Tired of low back pain? Or beyond tired and just
plain mad?

Mad that back pain keeps messing with your life.

After all, you’ve got things to do!

Just how mad are you?

Mad enough to actually DO something about it?

Yes? Then DO something about it!

Starting as soon as . . . now!

Or don’t.

Your choice. Your consequences.

A life free from back pain
or a life bridled by back pain.   

“Just DO It!” – Nike

Doing something about your back pain doesn’t just mean seeing
your favorite chiropractor near you. No doubt, your chiropractor may be
hugely helpful.

However, you must be “all in,” not just standing on the sidelines
expecting to “get fixed” in a snap without doing your part.

If you’re truly ready to get rid of that back pain, then let’s tackle
back pain with these 7 “to-dos”.

1. Set a Goal. Make a Plan. Follow the Plan!

2. Power Up!

3. Carb Up!

4. Lighten Up!

5. Rest Up!

6. Heads Up!

7. Partner Up! 

Let’s get started.

 

1. Set a Goal. Make a Plan. Follow the Plan!

Create a goal. How would you like your back to feel in one month,
6 months, one year, five years? What movements, exercise, and
activities would you like to be doing without your lower back biting you?

What are you willing to do to build up and strengthen your back and to
prevent back pain from boomeranging back?

Make a DOABLE plan to reach your goal.

Follow the plan. One step at a time.

Revise the plan as necessary. Stick to the plan. One step at a time.

When, not if, you skip a step or two, no biggie.
Don’t guilt. Don’t wallow. Don’t justify.

Most importantly, DON’T GIVE UP!

When you stumble off the back track, give yourself a good talkin’ to,
a hardy boot in the rear, and get going again.

Refocus on your goal and get right back in sync where you left off!

Bada boom, bada boom!

As long as you’re alive and kickin’, you’re responsible for
YOU—your body and your back.

So, hop aboard the back train and propel
yourself out of your chiropractor’s  revolving door!

As a chiropractor for over 40 years, I’m thrilled to boot you out my
door—after we have worked together to get your back into strong, stable,
fightin’ shape! [click here]

 

2. POWER UP!

Exercise!

Exercise produces energy! More energy produces more motivation
to move your body.

The more you move your body, the stronger you
get—including your lower back and the rest of your spine.

Exercise gets your heart pumping. Lungs expanding.

Blood flowing, transporting oxygen and vital nutrients to all cells,
tissues, and organs in your body (including your lower back) and
carrying away carbon dioxide and toxins.

The more oxygen and nutrients to your cells, tissues, and organs
(and toxins out), the better you function, the better your lower back
and entire spine work—helping to stop the pain!

There are three kinds of exercise to build up your back
and body:

1. Cardiovascular.
2. Strength.
3. Flexibility.

 

1. Cardiovascular Exercise

What’s the most important muscle in your body?

Your HEART!

So, start there. Exercise your heart!

While you’re pumping, strengthening your heart and body,
you’re also strengthening muscles, tendons, ligaments,
bones, and joints in your back.

No surprise there!

No “get up and go” to exercise?

Just take that first step, one step, then another.
Pretty soon you’ve walked 15 minutes.

After a while you’ve walked those 5,000, 10,000 steps in a day.

Be patient and kind to yourself. Push yourself a little. DO what
you can do—even a 15-minute walk around the block.

Walk consistently, daily, and for longer periods of time.

Moving your body, exercising your heart will jump start
your energy and your motivation to take care of you!

Select a cardio exercise or combination of exercises that you
like the best (or hate the least) and go for it!

Walking, running, biking, swimming, dancing, cardio classes,
hiking, rowing, any physical activity that gets your heart rate up.

Walking is one of the most effective exercises
for your lower back: sacroiliac joints, lumbar
spine, and hips.

WARNING! Use common sense. If exercise worsens your pain, STOP!
For now, seeing your chiropractor and lying down may be your best options.

Your chiropractor may be invaluable for back pain
relief and guidance for gradually incorporating exercise
into your life WITHOUT hurting yourself.

 

2. Strengthening Exercise

Along with cardio exercises, select exercises to build up and
strengthen your bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments,
including your core muscles in the central part of your body:
lower back, pelvis, hips, and stomach (abs). [click here]

You can build strength through floor exercises, stationary weight
machines, and guided group classes such as aerobics, Pilates,
and weight training.

Be sensible. Be careful. Listen to your body and if it hurts, STOP!

STOP! If your lower back hurts while doing
any exercise or activity, stop doing it. Seek
advice from your chiropractor or other
knowledgeable healthcare professional.

Take a peek at a few core exercises. [click here]

 

3. Flexibility Exercise

Routine stretching exercises may increase your flexibility and
level of fitness by improving movement, posture, and
relaxation, and reducing the risk of injury in your back and body.

Basic lower back stretches and/or beginner yoga exercises are
easily accessible on the internet. [click here]

However, if you’re experiencing back pain right now be super
careful not to injure already hurting tissues!

WARNING: IF your lower back hurts while stretching,
stop right away.

If your lower back pain is caused by the sacroiliac
joints [click here], stretching will worsen your lower
back pain.

When someone comes to me for sacroiliac joint pain (pain right below
the waist where hips attach to lower back)  [click here], I recommend
stopping all exercise until the pain subsides.

 

3. CARB UP!

When energy is depleted it’s tough to make yourself get through
the day, much less exercise.

So consciously, consistently boost and replenish your energy through:

1. Exercise. Start with that first step.

2. Rest and sleep. (#5 “To-Do”)

3. Fill up on unrefined carbohydrates: whole fresh fruits and vegetables,
as well as whole grains, like brown rice (not breads of any kind),
and legumes/beans.

Contrary to popular belief and propaganda by profit-hungry food
industries, unrefined carbohydrates are your body’s preferred food
source of energy, not animal protein or fat. [Click here for eye-opening
facts.]

How many fresh, whole fruits and vegetables
have you eaten today, yesterday, all week?

Eating fresh, whole fruits and vegetables and
whole grains every day is a critical energizing
habit you can easily start today.

Just open mouth, insert apple, and chew—the
quickest pick-me-up ever!

 

4. LIGHTEN UP!

Your lower back supports your entire spine and upper body weight.

Extra pounds put extra stress on your lower back, including the sacroiliac
joints, lumbar vertebrae, discs, hips, and knees. Years of extra stress on
your weight-bearing joints leads to premature wear and tear (degeneration)
in the spinal bones (vertebrae) and the discs and joints between the spinal bones.

The result: Back pain!

Common sense says that losing extra
pounds while strengthening your back, abdominal,
and other core muscles and supportive tissues
can significantly ease back pain.

 

5. REST UP!

*Sleeping.

When does healing happen?

Mostly while you sleep.

Therefore, a good night’s sleep, along with needed naps, are
critical for the repair and healing of injured lower back tissues
and reduction of back pain.

*Resting.

A sprained ankle demands rest—getting all weight off those
sprained/strained tissues.

Like a sprained ankle, a sacroiliac joint slippage causing
nagging to excruciating lower back pain demands rest,
getting all weight off it.

That means lying down.  [click here]

Not sitting. Not exercising. Not stretching. Not “walking it off”.

Lying down allows those weight-bearing tissues to rest and
heal faster.

 

6. HEADS UP!

Be aware of your posture and body positions that aggravate your
lower back, neck, and the rest of your spine.

Bending from the waist, twisting, lifting, reaching, repetitive motion,
keyboarding, tech neck, backpacks, and prolonged sitting can
contribute to lower back pain and neck pain, and, ultimately, early
onset of degeneration of spinal joints and discs.

Think about your posture, how you move, how you sit, how you lift,
how you perform duties and chores at work and home.

Always protect your lower back, neck, and spine.

Any kind of accident or incident (car accidents,
falls, pregnancy, sports, cheering, childhood injuries)
that jars, jerks, whips, or stresses your spine can injure
spinal joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles.

The result: possible pain and disability right away and/or
years down the road. 

Take the possible consequences of such an incident seriously,
and get your spine checked by your chiropractor. 

 

7. PARTNER UP!

Intentionally seek and create a partnership built on
mutual trust, respect, and gratitude with a
chiropractor near you. [click here]

Work together, each doing your part, to build up your lower back,
spine, and body, increasing energy, strength, and function while reducing,
even stopping lower back and other spine-related pain.

And start preparing yourself for the day you’ll have to pucker up
and kiss your chiropractor goodbye–at least for a while!

“You are the master of your own choices, and either
the beneficiary of or the slave to the consequences.”

-Dr. Leslie Martin

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot
change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind,
but you can change yourself. That is something you
have charge of.”

-Jim Rohn