Lumbar strains are common and often recurrent, even in active patients. Muscular imbalances, poor posture and workplace stress can contribute to low back pain. Often our first impulse is to turn to bed rest to ease the pain of a lumbar strain, but movement is key to pain relief. A few simple exercises can put you on the road to healing and prevent future injury.
Immediate Care
Ice and active rest can ease inflammation and pain of a lumbar strain. Though you may not feel like taking on the world when you have a lumbar strain, bed rest will do little to relieve the pain. Active rest, or gentle exercise within limits of pain, can speed recovery. Gentle stretches performed regularly will prevent stiffness. Walking, swimming and other low-impact cardio activity will improve circulation.
Strengthen Your Core
Your lower back depends on more than just back muscles for support. Strong and balanced abdominal, hip and glute muscles also support the spine. A well balanced regular exercise program that includes a variety of upper and lower body exercises will give your lumbar spine the support it needs. A solid core program includes more than just crunches. The abdominal muscles are a complex, multidirectional muscle group. Working only one of those muscles might make you look better in the mirror but will do very little to stabilize your core. Traditional exercises like squats and lunges, yoga exercises like the child's pose and posture exercises like abdominal bracing and opposite arm/leg reach all have a place in a balanced exercise program. A holistic approach to fitness that includes cardio, strength training and flexibility training is the key to prevention of injury.
Prevention
Good posture in the workplace relies on proper positioning of chairs, desks and monitors. If you take the time to make improvements to your work environment, such as adjusting the keyboard, you will reap the rewards. Your knees should fit comfortably under your desk, and chair height should be adjusted to allow both feet to rest flat on the floor. Adjusting keyboard height to allow your forearms to rest slightly lower than a horizontal line will help your posture when at the computer. Taking regular breaks to move and stretch will improve circulation and reduce repetitive stress.
Maintainance
Continuing exercise even after your back pain is gone can help prevent future injury. Correcting muscular imbalances is an ongoing effort, but can be made more enjoyable by including them in your regular activities like yoga or Pilates. Long periods of sitting weaken the glutes and tighten the hamstrings, which can lead to lumbar strain. Many weekend athletes who spend their workweeks in an office struggle with lumbar strains for this reason; making regular exercise maintenance the key to a healthy back.
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