLE! Breaking up your sitting with intermittent breaks of standing up for 1-2mins to help realign the spine and therefore even the distribution of pressure throughout the spine.
#2 USE HEAT OR HOT STEAMING SHOWER!
When the lower back spine stiffens up in-turn the muscles on top tighten and cease up. This common muscle reaction causes you to feel lower back soreness. Heat application is such a fantastic way to help relax muscle tightness and spasms. My tip is to apply heat for 10-15minutes twice a day for optimum effect.
#3 AVOID SLEEPING ON YOUR STOMACH! RATHER SLEEP WITH A PILLOW BETWEEN KNEES!
I would highly advise against sleeping on your stomach when your lower back is sore. This puts several parts of your spine in a non-ideal twisted position. On the other hand, slipping with a pillow between your knees might be initially uncomfortable for some but it drastically reduces the amount of twisting in your spine and therefore lowers the tension in your lower back.
#4 CORRECT FOOTWEAR IS VITAL!
The importance of wearing proper footwear is very underrated and many of us forget that humans on average make 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day. The worst kind of footwear is high heels as it increases the amount of pressure through your lower back by 25 times! This further includes poor footwear such as sandals, thongs and plimesole shoes. These kind of shoes lack cushioning to absorb shock, cumulatively putting pressure on the lower back every time you make a step. Now imagine the effect of taking 3000-4000 steps with poor footwear multiple over a week or worse over a year!
#5 LET A PHYSIOTHERAPIST HELP YOU!
A hands-on specialist physio can effectively pin-point which structure in the body is leading to your lower back discomfort. In addition, they are equipped with the necessary hands on technique to relax and loosen your muscles and joints. Approximately 30 minutes into the treatment session, you will notice a drop in the amount of lower back pain!
What makes physiotherapist unique amongst other professions is that they take your rehab one step further by strengthening your body to reduce the likelihood of your lower back playing up again.
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