On a previous blog post titled Back Pain Education Day 2015: Introduction, it mentioned that “low back pain accounts for about 30% of the adult population (18 years and older) in the U.S.”. That statistic makes sense, being that a significant percentage of those with lower back pain falls in the age range of those who could be involved in athletics. The following article, generously shared by Dr. Brent Wells, provides valuable information for young athletes dealing with lower back pain. He is the founder and a practicing chiropractic doctor of Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab. Without further ado, here’s the article:
For young athletes, the back is a source of power. It’s critical for playing sports, as it’s involved in movement, flexibility, and strength. Unfortunately, athletes run the risk of injuring their backs because of overuse or trauma. In fact, this happens often, with 30% of young athletes having back pain at some point. This is especially true of high-impact sports such as football and dance.
Young athletes are also at risk for certain types of back pain. Most injuries happen from overuse or trauma, and the most common lower back cause at 47% is “spondylolysis,” which is a stress fracture in lower back vertebrae. Generally speaking, lower back pain in young athletes is typically not just “pulling a muscle.” Usually, it’s a serious condition that involves spondylolysis or an overuse injury.
If you’re suffering from lower back pain for more than a week, it’s important to consult a doctor to determine the underlying cause. Luckily, most lower back pain can be self-treated with a combination of recovery exercises and lifestyle changes. Today, we’ll go through nine natural ways to alleviate lower back pain in young athletes.
1. Try ice/heat therapy
Ice/heat therapy is a tried and true method for getting pain relief. Experts recommend ice for the first 48 hours, and then potentially switching to heat. Be sure you use a cloth to apply ice; it should never directly touch your skin. For heat therapy, you can try methods as simple as taking a hot bath or shower or using a warm patch on your lower back.
2. Create a morning mobility routine
A morning mobility routine is a great idea for getting your joints warmed up for the day and in return, it also increases your flexibility. A chiropractor or doctor can give you some ideas on which mobility exercises are ideal for your situation, but in general, exercises to improve joint mobility include:
- Ankle flexes
- Walking hip openers
- Thoracic spine windmills on floor
- Shoulder pass through
- Neck half circles
- Forward leg swings
- Side leg swings
- Yoga squats
3. Build your core
Your core is a key aspect of supporting your lumbar region. By building your core, you can take weight and pressure off your lower back and support your movement and weight with your core instead. Doing core-specific strengthening exercises is a great way to prevent future injury. Athletes may also benefit from kettlebell exercises, which are excellent for building core and lower back strength.
It is important to keep in mind that the muscular superficial core requires that your deep core, also called skeletal core, to be aligned, so it can function at optimal capacity. You cannot out exercise or use exercise to compensate for a poorly alignment from subluxation.
4. Address any muscular imbalances
Depending on your situation, you may need to address other muscular imbalances in your system. Your core is important, but perhaps you also need to strengthen your upper back, buttocks or knees. A chiropractor can help diagnose any areas that need to be strengthened in order to prevent extra pressure on your lower back.
5. Continue with back-friendly aerobic exercise
Image Courtesy of Pixabay
Exercise is a key element of back recovery. In general, you should continue to do aerobic exercise but opt for low-impact activities such as walking, swimming or yoga. You can also adapt other physical activities for your back injury, including light jogging or weight lifting. Be sure to consult a chiropractor or doctor to know what kind of aerobic exercise program would be right for your situation.
6. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet
To get pain relief, you should also follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Based on the Mediterranean model, the anti-inflammatory diet consists of fresh fruit and veggies, fish and grains. However, there is an ample amount of research that suggests that grains actually increase inflammation in the body, so eliminating grains from your diet is ideal.
It also suggests cutting out processed foods that contain icky additives that are highly inflammatory. A good rule of thumb is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Leafy greens, like broccoli, kale or spinach, are especially good for pain relief.
7. Relax with massage
Massage therapy is another all-natural option for young athletes. Massage therapy is known for relaxing muscles, promoting flexibility and speeding up recovery by releasing scar tissue. A professional massage therapist can help reduce pain and get your back on track again.
8. Speed up recovery with chiropractic
Athletes need a chiropractor – such as Better Health Chiropractor – because it can also be a good option for back pain relief. Chiropractic techniques such as spinal adjustments are great for realigning the back, reducing pain, and helping the healing process. A chiropractor can also help diagnose any structural or muscular imbalances, create a stretching program and put together a back-friendly diet.
When in doubt, these eight natural remedies for back pain will take you one step closer to getting the relief you deserve. Be sure to contact a chiropractor or doctor for a clear diagnosis, build up your back with stretches and exercises and use these tips to get quick pain relief. By following this plan, you’ll be back in the game before you know it.
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About Dr. Brent Wells
Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. founded Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab in Alaska in 1998 and has been a chiropractor for over 20 years. His practice has treated thousands of patients from different health problems using various services designed to help give you long-lasting relief.
Dr. Wells is also the author of over 700 online health articles that have been featured on sites such as Dr. Axe and Lifehack. He is a proud member of the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. And he continues his education to remain active and updated in all studies related to neurology, physical rehab, biomechanics, spine conditions, brain injury trauma, and more.
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Dr. Wells outlined 8 valuable tips young athletes can use to find relief for their lower back pain. And, moreover, the tips are all natural, which is a plus especially for those involved in athletics. A very refreshing article, especially in this day and age where cortisone shots or opioids may be the go to solution to offer relief for athletes in pain, even when they come with a boat load of risks.
I’d like to thank Dr. Wells for sharing his valuable and info-packed article with us. And if you’re in Alaska and in need of lower back pain relief, please check out one of his 4 Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab clinics. As the saying goes … you’ll be glad you did!
