Low back pain – Prevent and reduce it during daily activities

Four out of five adults will experience significant low back pain at some point in their lives. It is the second most common cause of lost work days among adults under the age of 45. Clients will often seek help from alternative medicines, including chiropractors, before consulting a physician or occupational therapist (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006). Occupational therapists are skilled health workers who focus on helping clients become independent in all aspects of life. A key element of occupational therapy (OT) is preventing further pain or injury by modifying or adapting activities. Part of helping clients with low back pain includes education in good body mechanics and energy conservation as a way to modify activities. Intervening before pain becomes chronic is very important because “…prolonged pain could create vicious cycles and, as a result, chronic pain…” (Rosenwax, Semmens, & Holman, 2001, p. 185). Various tips that OTs give clients to prevent low back pain during daily activities will be provided. These are useful for everyone who wants to decrease the risk of lower back pain and injury in the future.

Low back pain begins with a single, sudden injury or is a process that occurs over time (Rosenwax, et al., 2001). Occupational therapists are helpful resources and can provide education to help decrease low back pain and maintain a healthy back. They use the principles of body mechanics and conservation of energy when educating.

1. Keep your back straight and don’t slouch.

2. Lean from the hips, not the back.

3. Avoid twisting during activities. Rather, rotate as a unit while keeping your spine in its natural, comfortable position.

4. Maintain good posture. In other words, make sure your head is facing forward, your chin is parallel to the ground, your ears are parallel to your shoulders, and your arms are at your sides.

5. Carry objects close to the body. Heavy objects, especially, are more dangerous when carried away from the body (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006).

6. Lift with your legs to be safe because your legs are much stronger than your back (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006). Also, don’t be afraid to lift because staying in bed constantly when in pain is not recommended. Rather, light activity is more likely to drive the repair process (Rosenwax, et al., 2001).

7. Use a wide base of support. This means making sure your feet are shoulder-width apart.

8. Reduce back stress while standing. This can be done by using a small stool or by opening a cabinet door and placing one foot inside the base (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006).

These body mechanics concepts are easy to understand and require no additional equipment or money to achieve. Using conservation of energy principles in addition to good body mechanics can also help with low back pain.

Occupational therapists understand that clients have busy lives, but their backs may be suffering because of it. Energy conservation principles can help reduce these problems.

1. Plan ahead: For example, prepare meals ahead of time when you have more energy and reheat them later (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006). Also, you can put the clothes in the night before use.

2. Pace yourself – This requires you to look at the time frame needed to complete the task and the ability to complete it without causing harm. For example, do the dishes in the morning and vacuum in the evening instead of both in one session (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006).

3. Set priorities – This can include going out to dinner with friends instead of preparing a large meal at home. So, you won’t have to prep, cook, serve and clean up all in one night.

4. Eliminate unnecessary tasks: This can include using disposable tableware for guests instead of plates that create extra work.

5. Balance activity with rest. For example, use a stool and sit on it while preparing food to rest your back.

6. Know your activity tolerance: This means knowing how much activity you can handle and how much rest you need for recovery. This way, you won’t strain your back too much (Pendleton & Schultz-Krohn, 2006).

Too many adults experience low back pain when it can be prevented. Occupational therapists are valuable health professionals who provide education to clients to decrease the incidence of low back pain. Part of the education includes giving tips on body mechanics and energy conservation as a way to modify activities of daily living. These tips are helpful in preventing the onset and recurrence of low back pain. Also, using them after an injury will help break the vicious cycle of chronic pain (Rosenwax, et al., 2001). Now you can incorporate these simple tips into everyday life.

References

Pendleton, H. & Schultz-Krohn, W. (Eds.). (2006). Pedretti’s occupational therapy: practical skills for physical dysfunction. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier

Rosenwax, L., Semmens, J., & Holman, C. (2001). Is occupational therapy in danger of ‘ad hocery’? An application of evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of low back pain. Australian Journal of Occupational Therapy, (48)4, 181-186.