Back injuries can leave an individual suffering from issues like difficulty in movement, back stiffness, and severe back pain. These injuries not only affect your health but also limit your movement, making it impossible to carry out daily activities until you fully recover. Here are some proven tips you can use to prevent back pain and facilitate the healing process after the injury.
Using Heating Pads
Hot showers, pads, and steam baths can significantly assist in reducing inflammation at the injury site. Electric heating pads can also be used to ease lower back pain. When using the methods mentioned above, be extremely cautious of the temperature. Too much heat can burn your skin and make things worse, so make sure the heat levels in each of the methods stay within a range of low to medium.
It might not be effective for everyone, but putting ice packs on the injury site can also help with lowering pain and inflammation. You can place these packs for 15 minutes, three times a day. However, remember to always wrap the ice packs with a cloth so your skin doesn’t become affected.
Exercise and Stretching
After an injury, it’s natural to experience stiffness and pain that should settle within a few days. If that’s not the case, consider visiting your doctor for reevaluation and ask whether you can start exercising and stretching out. Chronic back injuries can leave you with severe pain that can be relieved by following an exercise routine. Stretching and performing mild exercises will slowly build up muscle strength and prevent muscle spasms. Walking, aerobics, cycling, yoga, and swimming are some options that will benefit you over time.
Many studies have compared the recovery time of people with injuries who opted to stay active with individuals who stayed in bed for weeks till recovery. Active people who followed a mild stretching and exercise routine after their back injury recovered a lot faster than the latter group. Workplace and road accidents are common causes that can result in injuries to the back and other body parts. To avoid these accidents, always use protective equipment according to the provided instructions. However, if the injury happened due to someone else’s fault or negligence, you can file for compensation for your injuries. Pursuing a lawsuit would be necessary in case of a severe injury, as it will limit your ability to function till you fully recover.
Physiotherapy and Recovery
Training your muscles through physiotherapy is an effective way to recover from pain due to an injury. Back injuries can sometimes affect the nerves and muscles, resulting in restricted movement and decreased muscle tone. A physiotherapist will use different techniques like heat, ultrasound waves, electrical stimulation, and several exercises that slowly train each muscle. Over time, these interventions can easily help decrease back pain and allow for better control over the body.
Massage and Movement
Most back injuries result in spinal pain which can be decreased through massaging techniques. Chiropractors and physiotherapists use a combination of several movement exercises and massaging techniques to mobilize the spine to its full range. These techniques are usually applied when back pain does not settle weeks after the injury. Many studies have confirmed that these methods do help in reducing pain and encouraging mobilization. You can always contact a massage and physiotherapist in St Albert for effective management of your issue.
Staying Relaxed
Keeping your mind calm can significantly help with the recovery process and can give you the courage to cope with the situation. Research suggests that people who take on too much stress can slow down their healing and even result in unsettling back pain. Exercises that promote mindfulness and related psychological therapies can also mitigate the symptoms by many folds. These techniques assist you in avoiding negative energies and allow you to focus on developing a positive attitude towards handling pain effectively.
Healthy Eating and Resting
Getting an adequate amount of sleep and rest is necessary for the body to heal quickly. It is recommended that you follow a schedule for bedtime and waking up. Furthermore, at least 8 hours of sleep is necessary to let the body repair the damaged cells or at least help with reducing swelling due to the injury.
Similarly, incorporating a healthy and nutritious diet into your daily routine will provide the nutrients required for the body to repair itself. Furthermore, a balanced diet ensures you don’t face a deficiency of essential micronutrients like vitamins and minerals which are involved in hundreds of metabolic activities.
Conclusion
By taking care of yourself and following the right steps, one can easily cope with the issues that arise due to a back injury. We hope the tips we shared with you can assist you in better management of your condition so you can achieve the best outcomes in terms of health.