3 Simple Steps to Eliminate Back Pain

By Dr. Kahl Goldfarb

If you have been suffering from back pain or pain that radiates down your leg, start 2021 fresh and pain free. Here are three steps that our physical therapy doctors have found to be extremely effective in eliminating back and leg pain.

Note: there are many causes of back pain: disc, nerve, bone, muscle, ligament, and more. In order to assure that you have the correct program designed for you, it is always recommended to have one visit with a physical therapy doctor to receive a proper treatment diagnosis so you know the cause of the pain and how to help yourself become pain free.

Fear of injury is usually much worse than the actual injury. It is not abnormal to have some degree of damage to discs and joints. Do not let an MRI or diagnosis cause you fear. A 2014 study showed that 90% of people above the age of 60 and 70% of people below the age 50 showed damage to their discs and joints on an MRI without experiencing any pain. This shows that even if your MRI shows damage, it does not mean you are subject to pain. With the normal aging process, an MRI will show damage to the spine.

Dr. Greg Banks PT,DPT,OCS demonstrates using the fingers to feel the gentle contraction of the muscles in front, back, and on the sides of his spine. Maintaining this gentle contraction is beneficial during all movement activities (e.g., lifting, bending, twisting) and should be able to be done comfortably during normal breathing.

Quite often, a simple reset to the nervous system can eliminate pain. Pain comes from a message in the brain, and the key is to reset the area of the body that is giving the pain message to the brain. Mobilizing or moving the correct area can relax the problem area. The pain signal can stop, the pain goes away. Here are two techniques to try:

Foam Roller Technique: Begin by laying on your back with your knees bent and place a foam roller on your mid back. Gently roll up and down on the roller, staying in the mid back area for 2 to 3 minutes while taking deep, calming breaths through your nose. This simple technique can calm the sympathetic nervous system (the system that controls fight or flight) and can immediately decrease your pain, as your body is able to go into a more relaxed state.

Tennis Ball Muscle Release: Lay on your back and place a tennis ball next to the spine (about 1 to 2 inches away from the spine) at your lower back, just below the rib area. Hold your knees to your chest, and gently roll on the ball until you feel a maximum of a 5/10 pressure over the ball. Maintain that pressure for 30-90 seconds. The pain should decrease significantly. If not, you might have the ball in the wrong place; move the ball further away from the spine. Tennis Ball Muscle Release: Dr. Greg Banks PT, DPT, OCS demonstrates placing tennis ball over the multifidus muscle to relax the deep muscles surrounding the spine. These muscles can be a significant generator of pain.

Now that you have “reset” your pain, it is important to activate the muscles around your low back so they can stabilize your back as you progress towards movement and activities. Your core muscles are not just your abdominal area, but also include the front, sides, and back area. Place your hands on your waist with your thumbs on your back just under your lower ribs and the rest of your fingers facing forwards around your lower ribs at the front of your body. Breathe out, feel the core muscles under your fingers tighten. Feel all the core muscles including the front, sides, and the back of your spine. Do this while taking slow and deep Foam Roller Technique: Dr. Greg Banks PT,DPT,OCS demonstrates how to reset nervous system to decrease back pain.

breaths. The goal is to have a gentle contraction of your core while you move and breath comfortably.

Living with pain should not be an option. These tips listed above can help you begin to feel pain free, but a skilled physical therapy doctor will be able to provide detailed assessment and treatment plan tailored to your specific needs in order to prevent future injuries and pain.

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