What NOT to do if you hurt your lower back
Imagine this: on the weekend you were gardening, vacuuming, lifting heavy things that you don’t usually lift, sat for an extensive period, or decided to kick start your fitness goals by lifting weights that were far too heavy.
Then, you are reaching down to put your sock on or get something out of the dishwasher and your back seizes up… badly. You can hardly move you are in so much agony, and you have never experienced pain like this before. You are thinking to yourself (also likely Googling): what on earth do I do now?
There is a lot of information on the internet about what you SHOULD do, however I’m here to tell you what NOT to do – to debunk the myths that supposedly are “good for our back” but may actually be detrimental.
What NOT to do #1: Do not lie down for days on end.
Our back is so used to being incidentally used and the joints mobilised on a regular basis that if we just lie still we are likely to get a lot worse! This isn’t to say I want you to go run a marathon but alternating gently between comfortable positions such as side lying, sitting (for no longer than 30-40 minutes) and standing can help with pain management.
What NOT to do #2: Do not ice your back.
Our back joints lie below so many layers of muscles and putting ice on these muscles that are already getting tighter as a protective mechanism will make them tighter and likely increase the level of stiffness in your back. Heat therapy, such as a hot shower, hot water bottle or heat pack are a much better pain-relieving option.
What NOT to do #3: Do not continue to do the same exercise you were prior to injuring your back.
While it might initially feel easier to be in denial and keep moving, you have just sustained an injury and going for that run or lifting heavy weights is likely going to put more load on an already inflamed and irritated structure in your back. This will likely just delay healing and prolong your injury and pain. It may even make it worse!
What NOT to do #4: Do not google and then do stretches that are “good for lower back pain.”
While this type of googling may seem harmless and even beneficial, each lower back injury is very different, and jamming yourself up into a vulnerable position that your injury doesn’t like can risk causing more damage. Seek advice and assessment for your back injury from a physiotherapist. They can perform treatment modalities for pain-relief and injury management, as well as educate you on what you should and shouldn’t be doing.
