Dr. George L. Dixon - "Talking Fitness"

LOW BACK PAIN

Low Back Pain is almost the most common painful human problem, second only to dental cavities!

Don't smoke, it diverts blood away from your discs, those pads between your vertebral bones, and weakens them. Don't slouch.

Get up from sitting every 30 to 45 minutes and move your body.

Lift things with your knees. Squat down, embrace the object, hold it close and tighten your belly muscles and then stand up. You will really be surprised the first time you actually do this; there is almost no feeling of strain.

Stand close to a shelf to lift something onto it.

It seems clear that those black corsets with suspenders do help prevent back symptoms, probably primarily because they are a constant reminder to lift correctly and also they are an indicator that some instruction has been given in proper lifting.

Get rid of that extra weight you have in that "belly pack" in front of you.

Strengthen the muscles of your abdomen with "abdominal curls".

When you work standing, such as ironing, in an assembly line or at a kitchen counter, put one foot up on a low (4-6 inch) block or stool. That is why the bar rail was invented, so you could stand and drink longer.

Get down on one knee when picking up your grandchild or infant from the floor.

Pull your foot up to your lap when you are sitting to put on your shoes and socks, don't bend over to the floor.

Avoid lying on your stomach, and, if you do, put a pillow under your abdomen and pelvis.

Change your mattress every few years, turn it over every few months.

Don't watch TV from bed unless you have huge pillows to prop up your whole back and neck and head.

Pivot when you get in and out of an auto by keeping your legs together and try to take both feet off and on the ground together.

See your doctor early in acute back pain. Keep moving, even if just a little walking, three or four times daily.

A tub is too hard to get in and out of but hot showers help.

Medications really help early on.

Ask your doctor to arrange at least two learning sessions with a good Physical Therapist, one early and one later.

You need to learn posture and lifting and be taught exercises for trunk muscles which then you do until you get to be 107 years old!

New studies show that walking activity or/and low impact aerobic exercise can reduce your chances of even getting low back pain, and can assist greatly in rehabilitation after the acute attack is over.

More help is available in "Exercise a la Carte", here, at your bookstore or call 800-624-4952.