When Should I See A Chiropractor for Low Back Pain
You find yourself waking up every morning with a stiff back and have to constantly stretch and move before it ‘loosens’ up. Then you go about your day, walking and taking vitamins like you are supposed to. Your job requires you to sit down for 6-8 hours of the day but you
are using proper ergonomics while working. You feel like you are doing everything you are supposed to do but you continue to wake up with a stiff back. Not to mention that you love to garden or love to play with your kids but those activities increase your back pain. Do you have to give those up? What is the issue? What else can you do?
You are not alone. Low back pain and stiffness are common among our population. Read that correctly: it’s common but not normal. We are not meant to constantly have low back pain. We are not meant to sit for multiple hours of the day We are not meant to give up on our passions and hobbies due to aches and pains. Now, lets ask you a 5 worded question: Have you ever tried chiropractic? You could get your 30 minutes a day of exercise, take proper vitamins, use proper posture while completing activities, but if your joint is restricted and not moving correctly, you will constantly compensate until you get that joint moving properly- how do you do that? Chiropractic adjustments.
9 REASONS you should see a CHIROPRACTOR:
1. You wake up with back stiffness every morning.
2. You sit at a desk for work (or drive).
3. You are pregnant or a new mom with low back stiffness
4. You feel off balanced when standing.
5. You bent over to lift a moderately heavy item and felt a ‘pop’ in the low back.
6. You feel shooting pains down your leg.
7. You have tried medicine or stretching without improvement.
8. You have found relief for your back pain but it continues to come back.
9. You feel locked up and/or have limited bending or twisting motions.
All of these can be relieved, resolved, or helped with chiropractic treatment, utilizing adjustments, dry needling, soft tissue treatments, flexion distraction, etc.
You may be wondering what you can do in the meantime, before your next chiropractic appointment. Here are some exercises and stretches that can help relieve your pain (Disclaimer: ask your health professional before attempting a new exercise program.)
Exercises & Stretches
Here is a tip: stop forward bending in the morning. We do enough flexion activities throughout the day, we need to perform more extension. Another tip: move your legs for at least 60 seconds before getting out of bed for optimal blood flow.
Standing Extension (7-10 reps)
Press ups (7-10 reps) (Cobra)
Cat Cow
Standing Leg Swings
Standing Hamstring and Calf stretches
Figure 4 Glute stretch
Dead Bugs
Hip Abduction
If you are experiencing any of the above situations, don't wait it out any longer. Contact our office via phone (504-738-7246), email (riverridgechiro@gmail.com), or by website (www.riverridgechiro.net) so we can help you! We can personalize a low back exercise and stretch routine that most benefits you and your condition.