Understanding Low-Grade Back Pain: A Daily Discomfort You Shouldn't Ignore

Hey Team,

Warm weather has a fantastic way of brightening our spirits. Longer days and sunshine make us want to get outside and soak it all in! It's such a great time for adventures and recharging our batteries. Of course, with all that outdoor fun, our bodies are also working hard to keep up with new routines and activities.

The Downside of Increased Activity

While staying active is crucial for maintaining overall health, sudden increases in physical activity can sometimes take a toll on our bodies, particularly our lower backs. Low back pain is a common complaint during the summer months, often resulting from activities that involve bending, lifting, twisting, and prolonged periods of standing or walking.

Common Culprits of Low Back Pain

1. Gardening and Yard Work: Bending over to weed, lifting heavy bags of soil, and pushing lawnmowers can strain the lower back.

2. Sports and Recreation: Playing tennis, golf, or participating in water sports can involve sudden, awkward movements that stress the lower back muscles.

3. Hiking and Walking: While these are great forms of exercise, carrying heavy backpacks or walking on uneven terrain can lead to back pain.

4. Beach Activities: Beach volleyball, frisbee, and even lounging on poorly supportive beach chairs can contribute to discomfort.

A common issue we often encounter in the clinic is low back pain. Most people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives, and it can be quite debilitating. Unfortunately, we often associate back pain with severe symptoms that can hinder one's ability to return to work, complete daily chores, or even necessitate surgery.

In today’s blog, I want to discuss a different kind of back pain: the low-grade, nagging discomfort that many people experience daily. This type of pain is usually not severe enough to warrant medical attention, but it can build up over time.

Here are the typical symptoms of this type of Low Back Pain I am referring to:

• Non-Radicular: Pain not extending from the back down the leg, but commonly only stays in the low back.

• Centralized: Pain remaining in the middle of the lumbar spine

• Dull Ache: Presents as a dull ache and can increase to a more pronounced discomfort with increased activity (lifting, walking on a hard surface, twisting)

• Stiffness: Presents with stiffness to the low back after a period of rest or sleep, requiring a slow progression once becoming weight-bearing.

These symptoms are all too common and are an area we tend to help people in the office. So, what can we do for these individuals? What is a safe place to start? First, I made a video of 3 common exercises to help improve mobility to the spine and reduce this type of Low Back Pain.

Here are a couple of notes before you watch the video:

• POSITION: Perform these lying down: preferably before you start your day, get out of bed, get out of the recliner. Increasing mobility before weight-bearing is a great way to reduce stiffness and pain when standing.

• SAFETY: Perform these slowly, controlled, and without pain. Never take your body into a painful position; however, this does not me discontinue. Find a range you may perform these safely and without symptoms and work on this range only.

• TIMING: These exercises are best to perform before getting up from prolonged lying down OR after a long day on the feet.

>>>CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH 3 SIMPLE LOW BACK EXERCISES TO HELP STIFFNESS<<<

With low back pain, adjusting your posture, biomechanics, or external factors can lighten your burdens throughout the day. Embrace these simple steps to diminish that nagging low back pain and feel empowered on your journey to relief.

1. Find squishy shoes: Shoes with more padding or a better heel are best to decrease the force from gravity and body weight during standing activities. These forces absorb through the shoe instead of the lower leg and back. A quality walking or running shoe is ideal.

    >>>CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLES<<<<

2. Minimize Hard Weight Bearing Surfaces: Concrete surfaces do not allow any absorption of forces to occur; however, grass does. Recreational walking on grass help reduce forces for people with chronic low back pain versus concrete flooring. Trips to the grocery store or a mall will usually result in low back pain for many individuals at night. If you must walk on hard surfaces… refer to the previous tip by wearing squishy shoes.

3. Intermittent Rest: Walking and weight-bearing on hard surfaces cannot always be avoided. Taking periodic rest breaks (every 30 minutes) will help relax the low back muscles supporting the back and "unweight" the joint structures. Find ways during these times to sit and rest for 10 minutes to "unweight" the back

Effectively managing low back pain is achievable through simple yet impactful adjustments in your daily habits. By selecting the right footwear, avoiding hard surfaces when possible, and incorporating intermittent rest, you can alleviate strain on your back and promote healing. These strategies not only help reduce pain but also empower you to take control of your comfort and mobility. Embrace these steps as part of your everyday routine to foster a healthier back and enhance your quality of life. Remember, small changes can lead to significant improvements on your journey toward back pain relief.

Keep Moving!

Rob

•          The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com