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Love your spine again-3 keys to easing stiff, achy backs and sciatica

Writer's picture: Dr. BrandonDr. Brandon
Back view of a person in a yoga pose with text about easing back pain on a blue background. Blog promotion for Body Mechanix Physiotherapy.

As we enter February and start to look longingly at doing things outdoors, many are nursing old back injuries that make it impossible to envision working in the garden, going for a long walk, or playing with the grandkids at the park. But, no matter how long you’ve had back issues, there’s still time to start sorting them out so you can be ready for the joys of Spring, confident that your low back won’t be the thing holding you…well…back.

But first, we’ve got to understand what back pain & sciatica is and more importantly, what it isn’t. There are a ton of myths and outdated explanations about back pain out there and while that’s not the main focus of this post, we’ll summarize here(and give you links to read further if that’s your thing). Now, many people with back pain or sciatica have had x-rays or MRIs with findings like degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis, spondylosis, bulging discs, or herniated discs. While it may be relieving for some to finally have an “answer” for why they hurt, the challenge then comes in knowing that many of the things that are found on imaging for those in pain are also found in people with no pain or limitation at all. In fact, upwards of 89% of pain-free people will have degenerative disc disease and upwards of 70% of, again, pain free people will have bulging discs on an MRI. Now, why would they be scanning pain free people? Mostly because we are finding more and more that many of the things found on an MRI have less to do with pain and more to do about how the spine naturally ages or put another way, they are your wrinkles on the inside. What’s more, if we scanned you on a “good” day versus a “bad” day, the picture would not change. That’s because pain is more than just about damage. The second misunderstanding holding people back is the belief that discs or hips slip in and out of place. The fact is that our bodies are extremely tough and durable, even when in pain. It takes roughly 2000 pounds of force to deform our fascia(the connective tissue holding us together) by 1% and your spine is surrounded by this, muscle, and other support. So, while something may feel like it has shifted, most of the time we’re feeling one of our smaller muscles around the spine in spasm which sets off our alarm system and makes it extra sensitive to any movement and gives us the perception that something is out of place. 

So, that’s a little primer on what pain is but what I’m sure you really want to know is what you can naturally do about it.

First Key: Understanding what kind of back pain you have

Back pain comes in several varieties and understanding what variety of back pain you have is key to understanding what to do about it. (note: If you have numbness anywhere a bicycle seat would touch with you sitting on it or you have inability to start/stop going to the bathroom or increasing clumsiness to your legs-you need to get this taken care of with a physician right away(don’t keep reading)) Now, why is that so important? First, understanding what kind of back issue you have helps to pick the right therapy for it. Now, if your back pain changes when you get up from a chair, sit down, bend over, or goes up and down your leg(some days it is more in your leg than others), you’ve got a type of back pain that responds to a very specific exercise. For others, they might have the same changing back pain but all movements hurt, so, they need more TLC to ease the knots in the back of their hips and low back before they try any stretching or mobility work. In addition, both of these types of back pain respond to simplicity over doing 5-10 different exercises or stretches. Often 1 or 2 are enough to help you get control over your pain. But if movement is part of the problem, sorting out the right movement is usually the answer. 

Second Key: Getting back to even mobility

Often, when we exercise or stretch, we try to do both sides of the body equally. Now, for general health, this is good. But, when in pain, more often than not, we’ll have one side that is worse than the other. This is why in our clinic here in Tallahassee, we often look for that asymmetry because sorting out the asymmetry is key to getting your alarm system to turn off. In addition, if you notice a difference in your sides, whether that is your knee, your shoulder, hip, ankle, or foot, this is often a hidden cause of future injury because you start to “work around” the issue rather than correct it. This is often also why when we prescribe exercise, we tend to focus on the problem and fixing the mobility or stability rather than working both sides. Once you’re equal, then we can focus on building you up equally.  

Third Key: Building a buffer between you and life

One of the challenges in doing any physical activity like exercise, working in the yard, or even playing with the kids or grandkids, is that if we are not consistently doing it, our ability to do it fades. Think of the last time you tried to get back in the gym or when you tried to pull all the potted plants in before a freeze. You might have ached for days. This is because, while you have enough strength for daily things, you are missing a buffer of strength to do higher level activities(meaning that moving that pot or picking up a child is close to your max ability). Consistent total body exercise and functional movement with challenging weights is key to building up a buffer between you and life that won’t be overwhelmed by physical challenges. 

Confused about where to start? Book a call from the comfort of your home or office and on your schedule with one of our Pain Specialists. You can schedule your call here.  Need help now? Come by and talk with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy at no charge. We offer FREE consultations, which give you the opportunity to come in and meet us and see for yourself how we can help you. You can schedule that by clicking on the button up top. 


Here are just a few of the things you will learn in one of our free consultation:


  • What is the underlying cause of your pain? (hopefully nothing too serious!)

  • Roughly, how long will it take to fix the problem?

  • What to do to help – which doesn’t include painkillers, resting or surgery etc.

  • What other, natural, drug free methods are there to speed up recovery alongside treatment?

Our consultations are great for anyone that may be “unsure” if physio is right for them, and they give you the opportunity to ask questions and see for yourself if we can help you.


If you’d like one of our limited free consultation sessions, please click here to schedule your free consultation or CALL us on 850-765-2779 to make a no-obligation enquiry.


About the Author


Man smiling, wearing a blue "Body Mechanix" t-shirt. Black background. Appears friendly and approachable.

Dr. Brandon is the owner and a Physio at Body Mechanix Physiotherapy and Fitness. Four of his favorite people call him daddy while he's been married to his other favorite person for 20 years. He enjoys teaching martial arts and is a Mestrando in Capoeira while in the mornings, he can be found working out with the guys in F3 around town.  He's the author of 4 pain relief guides for sciatica, low back, shoulder, and knees and the lead contributor to the Active Tallahassee Blog. 


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Suite I

Tallahassee, FL 32303

Inside Manor @ Midtown

Email:DrBrandon@TallahasseePT.com

Tel: 850-765-2779

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