Back Pain

I developed severe back pain during a summer job that involved heavy lifting in my early 20’s.Although x-rays showed no trauma, the situation was sufficiently grievous that I’d awaken in pain many times per night.

Due to the chronic pain, poor sleep and consequent weariness, I had to leave college prior to my senior year, and was only capableof holding part-time jobs.Physical therapy and extensive treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbs seemed to deliver no result.  Taking pains to avoid any activity which would exacerbate my pain, I became increasingly sedentary, and within five years I was having difficulty walking.  While I was never athletic, prior to the onset of the back pain, hiking in the mountains was one of my favorite activities.

Eight years after the onset of my condition, I had to go on disability, and my lifestyle was primarily consumed with doctors appointments and doing disability paperwork.

One evening, when doing laundry, I discovered I was in such excessive pain I couldn’t get my clothes out of the dryer.  I felt that I had hit bottom pursuing medical intervention, and devised a strategy for recovery.The program turned out well, although it’s taken a lot more years than I could’ve foreseen.

The first step of my plan was to begin aquatic exercise. I found a nearby health club with a heated deep pool, which let me exercise while in a vertical position with a flotation belt. I woke up nearly every morning at 5 am.m. and drove a short distance to the health spa, preferring that time of day for the privacy it would give me in the pool, and for the long-familiar reality that persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain feel that if they do something to exercise and relax their muscles early in the day, the pain can be scaled down throughout the day.

Driving even a short distance was difficult, so I bought a corset-like lower back support which fastened with Velcro. This cloth and elastic brace protects against the torsion induced by rapid turns. I still wear this orthopedic back br when I’m in the passenger seat, as it’s easier to anticipate turns and changes of speed when I’m at the wheel. There are a broad assortment of back braces and mid back posture supports available to buy online.

The third step of my program was to commence to practice tai chi, which I subsequently with success augmented with the Feldenkrais exercise system. 

A posture brace for slouching shoulders provided a gentle reminder to keep my shoulders back.This back brace gave the advantage of permitting the wearer to exert correct posture, so contrary to some upper back posture supports, didn’t create the chance of causing further deconditioning.

Proper furniture provided my back shoulders posture support. In a suitable desk chair, your pelvis should be slightly higher than your knees, and your feet should rest level with the floor.

It’s crucial to select ergonomic furniture which not only cuts down your pain, but allows for suitable support to your spinal cord. A retailer specializing in ergonomic furniture would be a esteemed advisor in this regard. As many posture support shares have a number of adjustable features, you may actually require advice from an occupational therapist in setting the chair up properly.