There’s no two ways about it. Back pain can make you miserable. Besides preventing the smooth transition of daily activities and keeping you away from hobbies – such as sports and manual activities – there’s also potential for quality family time to be affected.
Back pain can easily ruin your plans and turn your work life, commute and personal life into a living, breathing nightmare.
Not to mention leave you feeling frustrated and distressed. Yet, you aren’t alone. Approximately 4 million Australians experience back pain each year. And it only gets worse when the winter temperatures drop.
You may think that’s because of the potential to slip and fall when enduring adverse weather, but it’s more about the drop in temperature. As the colder air claws its way across the country, the change in temperature also impacts the air pressure.
The decrease in pressure allows the tissues in your body to expand and subsequently compress your joints. This compression makes it painful to move your joints, and makes it feel like your back is suddenly made of reinforced glass.
Yet – don’t panic. There’s no reason to suffer in silence. Besides the tips below, we can help you with any back pain niggles that take hold over the colder winter months.
Back pain is manageable, regardless of what the internet tells you. And don’t let those painkillers become an addiction – reach out to us instead.
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If you suffer from back pain, you’ll know how hard the winter months can be. Colder temperatures make you feel achy, stiff and often exacerbate your pain.
Often it means that our patients get stuck indoors, don’t get to see family and friends as much and often their condition deteriorates.
But it’s not all doom and gloom!
There are so many easy tips to help avoid back stiffness in colder months and we’ve picked out 5 of our best to share with you so you can eliminate aches and pains in your back to be more comfortable in the cooler weather.
#1 Stay Active Indoors
Understandably, outdoor workouts may not be everyone’s favourite when the temperature drops, but that doesn’t mean you should skip your routine altogether!
In fact, it is crucial to keep moving so that your joints retain their range of motion, keep the pain away, and help you avoid back stiffness.
There are plenty of indoor workout options, such as yoga, pilates, or even a brisk walk around your home. So don’t let the winter weather put a damper on your fitness goals, make sure to stay active and keep your back in tip-top shape.
#2 Take Time To Stretch Out
Stretching your muscles to prepare your body for the day ahead should be something everyone builds into their morning routine!
By taking just 10 minutes to practice exercises such as the child’s pose, rotational stretches or tucking your knees into your chest, you can avoid back stiffness while maintaining good mobility to get you around the house and out to run your errands without pain hindering your plans for the day!
As well as stretching in the morning, it’s also important to stretch at the end of your day before you go to bed in order to relieve tension in your muscles and relax your body in preparation for a good night’s sleep.
#3 Stay Warm
Have you ever wondered why your back pain feels like it worsens in the winter? That’s because it does!
Colder weather can mean your muscles contract and become stiff because you have less blood flow to your muscles. Staying warm during the winter is crucial as it increases blood flow to tight muscles, offering a natural pain reliever (and giving you an excuse to cozy up with a blanket!).
By doing so, you can avoid back stiffness while enjoying the comfort and softness of a good cozy blanket and perhaps even a hot water bottle if you’re really feeling a chill!
So, next time you’re feeling the chill, grab your favourite blanket and let it ease your aches away!
#4 Don’t Stay Still For Too Long!
Avoiding back stiffness due to prolonged sitting or inactivity is an easy way you can help yourself to eliminate back pain and you can start right now!
It may seem like a simple thing, but sitting for too long can have a serious impact on our bodies. In fact, studies have shown that people who sit for long periods of time are at increased risk for everything from obesity to heart disease.
Not to mention that sitting for periods of time can cause stiffness in the back and make it difficult to move around later on.
So, it’s essential that you get up and move around every so often, whether you’re at your desk or lounging on the couch, take a walk around the garden or take part in an activity you love doing!
#5 Maintain A Good Posture
Your posture may seem like something you maintain subconsciously, but often we don’t think about how we stand or sit and unknowingly make back problems worse.
Your posture affects your spine and muscles in many ways, and slouching or sitting for long periods can cause pressure and tension in these areas, making it difficult to move fluidly.
By developing the habit of maintaining a good posture, you can prevent the onset of back stiffness and other pain problems in your neck and shoulders, leading to a happier and more comfortable life doing the things you love without the worry of pain making your life harder.
Remember that small changes to your daily routine can make a big difference, so take the time to evaluate your posture.
So, sit up straight, distribute your weight evenly on both feet, hold your head up high, and keep your shoulders relaxed!
Want Experienced Help To Avoid Back Stiffness? – We Can Help!
Here at Focus Osteopathy, we know how daunting it can be for our patients to take their health into their own hands especially when they’ve been living with the problem for a long time.
However, we’re always here to answer your questions and help you get back to good health and enjoy your hobbies again without pain and discomfort!
So this month, we’re offering you the chance to take the first step to a pain-free future with us by arranging a free back pain assessment. During your free back pain assessment you will be able to speak to one of our resident osteopaths who have years of experience behind them and find out the actual cause of your back pain, and the best treatment options to suit you and your recovery.
If this sounds like the answer to the pain that you’ve been searching for, arrange your free back pain consultation by filling in our simple web form or call our Mount Waverley or Murrumbeena clinic at 1300 003 007 and a member of the team will be happy to help!
Other Free Resources For People With Back Pain
Why not download our free back pain report to soothe your back pain and stiffness without relying on GPs, painkillers and anti-inflammatories so you can follow these tips from the comfort of your own home?!
Download Your Copy Of Our FREE Back Pain Report Here!
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