It’s a fact that a high percentage of people today experience back pain. Whether it’s a mild experience or chronic back pain, it’s an ongoing issue, particularly with employees in the industrialised world.
Back pain can be caused in many ways, including trauma, poor posture and injury. The treatment options that are offered to you will depend on the type of back pain that you experience. One treatment possibility is a manual form of therapy such as osteopathy.
Osteopaths treat back pain by focusing on manipulating and your musculoskeletal system to strengthen it and restore it to a state of equilibrium. By combining anatomy and physiology with clinical methods of investigation, it can be an effective way of treating the symptoms of back pain.
Here we look at some of the actions you can take to help prevent back pain.
Take a Break from Your Desk
Whilst back pain can be a problem for manual workers, back pain is also a common problem for office workers. For people that spend most of their day sat at a desk, with minimal breaks away from their desk and little exercise, poor posture can be a problem that much increases the risks of developing back problems.
Osteopaths will often recommend taking short and frequent breaks from your desk. Even if it’s to get a drink or walk to the photocopier. Standing desks are also a new innovation growing increasingly popular to help with this ongoing issue. However, balance is key, as long periods of standing can be just as bad as sitting.
Take Care of Yourself
Regular body work, massages, stretching and back mobility exercises can help. Finding time for these can help fight against accumulative tension, improve your sleep and lower your risk of injury.
For those who experience stiffness, use a foam roller to apply deep joint articulation and muscle lengthening around your body. When used on your spinal cord, you may find your flexibility returning and segmental joint mobilisation improving.
Visiting an Osteopath
In the digital age, you will find many of us with our neck bent down to stare at mobile phones and laptop screens. Consequently, this has been known to cause tightness in your neck, upper back tension and sometimes headaches.
Visiting an osteopath may help to reduce tension and discomfort. Soft tissue techniques can be employed to your neck and upper back to also help prevent headaches.
Banishing Back Pain Post Treatment
After visiting your osteopath, aftercare will need to be a priority. In between your check-up sessions, you should try to stay active. This includes routine stretching, exercise and often lifestyle changes. After each session, your osteopath will advise you on appropriate aftercare.
Book Your Appointment
At Fiona Passey Osteopaths, we specialise in osteopathy, acupuncture, counselling and integrated healthcare consultations. All of our osteopaths are registered with the General Osteopathic Council and are highly qualified.
During our sessions we use a range of techniques such as stretching, massaging and manipulations to help relieve pain and tension across your body. We also offer general health advice, including dietary information, self-management advice, support and exercise therapy for the best results.
To book your appointment, get in touch today.
