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
“Joan”
…
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
all the
painkillers do is mask the pain,
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,
you’re not alone.
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
‘lifelong back
pain’.
So here’s the WHY!
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
here’s a big tip
to help you avoid making this mistake:
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.
P.S.
If
back pain is troubling you right now, or if you’ve noticed any aches and pains
starting to creep up on you,
click here to
download our FREE tips
report
with quick and simple tips to help ease low-back pain: