Back in action

WE look at the best ways to ease backache and speed up the body’s recovery process.

Emma centre with Hannah Walder of Osteopathy First and biomechanics coach Rhys Hamer Emma, centre, with Hannah Walder of Osteopathy First and biomechanics coach Rhys Hamer.

A permanent cure for chronic back pain moved a step closer last week as scientists unveiled a revolutionary new smart chip that can block pain signals when implanted in the spinal cord. The miniature device works by monitoring the nerves that carry pain signals and firing electrical impulses of up to 10 volts at a time which stops them reaching the brain.

The Australian researchers will start human trials of the chip in the new year which will be welcome news to the millions of back pain sufferers in this country. In the meantime there is plenty you can do to minimise the misery.

Keep active

Even stretching or walking around the house is better than nothing. “Resting can actually make back pain worse and lengthen the time you experience pain,” explains Jonathan Bailey-Teyletche of the British Orthopaedic Association. “That’s because the joints can stiffen up and the problem becomes more established.” 

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He recommends swimming, walking and even working out although it’s less about the specific exercise and more about finding something you enjoy that increases the heart rate a bit and doing it little and often. “It will increase blood circulation which keeps inflammation from building up and tone the muscles without too much stress and strain on the inflicted area.”

Try Pilates or yoga

These disciplines take the body through a range of movements to keep it flexible – ideal for healthy backs. If you’ve never tried either before, seek advice from your physician first and find an introductory class where the instructor knows about your back pain. Better still, take a one-to-one class.

If you’re already practising yoga or Pilates, get your instructor to double-check your technique. Incorrect movements could be the cause of your backache. “We are drawn to what we find easier so bendy people tend to prefer yoga while stiffer people like Pilates. In fact, stiffer people would benefit more from yoga and hyper-mobile people from Pilates,” says Sammy Margo of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Lose some weight

“Your stomach muscles are fundamental to stabilising your lower back so if you have put on excess weight around your middle, your back can arch in the same way as it does with pregnant women,” says Sammy. “This puts undue stresses and strains on your back and leaves it lacking the core stability which is vital to it working - and crucially, healing - well.”

However avoid yo-yo dieting. “All that loading and unloading of weight on the back is even worse for the back. A steady consistent weight loss programme is what’s required.”

Physical therapies

If your soreness refuses to budge, try a hands-on treatment such as osteopathy, chiropractic and physiotherapy. Base your decision on advice from your GP, coupled with which approach sounds most appealing in light of your pain, lifestyle and personality. Osteopathy and chiropractors work mainly in private practice.

Some therapists include a range of treatments such as acupuncture or hydrotherapy, says back expert Garry Trainer. “I increasingly combine osteopathy, acupuncture and massage, for example. The first helps the bones, the second helps the nervous system and the third helps the muscular system. Treatment of back pain should be holistic.”

Medication

The most popular over-the-counter “remedies” for back pain are muscle rubs and painkillers. While the evidence is scant on how much of the latest creams, ointments and gels get past the skin to the root cause, Sammy says the actual rubbing action itself can increase circulation and reduce the perception of pain by, for example, making the area feel warm.

Anti-inflammatory tablets such as ibuprofen work by interfering with the chemicals responsible for causing inflammation and swelling. Others find painkillers such as paracetamol helpful.

If they don’t do enough to manage your pain, consider asking your GP for stronger medication. “A short sharp course to knock the problem on the head over two to three weeks is generally better than taking over-the-counter pills infrequently over a period of six months,” says Jonathan Bailey-Teyletche.

Sleep well

The average bed deteriorates 75 per cent after 10 years and it is your back that will suffer first and foremost. “Old beds often sag in the middle, forcing the lumbar spine into an excessive curve which can be really painful,” says Nigel Kellow, back pain specialist at the London Orthopaedic Clinic.

Don’t assume orthopaedic beds are best though. “If a mattress is too hard, your spine will go out of its natural alignment, causing aches and pains the next morning. What you want is a supportive, comfortable bed.”

Think about how you sleep too. The ideal position for people with back pain is on your back with a pillow under your knees, while the worst position is on your front, says Sammy. “If you want to lie on your side, ensure your pillow is properly supporting your neck and put another one between your knees so you don’t strain your lower back by rolling forward or backwards.”

Sleep is the time when our bodies recuperate and repair themselves and that can only really happen if we lie in the right position, agrees Jonathan. “People think nothing of spending thousands of pounds on a car that they spend 20 minutes a day in, yet they object to spending good money on a mattress, where they spend six to 10 hours a night.”

MY LIFETIME OF PAIN WAS GONE IN SIX WEEKS

EMMA Smith, 28, works as an insurance claims specialist and lives in Highwood, Essex.

I was born with congenital dislocation of the hip which wasn’t diagnosed early enough. 

By the age of 27 I’d had three replacement hips but I was still in constant pain. I couldn’t sit, stand or  walk for any length of time and going  out to dinner, the cinema, theatre or bars wasn’t possible. 

I saw several healthcare professionals recommended by my GP but they all said I’d have to live with my back pain for ever.

The painkillers I took were so strong they made me sick and drowsy. Eventually I decided to have one last stab to sort out the problem, this time with Hannah Walder, from Osteopathy First. within six weeks every complaint I had was fixed.

Hannah arranged for a whole team of professionals to work with me, including an acupuncturist and a biomechanics specialist. They considered my body holistically rather than just the location of the actual pain and they gave me a tailored daily exercise programme.

Finally they advised me about buying a new mattress and pillow and custom-made, prescription orthotics, all of which have been life-changing.

If I can be cured of back pain I believe anyone can. I’m on top of the world and for the first time ever I can fulfil my long-held dream of wearing high heels.

For more information visit www.backcare.org.uk or call the BackCare helpline on 0845 130 2704.

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