Back pain is one of the most common chronic conditions treated among all adults. Some 80% of adults will experience back pain at some point in their life. However, the question remains, what is best for relieving lower back pain, movement or rest?

How Does Back Pain Occur? 

Back pain typically occurs in one of two ways. The first of which is becoming more and more prevalent. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the main contributing factors to back pain. After all, sitting is the new smoking. The second most common cause is simply overdoing it. Whether it be in the gym, on the golf course, in the yard or trying to keep up with grandchildren. Increased amounts of stress on the muscle and bone structure within the back may lead to back pain.

The Ultimate Question

What do we do when faced with lower back pain? 

Should we rest our back completely? Is movement the answer? 

This has been a topic of discussion for many, many years. We have it ingrained into our minds that if something hurts, the best thing to do is rest, rest, rest until the pain goes away. What’s wrong with that? Well, more often than not we do not allow enough time for rest and then we simply go back to the same patterns that caused the back pain in the first place. The second problem with simply resting is the idea that a sedentary lifestyle also causes back pain. Therefore if we rest to the point of altering our active lifestyle to a sedentary one we risk increased back pain due to prolonged sitting.

So What Should You Do if You are Living with Back Pain?

Move! The best medicine for sore muscles and joints is movement. Movement allows blood to continuously flow to the areas that are often affected. One of the main functions of blood is to heal. Blood carries various nutrients that allow the healing process to begin. Movement will help the healing process, however its important to build resilience to avoid future back pain. Movements that create strength, stability and flexibility centered around the spine are crucial. Head on over to our YouTube page to view our lower back program!