Our LASS Rx for most of our LBP patients is to include frequent short brisk walks. Especially if you are having an acute episode or flare-up.
This will nourish & vascularize the tissues, thus increasing the opportunity to calm things down. Why is that? It is simple “the motion is the lotion”. We tend to OVER-PROTECT when we have pain, but rest isn’t best. Rest = rust. So “if you want your body to feel better, feel your body move better.”
Reminder: Over-protection is a primary perpetuating or predisposing factor in pain.
The walk should be brisk like your in NYC late for a meeting your excited to get to. We should have with a spring to our step like we’re having a good day. There’s no safer exercise than walking. And it can have an analgesic effect on your pain. Even better is walking with a friend or group.
Remember your resilent rather than fragile. Even if you are in pain hurt doesn’t necessarily = harm. Use a traffic light approach. Red is pain 7-10 stop try something else. Yellow is 3/4-6 proceed, but monitor the results. It will probably loosen things up as you “warm up”. Green is 0-2/3 go for it & don’t worry about mild discomfort.
You’re designed to move. Usually what’s wrong with our back is we are sitting or standing too much. Or, not doing enough variety of activities. Or, not challenging the tissues regularly or intelligently with gradually increasing strengthening exercises followed by appropriate recovery.
People always want to know WHY they have pain or WHAT is causing their pain. Whatever tissue is the issue we want to get upstream to the source of the source. Usually a knee pain is due to ankle problem; a back pain a hip dysfunction, etc. Amputees feel “ghost” or “phantom” pain so here “the tissue isn’t the issue” at all. Focusing on the tissue pain source instead of the source of the source can sensitize us so that “the hurt you feel becomes the feeling you hurt”. Chasing pain often leads to a diagnosis of a herniated disc or degenerative arthritis, but these are often coincidental findings since most people without pain also have them. But, it’s scary & frustrating when you have severe or persistent pain so it’s easy when you hear these things to assume you are damaged.
The good news is you’re resilent & will bounce back. If it hasn’t an expert can help you regain your quality of life. “Your body is built to last not to break”. If your neck hurts due to a strained muscle or bulging disc how did it get irritated? Typically we did something we weren’t PREPARED for. Sitting all day & turning suddenly can cause pain from a certain specific tissue suddenly being (over)loaded. But, the real culprit is the lack of micro-breaks during the day or general strengthening in the weeks before. Therefore, the must current science states “it’s not the load that breaks you down, but the load you’re not prepared for.” Tim Gabbett PhD.
Reminder: Under-preparation is a primary perpetuating or predisposing factor in pain
Disabling LBP is up 54% since 1990. According to WHO NCDs are no longer health threat #1. 4/5 top sources of disability are musculoskeletal. We do too much surgery, have an opiate crisis & are living more years with disability. The gap between health & life spans is growing. S Hawking said “the cause of most disease is we eat too much & move too little & why it is more people don’t understand this is beyond my comprehension.”
By avoiding inactivity you can experience a healthy life span. 60 is the new 40. Centenarians are socially & physically active in various parts of the world like Okinawa. Your biological & chronological ages are not the same. Do you want to be a young 75 or an old 75? Lifestyle choices can make up to 20 years difference in quality of life.
2 keys from science are
1. Reassurance. You’re designed to move don’t over-protect. Movement is Medicine. You may have pain but you’re not fragile.
2. Reactivation. Train for life like athletes train for the game. The principles are the same from the stress testing of athletes to the rehab of pain patients. Just as F1 testing of cars trickles down to Toyota with your body be sure to avoid the #1 source of pain/injury under-preparation.
To find an expert to help you regain a sustainable, active lifestyle be wary of those who recommend surgery, injections, medications, imaging & passive care approaches first. All options are on the table but look for someone who will reassure & reactivate you by addressing the source of the source – over-protection & under-preparation. Teaching you self-care approaches that involves individualized safe & efficacious exercises is the precision solution utilizing modern, scientific & scalable principles.
A few sources –
Tim Gabbett
Pain Revolution on Twitter or Lorimer Moseley
Www.lasportsandspine.com
Www.firstprinciplesofmovement.com
#Healthy_Aging
#The_Inactivity_Crisis
#Excessive_Imaging_for_Musculoskeletal_Problems
#Management_of_Tendonopathy_and_Overuse_Injuries
#Mindfulness
#Overutilization_of_Surgery
#Low_Back_Problems_and_Sciatica
Posted to FB on 2018-12-30 16:41:47