80% of people in their lives will suffer a lower back injury.  Of these 80%, 20% will become chronic and experience repeated episodes.  You know how the story goes… You or someone you know went to pick up something wrong and felt the pain intensify and worsen.  What you may not know is that bending over/forward created the intense episode, but it was the way in which you used your lower back repeatedly that caused this. It is important to note that some lower back pain episodes are caused from trauma (sports, accidents),  in addition to micro-trauma described above.

Most lower back pain episodes occur because of a weak core and/or gluteal muscles.  Most of us sit or stand for much of the day tightening our hamstrings, hip flexor, and quadriceps muscles.  If you don’t stretch these tight muscles, then these muscles will continue to get tight and cause your lower back to compensate and weaken.  Identifying what you do on a daily basis will allow you to help realize what repeated movements may have caused your lower back pain in the 1st place  Remember: your pain is the 1st thing to go and the last thing to come.

Chiropractors utilize ice, heat, massage, stretches, electrical muscle stimulation to decrease pain, muscle spasms, and increase flexibility when you have an acute or chronic episode of lower back pain.  In order for the pain to return less frequently, consider looking at long-term rehab options to help stabilize and strengthen your lower back.  It usually takes months of doing rehab for your core and gluteal muscles to get strong based on your daily regimen.  Changing how you move and what you can do to reduce the likelihood of your lower back pain will help eliminate these future episodes.

Stay tuned to next month’s blog… It is time for you take control!