Get Back on Track
"Oww, my aching back!"..."Wow, my back is sore today!" These are comments that can be heard with regularity around the office, amongst friends and in your house.

Statistics tell us that anywhere between 75% - 80% of us will have back pain at least once in our lives, and a vast majority of those numbers will have recurring back pain throughout their life.

If back pain and stiffness are getting you down or limiting your enjoyment of favourite activities, there is good news.

A study in the May 2005 Annals of Internal Medicine noted that for adults with chronic low back pain, targeted exercise programs were the best over other modalities in decreasing pain. Study authors commented, "When we analyzed the research we found that the most effective strategy seems to be supervised, individually tailored exercise programs. Stretching & strengthening exercises were the most effective in improving pain and function..."

To get yourself back on track with better movement and less pain follow these tips:

1. Make sure you get an exam from your doctor & a thorough biomechanical assessment from your physiotherapist. Before you start off on an exercise program it is essential to understand why you are in pain.
2. Follow diligently the exercises prescribed by your physiotherapist - they are designed to help you get better but only if you do them!
3. Physios are very good at referring patients to qualified & certified post-rehab conditioning professionals. These trained fitness professionals will help you reach 100% function for all your activities of work and play so you can get back to all the fun you want to have! As well they will provide you with great tips to help reduce the risk of experiencing another back issue.

If you cannot quite get to your doctor or physiotherpaist right now, here are some things that you can do to help your back:

• As you get out of bed, spend a few moments getting your self moving slowly. Hug knees to chest for a gently low back stretch...lengthen your entire body while lying in bed to get an all over stretch (reach hands above head to touch headboard and lengthen legs/feet towards bottom of bed)...follow your cat's lead and do a few 'arching cat or mad cat' stretches.
• Keep yourself nourished through out the day and well hydrated - it does make a difference.
• If sitting for long periods at a stretch, get up and move around every hour. The muscles need the break and blood needs to flow to provide nutrients and remove waste deposits from muscles.
• Focus on your posture - slumping is not a good thing all day long. Imagine a string attached to the back of your head (top part) and that the string is being pulled up - lengthening your spine ever so gently.
• Add in stretches and movement whenever you can throughout your day - evn a 10 min walk at lunch time will help you out.
• Get to a health care professional when you can to get properly assessed and begin a conditioning program targeted to your specific needs.

Diana Rochon, BPE, CSCS, NCCP, IDEA Elite PFT, Director of Dynamic Core Fitness