General Tips Back pain

• Don’t use painkillers as a preventative, only to treat condition.
• Keep your back moving, resting your back too much will weaken muscles and increase back stiffness.
• Wear protective clothing and use the right equipment e.g. , back support belts, shin pad ankle/elbow/face/head protectors/wrist/linear supports/exercise belts/padding for your particular activity.

Warm Up – Cool Down Exercise

• Too much exercise too quickly can cause damage to muscles and tissues and put you out of action before you’ve even got started.
• It is vital that you build up to any session of moderate to strenuous exercise with gentle aerobic exercise.
• If you are planning a work-out in the gym, spend 15-20 minutes on the running machine or exercise bike.
• Start off slowly and increase your speed gradually throughout the session.
• Do some simple and gentle stretching or loosening exercises to limber up for any weight training.
• Air conditioned rooms can makes one muscles cold and tense, its important to warm up those muscles.

If long term injury or pain

• Have regular breaks.
• Decrease stress to injured area, consider:

• • Acupuncture therapy
  • Alexandra technique
  • Aromatherapy
  • Pilates
  • Tai-Chi
  • Yoga

• Air conditioned rooms can makes one muscles cold and tense, try to be in an environment not too cold.
• Consider a Tens machine products (electrical stimulation), see a pharmacist before buying to see if suitable.
• Don’t rest your muscles for too long as this can cause stiffness and weakness, start with light stretching as soon as possible and slowly increase ones level of activity.
• if one has joint pain  one can continue to use ice method above, however if one has muscle pain,  heat therapy is best as it will help to bring blood circulation to the area  for healing.
• One can apply heat gels/packs/sprays/ hot water bottle/hot towel if suitable. Person who have sensitivity to temperature (i.e increase risk of burns) should use in caution examples include:
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Eczema and/or Dermatitis (or any hot, red , swollen skin condition)
  • Diabetes
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Vascular diseases
  • Any neurological conditions , which cause pain, numbness, tingling sensation and/or nerve damage.
• Consider Osteotherapy.
• Consider Physiotherapy.
• Consider Spinal manipulation (back pain).
• Consider Manual therapy course.
• Consider Chiropractic or deep massage.
• Lose weight if overweight.
• Eat a healthy diet
• Achieve a good posture (cushion on seating), avoid hunching shoulders forward, stop slouching and move around regularly
• Consider Alexandra Technique
• Correct lifting technique.
• Have a good mattress.
• Achieve good posture.
• Change your shoes, lower one’s heels (not completely flat), check back of shoe heels and wear shoe insoles.
• Products are available to help with mobility.
• Protect injured area with a support (use as little as possible, one does not want to rely on it, unless specialist states otherwise).
• One needs to exercise the affected joint to decrease the chance of muscle weakness, joint problems and joint diseases. It will also help one to lose weight and improve confidence which is vital in joint healthcare. Exercise as soon as you feel your joint has healed, if unsure talk to your pharmacist or your physiotherapist.
• Local sports centres and physiotherapist services may provide specialist service for joint care.
• Have an exercise programme (avoid heavy weights, heavy objects), consider swimming and cardiovascular exercise, but talk to a health professional first.

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Natural treatments and tips (DR Axe)