What To Do With Back Pain During COVID-19?

Back pain can strike us all at some point in time, COVID or no COVID. 

Many people suffer from back aches and pain from lifting objects up in poor positions, over estimating their abilities, or prolonged sitting, just to name a few. (Sitting issues are running rampant in this crazy time). 

If you are sitting for hour on end, while working from home, you are probably falling victim to some new or exacerbating back aches. Not to mention, you are probably sitting on hard kitchen chairs that cant even remotely compare to the one you have in your office. 

So what are you supposed to due when this aching nags at you all day?

Just deal with it?
Take a Tylenol?
Ice?
Heat?
The list of questions can go on and on.

Maybe you even thought it was you sitting posture, so you decided to "sit up straight".

That method, though seems like a good idea, could actually be making the problem worse.

Even though we are sitting, it may look like our back is rounded and slouching, but the position of our spine is causing a compression. Straightening up in the chair can further reinforce this compression on the low back, making for more stiffness and aching once you go to stand again.

When the back is compressed, muscles of the low back pick up leverage and hold on in a shorten position, causing increased stiffness. This will surely limit any rotation and movement that would occur at the low back when walking around.

Here's a video on how you can ease back pain by creating the rotation and stability needed, side to side, so upright walking and changing positions are less cumbersome.

Remember to feel the butt , hamstrings, and OBLIQUES engage in this exercise. The exhale will drive a down position of the ribs, assisting the hip tuck that you initiate the movement with. Don't lose you tuck, even when you full descend. The side with the knee to chest will have a feeling of stretching and expanding upon inhales. 

Give this a shot every couple hours when sitting for long periods of time to break up the compressive forces on your spine and ease up household mobility. ​​