With the lock-down being lifted and the restrictions newly relaxed, many of us have dove straight back into all the things we love, like shopping, eating out and of course playing sports. However, just because the restrictions have been relaxed, the same can’t be said for our bodies!
Now more than ever, there has been a high surge of lower back pain amongst the nation as we have battled working from home, not being able to attend the gym or our usual sporting activities and our new sedentary lifestyle. Many of us now suffer from a persistent back pain… however we are not alone. At the moment in the UK, due to lockdowns a huge wave of us are now suffering from back pain, predominantly – lower back pain. However, the truth remains that despite the vast amount of us now sharing in this same issue, little of us know what to do to help our bodies with our pain and recover from the extensive amount of time spent at home.
Now that the UK is heading back to normality, the temptation to rush straight into doing all the things that we have missed out on doing for many months now is present among us all. Nevertheless, no matter how much we may have missed these things and are eager to live life to the fullest outdoors again, the likely hood that it may make matters worse for your lower back pain is very high and as a result you may suffer the symptoms for longer.
At ALO Clinic we have already noticed a spike in our new patients, specifically due to injuries being suffered. These injuries are being incurred by those who have innocently attempted to head back into the world again and continue on with our old routines. It is becoming increasingly apparent that after months spent in a totally different routine and lifestyle, our bodies are not ready to be chucked in at the deep end with our post-lockdown plans, and this is how we have ended up in a society currently riddled with persistent lower back pain or a back injury!
Many of us may have had a pre-existing condition which has become severely worse over the lock-down period. At ALO our mantra is that prevention is always better than cure, so acting now to ensure you don’t make your lower back pain worse is key. In order to avoid making any pre-existing back conditions worse coming out of lock-down you should first speak with your physiotherapist. We will be able to assess you and help you create a plan of care which will be a tailored plan of what your body will need to recover from the 2020 – 2021 pain suffered – so you will be much more able bodied and enjoy our post-lockdown spring time.
If your lock-down back pain is new and was brought on by the pandemic and working from home then you may think that all you need to head straight back into the gym now that they are back open and dive straight back into it. Wrong! This is a common misconception and it is the main reason why we are seeing so many post-lockdown lower back injuries at the moment. The best advice for getting back to your usual sporting activities or work-outs is always to pace yourself! Initially you should start with less than you used to, easing your body back into your sport/exercise will ensure you remain injury free. For example, if you used to work out in the gym 5 times a week start with 3 times a week ensuring to have a 2-day gap between each activity. Another great tip is to take breaks! You may not think you need them but your body will thank you for frequent rest breaks. Lastly, don’t forget to hydrate. Our bodies are mostly made up of water and we need that water to keep our ligaments nice and supple to help us avoid tears and injuries.
If after following this advice you are still unsure about how to return to your usual routine post-lockdown or you have suffered an injury/ pains feel free to book in with us for a complementary consultation. You can book your consultation on the home page of our website. In this visit or phone call your physiotherapist will assess your current levels of ability or pain and will tailor a recovery plan to you.
