What Can I Do About My Lower Back Pain When Walking?
You are reading this post because you have been experiencing low back pain while walking. You may be wondering what can you do about your lower back pain when walking. If you are suffering from lower back pain while walking then it would be best if you take some steps to get rid of your problem. There are many things which could help you out with your low back pain while walking.
In this article we will share various tips and suggestions to reduce the severity of your lower back pain when walking.
1) Get up slowly.
This is one of the most effective ways to relieve your lower back pain while walking. When you start moving around quickly, you tend to fall down. So gradually move yourself forward at first and then eventually you can stand up again without any difficulty.
2) Avoid using your legs too much during walking.
Don’t kick them, don’t bend them and don’t use your feet as stepping stones for support when walking.
3) If walking down a slope, try to keep your feet parallel with the ground.
This will minimize the chances of you falling over.
4) When stepping up or stepping down stepladders or staircases, always have one foot firmly on the step below.
Never place both feet on the same step at the same time. The moment one foot comes off the step, your center of gravity is altered which could result in a fall.
5) Avoid carrying heavy things.
Carrying heavy items in your hands increases the burden on your back and this could aggravate your lower back pain
6) Get enough exercise.
If you’re getting regular amounts of exercise, you will have more endurance and flexibility which will enable you to move more freely when walking.
7) Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight causes stress on your bones and joints which could make low back pain much worse.
8) Wear proper clothing and footwear.
Wearing the wrong shoes can cause back pain. Pick shoes which support your feet. Try to avoid walking barefoot or in flimsy sandals as this could cause unnecessary stress on your feet and lower back.
Try not to wear corsets, bustles, or other tight clothing as these could aggravate your lower back pain.
9) Try to maintain good posture.
Good posture will enable you to walk more efficiently and comfortably.
10) Stop and take a break if your lower back starts hurting. Don’t overdo it when it comes to exercise.
By following the above tips, you can reduce the chances of experiencing lower back pain while walking.
What Can I Do About My Lower Back Pain When Sitting Down?
If you are experiencing lower back pain while sitting down, then this is usually caused by prolonged periods of inactivity. If you sit at a desk all day for example, your muscles and joints can get stiff and achy which causes low back pain.
There are however some steps you can take to reduce the chances of sitting down causing lower back pain.
1) When you have the option, try to find a chair which provides good lower back support.
This could be a chair with a high back or even a recliner.
2) Place something long and flat under your feet.
It is best to use two objects such as books or phone books rather than just one as this will help elevate your feet to a more comfortable height. Elevating your feet will take some of the strain off your lower back.
3) Try to take a break from sitting every couple of hours.
Stretch and walk around for at least five minutes. This gives your body a chance to get the blood flowing which will help prevent lower back pain.
4) When you must sit for long periods of time, try the following:
Keep your knees level with or higher than your hips. If you cross your legs or your legs dangle, this may cause unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Sit all the way back in your chair. Pull your chair out from your desk until your knees are at a right angle. Then sit all the way back in the chair so that your lower back is supported.
This will help take some of the strain off your lower back.
Try to get a chair with arm rests. While arm rests tend to provide less lower back support, they can minimize the strain on your back if you use them properly. When you rest your arms on the arm rests, try to keep them level with or higher than your torso.
If you lower your arms so that they are at a right angle or lower, you will be bending your neck and this can cause strain.
Make sure the height of your chair is right for you. Your feet should touch the floor when your back is fully supported by the back of the chair.
Make sure you are not slouching. Sit up straight without stretching out your spine.
If possible, get a stand-up desk. This will enable you to stand and move around more frequently which takes some of the strain off your lower back.
5) Don’t sit still for long periods of time in awkward positions.
This can lead to stiffness and pain in your joints and muscles. Get up and walk around at least every hour if possible.
6) Stretch regularly to keep your muscles flexible.
The Pigeon Pose is a good pose to stretch the muscles in the buttocks, hips, groin, and inner legs.
To do this pose:
-Sit on the floor with your legs spread apart.
-Bend your right leg and bring your right foot as close to your groin as possible.
-Touch your left knee to the floor on the outside of your right thigh.
-Reach under your right leg and grab your right foot. You should use your left arm to help pull your right foot closer to your groin.
-Use your right hand to grab your left thigh and pull it towards you. This will cause your hip to open up and give a nice stretch to the front of your left hip and thigh.
-Hold for 15 seconds and then switch legs.
Do this 3 times on both sides.
Make sure you are seated comfortably in a chair that offers good lower back support as you do this pose.
7) Try to incorporate more aerobic activity into your daily routine.
This keeps the muscles that support your lower back strong and flexible. Some people find that running is good because it not only strengthens the muscles, but stretches them as well.
8) If you sit at a desk all day for work or school and routinely experience lower back pain, talk to your supervisor or professor about the possibility of standing more often.
Many people who experience lower back pain from sitting all day find that standing and moving around at least every hour or so helps to lessen their pain.
One way to do this is to get yourself a stand-up desk. You can purchase these at stores that sell office furniture. They are similar to a normal desk except the top part that you write on is angled upwards so that you are actually standing while you work.
These also have the added benefit of making you more active which is good for your health anyway.
9) Another way to incorporate more activity into your workday is to take walking meetings instead of sitting down meetings.
This simple strategy can help you burn a few extra calories and decrease the time that you spend sitting each day. Which, as we know, is good for your lower back as well.
10) When you are standing or walking, make an effort to tighten your core muscles. These are the muscles that you use to brace yourself when you jump or when you want to take a hard punch without falling over. If you tighten these muscles before and during activity, they help support your spine.
These tips should help prevent back pain while sitting, but if you already have pain this will not make it go away. This type of pain usually requires some sort of treatment plan.
Sources & references used in this article:
Lumbopelvic lordosis and pelvic balance on repeated standing lateral radiographs of adult volunteers and untreated patients with constant low back pain by RP Jackson, T Kanemura, N Kawakami, C Hales – Spine, 2000 – journals.lww.com
Effects of pelvic asymmetry and low back pain on trunk kinematics during sitting: a comparison with standing by E Al-Eisa, D Egan, K Deluzio, R Wassersug – Spine, 2006 – cdn.journals.lww.com
Transient low back pain development during standing predicts future clinical low back pain in previously asymptomatic individuals by E Nelson-Wong, JP Callaghan – Spine, 2014 – journals.lww.com
Lumbar spine stability for subjects with and without low back pain during one-leg standing test by PS Sung, BC Yoon, DC Lee – Spine, 2010 – cdn.journals.lww.com
Pain immediately upon sitting down and relieved by standing up is often associated with radiologic lumbar instability or marked anterior loss of disc space by R McKenzie, P Van Wijmen – 1985 – Spinal publications New Zealand
Treatment of chronic lower back pain with lumbar extension and whole-body vibration exercise: a randomized controlled trial by JY Maigne, E Lapeyre, G Morvan, G Chatellier – Spine, 2003 – journals.lww.com
