In the last month I have had several clients come into the clinic with low back pain. While many people have low back pain, these clients had pain caused by accidents at work or at home due to heavy lifting.
We all know the rules – LIFT WITH YOUR KNEES – but the other common sense rule to follow is DON’T LIFT TOO MUCH WEIGHT. This seems like an easy thing to remember and many of you are probably reading this thinking, ‘of course you shouldn’t lift too much weight’ and yet it’s so easy to do.
How many of you read the weight on bags of compost for the garden before you lift them? Ditto for bags of bark, decorative stones, bags of vegetables, etc. What about moving bookshelves or furniture at home or at work? I’m often in a rush and think I can just give the bookshelf a couple of shoves to move it into place when actually those little shoves mean I’m half lifting it into place.
Thankfully, low back pain can be greatly alleviated by massage. When the injury first happens assess whether you need ice (for severe inflammation) or heat placed on the muscles. After that, a massage can really do a lot of good to ease and smooth muscle tissue. Don’t wait until you have been in agony for a week, been signed off by the doctor or have lost the ability to sit and stand without discomfort. Massage can make a big difference in just a few appointments!