Lets talk about exercise and back pain…
Last week I had a question asked by one of our patients, Jackie, 58, from Cirencester … And it’s one that we get asked often: “Is it ok to exercise when my back is hurting? I’ve just got into a good routine sticking to the gym and working out three times a week, and I really don’t want to stop…”
I get the frustration, and I also know that the thought of doing any movement at all when you’re going through some kind of pain might feel a little scary…
- You don’t want to run the risk of aggravating it any more in case it turns into something more serious.
- You don’t want to go ‘too hard’ in the gym incase you pull another muscle.
- And you don’t want to wake up one day to find that you can no longer roll out of bed easily, walk down the road, or even drive because what you did, made it worse.
But don’t let that worry you too much – that’s rarely ever the case!
An aching lower back doesn’t mean you’ve got to be housebound, with heat and ice packs until it magically disappears. You CAN keep moving!
In fact, not moving at all can make your back pain worse!
Here’s why… If you suffer from lower back pain that comes and goes, gentle walking with exercises designed to improve lower back strength and movement added in, will make a big difference. Walking is a completely natural movement that keeps your joints mobile and muscles working – even those in your feet, legs, hips and torso – which play an important role in keeping the muscles in your back that hold you up right, strong.
