Why back pain can get worse in winter
So a question that keeps cropping up in the clinic frequently over the past few weeks is….
Why does my back feel more stiff and painful in the colder months?
These are the type of aches that suddenly get a bit more annoying, nagging and painful on a daily basis… a bit like what’s been happening to one of our patients
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“Joan”
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Joan has been suffering with an aching lower back for a few months now and last winter her back got so bad, it stopped her from taking her dog out for a walk on Boxing Day with the family around Hillsborough Lake.
And because Joan didn’t want her lower back pain to get in the way of her family tradition this year, she thought she’d book an appointment with her doctor.
The GP advised her that her lower back was very tight and sent her straight to see a Physio at the NHS…
But the thing is with the NHS, all they did was give Joan a few exercises and no hands on treatment.
This meant she never understood what was REALLY going on and why her back pain was still getting in the way.
So as well as doing exercises that weren’t even making a difference, Joan also went out and bought some painkillers.
But the problem is
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all the painkillers do is mask the pain,
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NOT take it away!
If you’re like Joan and struggling to put your finger on why your lower back pain gets worse this time of year, I can assure you,
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you’re not alone.
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In fact, this is something that many men and women aged 50+ come to see us with at the clinic.
So what’s one of the reasons why your back pain gets worse around this time of year?
Here’s the thing… the long winter months and sustained periods of inactivity can be the root cause of what I call sudden
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‘lifelong back pain’.
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So here’s the WHY!
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You see, if your muscles and joints get a long rest in the winter, there’s a chance they will grow weak and stiff by the time spring comes around when you feel like being more active.
And if you’ve not been as active as you were during the spring and summer time when it gets colder, then this could risk your back pain getting even worse!
So, with that in mind
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here’s a big tip to help you avoid making this mistake:
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seize any and every opportunity you have during the winter to get active and keep your body mobile and vital muscle strong.
- Get to a Pilates class, and get strong and mobile
- Wrap up warm and go for a 20 minute walk.
- Walk with friends and grab a coffee to keep you warm.
- Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator.
- Avoid sitting for long periods.
- Set a reminder to move and do a stretch every hour, even from your office chair.
Then if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to avoid wasting time at the doctors office and being given exercises that just don’t work.
Don’t let back pain creep up on you this Winter.
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P.S.
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If back pain is troubling you right now, or if you’ve noticed any aches and pains starting to creep up on you,
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click here to download our FREE tips
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report with quick and simple tips to help ease low-back pain:
Back Pain