TYPES OF BACK PAIN – There are many types of back pain and the symptoms of back pain can range from mild to severe in intensity. You may be experiencing upper, middle or low back pain, or sciatic pain (pain in low back which can radiate along the sciatic nerve, through buttock and into the legs).
CAUSES OF BACK PAIN – There are many causes of back pain, with age, poor posture, inactive lifestyle, illness, obesity and injury being some of the most common. Herniated discs, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and scoliosis are other factors that may influence back pain.
PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVELS – Back pain is often influenced by lack of physical fitness with weakened back and abdominal muscles not properly supporting the spine. Also, athletes can experience back pain due to injury or overuse. Muscle strains and ligament sprains are the most common injuries that cause back pain in athletes. Quite often this will be the result of improper body mechanics, insufficient stretching and overuse.
OCCUPATIONAL RISK FACTORS – People in jobs which require heavy lifting, pulling and pushing (especially if this is in conjunction with twisting movements) and repetitive movements (such as getting in and out of a truck, forklift or other machinery) or the use of vibrating equipment (such as jackhammers, brush cutters, power tools) are at a higher risk of developing back pain due to the higher chance of causing injury through these movements. On the other end of the scale, people employed in inactive desk jobs can fall victim to poor posture while sitting in their office chairs and staring intently at a computer screen, often with their head in a forward posture, can also experience back pain. Often poor office ergonomics play a large factor in this. Your Bowen Therapist can advise some simple techniques to improve posture and office/desk set up strategies that may help with this.
WHAT TO DO? – Don’t ignore pain. Pain is your bodies message system, letting you know that something is not right, and you need to rest or discontinue a particular type of activity. When you first experience pain, discontinue the activity causing you the pain and/or rest your back, but do not stay completely immobile. Some limited low impact movement (like walking or swimming) is better than complete bed rest. Take whatever pain relief you normally take (eg: ibuprofen, paracetamol aspirin etc) If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees. Avoid sitting for long periods of time, ensuring you stand, stretch and/or walk around every 25 – 30 minutes. Make an appointment to see your Bowen Therapist for as soon as possible after your back pain has presented, to allow for a faster recovery time.
BOWEN THERAPY AND PAIN MANAGEMENT – Bowen Therapy is an effective and gentle therapy that is effective in reducing or eliminating back pain. Bowen Therapy will help to identify the root cause of the pain, relieve the presenting pain, promote healing and restore movement and function to the area concerned. A suitably qualified Bowen Therapist will discuss and identify how the pain is occurring, treat the area of concern and put the body back into balance, often recommending movement-based activities after treatment such as stretching, strengthening and range of motion exercises, to help to reduce the likelihood of the injury or presenting condition happening again. It is important to remember that every individual will respond differently to physical therapy. How you respond will be governed by your individual habits, patterns of movement and your own individual body type. Your Bowen Therapist will attempt to identify and correct any improper movement patterns or habits to reduce the risk of the injury occurring again, and work with you on an individual level to achieve the best outcome for your own personal situation and recovery.
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