Our Top 3 Tips to help your low back pain this new year
New Year, same old back pain. We can help with that. Try these 3 tips, and get in touch for a customized, scalable plan to get you feeling your best with the help of our expert Kanata Chiropractor and Registered Massage Therapist.
1) Increase activity by starting small with walking
Walking is one of the best ways to help back pain and sciatica. It gently moves your spine, increases blood flow to your discs and muscles, and helps your lower back stay strong and flexible.
Even short daily walks can make your back feel better over time because they reduce stiffness and help posture. Walking is safe for most people and pairs well with chiropractic care and registered massage therapy for overall pain relief. We can guide you to getting started at our clinic in Kanata, Ontario.
2) Improve sleep quality by choosing a mattress that supports you
Good sleep plays a big role in reducing back pain and sciatica because sleep problems and back pain often go hand-in-hand. Research shows that medium-firm mattresses tend to improve sleep quality and help reduce chronic low back pain compared to very firm or very soft mattresses. Medium-firm beds help support your spine while you sleep and can reduce stiffness and pain when you wake up. Check out this double-blind randomized control trial paper for more details.
If you’re waking up with back pain, and you’ve been meaning to replace that ratty old mattress, think about a mattress that is medium-firm or slightly firmer. Better sleep means your body heals more easily, stress hormones are maintained better, and overall your body’s environment is more conducive to health and wellness.
3) Strengthen Your Body — Focus on the Posterior Chain
We’ve all been told to strengthen our core, but we go a step further. A comprehensive strengthening program has been shown to be effective in improving overall health and reducing back pain.
Strengthening your whole body, especially your posterior chain (the muscles along your back, hips, and legs), can protect your spine and reduce sciatic pain. Exercises like bridges, hamstring strengthening, squats, back extensions, and core work help your muscles support your back better.
Strong muscles support your spine and can keep pain from coming back. A tailored plan through chiropractic care or registered massage therapy can safely build strength for all ages and activity levels.
We have years of experience helping people from new moms to office workers to high-school and professional athletes feel better (GO BLACKBEARS). We don’t rely on locking patients into care with long contracts or complicated procedures.
We do the simple things very well; we focus on our patient’s goals and get people back to doing the activities that matter to them, with less pain and less worry. Combining movement, better sleep, and strength (with benefits-eligible treatments in Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario) gives you your best chance at lasting pain relief. Follow along on Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook for more helpful tips.
