Relieve Low Back Pain | Reduce Low Back Pain | Canada's Leading Authority in Human Movement | Dev Chengkalath

Let’s face it.

Back Pain Sucks.

And it really does get in the way of life.

But it doesn’t have to!

Over the past few years in my physiotherapy practice I’ve had the pleasure of working with some wise and insightful clients on their journey towards a back pain free life.

For some of these individuals, the constant irritating pain has been a loyal companion over long stretches. At times abating to a dull nagging “friend” that tags along for the ride. And at other times rushing to the forefront of their awareness in crushing, life-altering waves of excruciating spasms.

Through their pain, suffering and journey towards salvation, each of these clients has taught me something new about living life with back pain.

Without further ado, here are the top 5 things that my clients have taught me about back pain:

1. You can do something about it: You don’t need to live with the pain. There are solutions out there. You may just need to dig a little deeper and search a littler harder. Ask around. Find out what others you know who have had back pain have done. This doesn’t mean their solutions will work for you, but at least it’ll give you someplace to start.

2. Keep moving: Exercise almost always helps. In most cases of low back pain, appropriate movement will help. It will keep joints lubricated, muscles working and mental outlook up. If you’re carrying a few extra pounds, losing those will ease the load on your spine and other joints. Even dropping 10 lbs will significantly decrease the wear and tear on your body. Getting in shape will dramatically improve your capacity to tolerate various stresses, mental and physical.

3. Empower yourself: Be your own best advocate. Only you truly know how your back pain impacts you. Only you are the “expert” on your own life. It’s easy for someone else to sit across a desk from you and say “stop doing ____.” They aren’t the ones living your life. It’s much better if the people who are supposed to help you, work with you, to generate workable solutions that can be implemented in your “real world” and not in some imaginary or unattainable “ideal world”.

4. Consistency is key: Stay on track and keep at it. Don’t give up. Be relentless. There will be peaks and valleys on your journey towards relieving low back pain but in the end, you will find a solution that works for you, a solution that will let you get back to the business of enjoying life.

5.  Know and respect your body’s limits. The body is capable of some pretty amazing feats. It can heal and repair itself from some pretty incredible situations if given the opportunity. This does not mean you can’t push the limits or even reset them. By all means, this should be the goal when looking at reaching new heights of human movement and performance. Just do so safely within the tolerances of your body structures.

If you have any insights on relieving low back pain, I’d be interested in hearing about them. Drop me a comment and let me know.

Yours in movement.

Dev Chengkalath

The second point brought up in the previous couple posts relates to the risks of too much sitting and limiting everyday, non-exercise activity.

I’ve already spoken about the dangers of sitting in a quite a few of my previous physiotherapy blog posts, so I won’t belabour that point.

What I will say is that even for those who are fairly physically active, prolonged sitting will still cause problems, the same as it will for those who are more sedentary.

This is where NEPA comes into play.

NEPA or Non-Exercise Physical Activity (I’ve talked about it as NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis previously) is all the other movement you do during your day that doesn’t count as exercise. The “everyday life activity”. This is where that leisurely stroll, the housework, and yes, even the fidgeting comes in to play.

Why is NEPA important?

Think of it this way…It’s a lot easier to get a few minutes of NEPA frequently throughout the day than it would be to set up an intense exercise activity regularly and consistently through your day.

If you can increase your non-exercise physical activity by 15-20 minutes a day in spurts of 1-2 minutes at a time, over the course of your week you will have added around 2 hours of increased movement. And most of you won’t even notice the added bouts of 1 minute movement.

It won’t interrupt your day.

It won’t cost you much in terms of time to take the stairs instead of the elevator, but the health benefits multiplied over a long period of time can be significant.

This takes me back to an article I was emailed some time ago.

According to that article, in the past 150 years non-exercise related calorie burning has dropped by about 2000 calories a day.

Yup.

2000.

That’s the same number that is used as the baseline total daily calories for calculating percentage of daily values for nutrient requirements in American food labeling.

150 years ago, we used to burn more calories with non-exercise related activities than we are supposed to take in daily today.

Now that’s something to think about.

Yours in movement.

Dev Chengkalath

As you’ve probably figured out, this post will have nothing to do with relieving low back pain, motor control or injury prevention.

It does, however, have much to do with human movement.

Michael Jackson passed away today. The response was incredible. Humans were moved.

Whether you were a fan or detractor, whether you are young or old, I am certain he influenced you more than you’re aware.

It’s been a few hours since I heard the news, but I think it’s only really starting to sink in.

Michael Jackson has died.

Though his eccentricity has overshadowed his former artistic prowess of late, Michael Jackson represented more than just a musician, more than a dancer, more than just the King of Pop.

He represented the ultimate cool, the ultimate smooth criminal.

Red leather jackets. Sparkly white gloves. And the moonwalk.

He inspired a generation and made his mark on the world.

Who’s bad?

A young Michael Jackson

Rest in peace.

Millions of people around the world have all reaped the benefits of a good push up. 

Photo courtesy Arlen Roche

Now you too can join in the fun.

For free.

With no pokey underwires, no skin-scarring straps and no constrictive constraints.

All in the comfort of your own home. Or even out at your local playground, if you so desire.

In keeping with the theme of body weight exercises, this post will discuss what is probably one of the most basic of human movements: the push up. 

LIke all other body weight exercises, no external load or vast amounts of space are required. 

In its simplicity, it will confer numerous benefits which include a buffed up bust, souped up shoulders and tantalizing triceps.

This movement is also a fantastic core control and stability exercise. 

It can modified to suit absolute beginners or progressed for even the most advanced trainee. 

As a physical therapist, I use these from shoulder rehab programs to relieving low back pain to general fitness and health.

With this list of positives, you have no reason NOT to be doing these often. 

The Basic Push Up:

Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Keeping your head in line with your torso, hips and legs, lower your chest towards the ground, under control, as far as you can.

Don’t let your hips sag to the ground or arch up to the ceiling (always maintain that straight line).

When you’ve lowered yourself as far as you can, reverse the movement and push your body back up, using your arms and chest, to the starting plank position.

And there you have it, the basic push up!

If these are too easy or too boring for you, just use your imagination.

The variations are only limited by your imagination. These include close hand position, off-set hand position, feet raised, hands raised, one arm, one leg or any combination of the above. 

Long live push ups!

Dev Chengkalath

In my physical therapy practice in Toronto, I often get people who have been in fairly chronic low back pain for a good chunk of time, something you might be familiar with. 

So let’s use your situation as an example. 

Because of the length of time you’ve been suffering, there’s a good chance that you’ve been to see at least one, if not multiple, health care practitioners such as physicians, physical therapists or chiropractors. 

One of the most common self or health professional “prescribed” treatments that you’ve probably been given in the past is to statically stretch your low back. 

Sound familiar yet?

In fact, you could even google low back pain relief related terms and you’d probably come across dozens upon dozens of websites all proposing various low back static stretches to get you feeling better.

Unfortunately, for most of you, stretching your low back in this manner doesn’t deal with the root causes of your low back pain.

Sure, it’ll feel good.

Temporarily. Stretching usually does.

But feeling good doesn’t always mean doing good. And in this case, stretching the poor muscles of your lower back is probably not a good idea.

Don’t get me wrong.

There are times when those tissues do need to be stretched out, but it’s not as often as most people think. 

So what’s the solution?

What should you do instead?

What you need to do is stabilize your spine. Unfortunately, here’s where it gets a little more complicated.

Stable doesn’t mean immobile. In this case, stable really means mobile under control. Control being the operative word.   

In the following clip, the Cat & Camel mobility exercise is demonstrated.

This movement is geared towards keeping your spine limber while still keeping control.

It’s NOT about going as far as you can, it’s about going as far as you can, UNDER CONTROL. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Yours in movement.

Dev Chengkalath