A few tips for low back health:
- Sitting, walking, standing, and generally being an upright human being compress the lumbar spine. At the end of the day (or after sitting/walking), do a very gentle forward fold. With loose knees, hold your elbows and nod your head. Not trying to touch your toes, just breathing space into the low spine.
- Imagine your pelvis is a bowl. Many of us arch our low backs, tipping our pelvises forward. If that bowl were full of water, it would spill out over our toes. Instead, gently tuck the sacrum under and the belly in. The bowl is level and the water is undisturbed.
- If you do yoga or stretch-and you are someone who experiences low back pain- consider skipping poses like upward dog or anything with compression through the low spine. Instead do tiniest of baby cobras, engaging the muscles of your back rather than arching.
- Yep, your abs. Strong abdominal muscles help take the burden off the low back.
- Waiting for water to boil or food to cook? Stand an arm’s length from your kitchen sink and grab its edge. Bending at the waist, bow forward, making an L shape of your body (you can also do this with a chair, but the sink is more stable). Release your neck, directing your gaze to your knees. Imagine breathing space between all of your vertebrae.
- Sometimes the low back starts hurting for no apparent cause or injury. In East Asian Medicine, low back pain may be indicative of existential concerns, things having to do with shelter, safety, money, and whether or not we feel supported by those around us & the world. Consider these themes as well. Do you feel safe and supported right now?
We treat low back pain every day at the clinic. The tools we use are chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, cupping, bodywork and recommend exercises and stretches. Often it is useful to have a chiropractic assessment first to understand the underlying causes of your low back pain so you can more effectively take care of it at home. As always, we’re here to answer any questions you have about your health or our care.
