At times does it feel that your pain is never ending? There just doesn’t seem to be a position of relief! What if there is, but you just haven’t found it yet? Keep reading...
Low back pain can certainly be relentless, and finding a good position of relief can depend on what exactly is causing the pain, but here are three positions to try that most of our patients exclaim make a big difference to their pain:
1) Sit at a desk with your feet flat on the floor:
Sit straight at your desk with adequate low back support. Your knees and hips should be at 90 degrees and your eyes should be level with the top of your monitor. In addition, be sure to get up out of that sitting position often in order to decrease the stress on your back; no more than 20-30 minutes of continuous sitting at one time! You can also try alternating your feet on a footrest by putting just one foot up on the rest at a time; doing this changes the position of the pelvis just enough to help stop any pain from starting.
2) Lying down:
Give your back a break and lie down for a short period of time. Lying down is one of the best positions to help improve your back pain in the short term. Lying down allows for some decompression by taking the stress and weight off your back. Lying on your back with your knees bent up can take some of the tension off of your back. If you can stack pillows up to support your bent knees, even better! Relax! Any time you can afford to take the weight off your low back will be well appreciated by your back. Lying on your side if comfortable can also be helpful. Put some pillows in between your legs so that there is support from your thighs right down to your ankles. You may need some thick pillows to fill in that space and keep your pelvis from tilting down towards your feet.
Added Tip: For most conditions, stomach lying isn’t a great position even if you don’t have low back pain as the extreme range of motion in this position is hard on the back. If you have to lie on your stomach, or you choose to do so, put a couple of pillows under your pelvic area to ensure this position doesn’t irritate your back pain
3) Use a footrest for prolonged standing:
If you have to stand for a long period, try putting one foot up onto something like a step or a thick book. You won’t believe how much difference this can make to your aching back! By doing this it changes the position of your pelvis and alters the pull on your back. This will allow you to stand for longer periods without aggravating your pain. Don’t forget to change your position up though! Too much standing, even with one foot onto something, will still irritate your back. Sit, lie or walk for short periods whenever you can.
What else can I do?
If this does not provide the relief you need, give us a call at 847-786-2014 or stop in for a Free Consultation so we can determine the best way to help you. Once we know a little more detail about your exact situation we can advise you on even more treatment options including the right exercises and hands-on physical therapy techniques to relieve your pain.
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