Most adults experience back pain at one time or another during their lives. Common lifestyle practices, including regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight, can help you avoid mild back pain. However, when your back is sore, you may want to try these simple stretches to help ease the pain. If your back pain is significant, we suggest that you make an appointment with your general practitioner. He or she may suggest a referral to visit Dr. Leipzig at Virginia Spine Care.
If you work at a desk all day, in front of a computer, you probably don’t maintain consistent good posture or get up and move around as much as you should. For the sake of your back and overall health, regular stretching and exercising are important.
Stretching
Stretching improves flexibility and range of motion and also supports good posture. The muscles around the spine help keep you properly aligned. By stretching, you activate your muscles with increased blood flow to the area. This can reduce muscle soreness and facilitate healing from injuries. Start slowly and warm up before you dive into full stretches. Be conscious of your limits. Don’t be discouraged if your initial flexibility is less than you expect. You’ll start to see improvement once you are dedicated to a consistent stretching routine.
Exercise
Regular exercise not only promotes better health and physical fitness, it also reduces stress and improves your energy level. Stretching can be a gateway into more intense physical activity. Once you have a consistent stretching routine, you can incorporate more active exercise. There’s no need to start with a half marathon or world-class acrobatics. Stay within your limits. Try a brisk walk or a short bike ride (10-15 minutes) and then work your way up to more intense activity and longer durations. Many people find that once they begin exercising, they want to do it more and more. Just be careful not to push past your natural thresholds, which could lead to injury.
Virginia Spine Care recognizes the benefits of stretching and exercise to quality personal health. We recommend a careful regimen of these activities to many patients who experience back pain or have minimally invasive back surgery. Again, if you have significant back pain, you may want to contact your regular doctor to see about proper therapy or a referral to Dr. James Leipzig.
Dr. Leipzig is a board-certified, Salem, Virginia spine surgeon with over two decades of experience. He specializes in procedures including robotic spine surgery, microsurgical lumbar surgery, disc arthroplasty, minimally invasive spine surgery, and more, serving the greater Roanoke, VA area. To learn more or schedule an appointment, please contact our office.
