Back pain: Moving forward when you are in pain
There is never a good time to be in pain. It affects every aspect of your daily life – sleep, dressing, caring for children, getting to work, stops you exercising, stops you doing the things you enjoy. When you are in pain it often feels like life will never be the same again.
If you are experiencing back pain how can you find a way forward?
Understand your pain – Instinct is often helpful – if you bent over or lifted something and strained your back you probably have a good explanation for your pain. Perhaps the pain has come on for no apparent reason, this is common. If I were to predict when you would be most at risk of a pain episode it will be when you are feeling tired and you are stressed. There are many underlying factors that make you vulnerable to pain but these are the most common.
Once you have an understanding of what may have happened and why you may be experiencing pain you can start to find solutions.
If the pain is worrying you it may be helpful to seek advice about what may be causing your pain.
Pacing – When you are recovering from pain sometimes it can feel like slow progress. Often when you start to feel better you want to get on with the things you haven’t been able to do like cleaning the house or gardening or activities at work. If you try to do too much too soon this can set you back. It is important to decide a sensible amount to do and stick to it, no matter how good you feel. Gradually increase how much you do until you return to full activities. Pacing like this prevent a boom-bust, yo-yo type recover where your symptoms keep varying dramatically.
Achieve goals – This links to the previous point. Set yourself a goal – attending an event, returning to an activity – whatever is important to you. Think about the steps of progress you need to make to achieve that goal – perhaps being able to sit for longer or walk further and break that down into smaller targets. Planning like this will help you to see that you are making progress and help you to achieve your goals quicker.
Three quick tips:
- Avoid bed rest or prolonged sitting – movement is best
- Continue with normal activities as much as possible
- Remember your body is strong and robust – don’t be fearful of moving.
If you have any questions I’d love to hear from you.