3 Questions to ask if you have back pain

At some point in our lives, we’ve all experienced back pain one way or another. Whether it’s right when you wake in the morning, or random pains throughout the day, we’ve all been there and experienced this very unpleasant reality.

The one thing we all have in common is we want to know how to get rid of it, and fast!

Unfortunately there is no magic solution to this problem just yet (we’ve checked), however a great starting point is finding out what causes your back pain.

1. Have I been doing any intense workouts or heavy lifting incorrectly?

This is a major cause of back pain in adults and often goes overlooked. When people exercise almost daily they often neglect or forget to check their form. Remember to follow a coach’s exact instructions, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if something is unclear. If you have previously existing injuries or complications, ask a coach about what you can do to modify the movement to avoid further trauma. 

Some back pain prevention tips in this instance is practicing regular low impact aerobic exercise, this includes walking, swimming, and biking. If a weightlifting movement has proven itself to cause you pain, practice the movement or complementary movements at a lighter weight until you have your technique down packed.

2. Am I suffering from depression, anxiety or moderate to severe stress?

Stress is proven to increase tension in muscles, over prolonged periods of time this can cause larger problems such as acute to chronic back pain, this condition is known as tension myositis syndrome. Back pain in this circumstance is caused by oxygen deprivation by the way of the autonomic nervous system. 

So, the million dollar question for this case is, “How can I de-stress?”. Some of the best ways to destress are by:

>Changing your environment: This can vary anywhere from going for a walk, sitting outside with a good book to even changing what room in your home you’re in. Sometimes, (definitely not always) the right thing to do is step away for a while and focus on something else.

>Find yourself an outlet. This includes any of your favorite things to do as long as it’s a healthy habit such as gardening, coloring, light video games, reading, collecting ect. This does NOT include drinking, binge eating, drug abuse, excessive online shopping ect.;)

3.  What’s my posture like throughout the day?

Are you often slouching over a computer or sitting hunched over? Your posture may be the principal cause of your back pain. Don’t worry, it’s totally fixable. You can find really great posture focused exercises, there are posture trainers and even little devices that alert you when your posture is off.

We hope that by asking yourself these questions, we’ve gotten you a step closer to ridding yourself of that dreaded back pain! Stay healthy and remember team NTC has got your back! (Pun was most definitely intended).

Are you working out but are worried about intensity for fear of injury? Or maybe you’ve increased your total body weight over the past few years? We would love to help!

BOOK A FREE GOAL SESSION HERE WITH US!

Let’s get you making pain free progress starting today!

Happy Training!