Leisure World News

B28 March 2022 • Wellness • www.lwca.com Attention Back Pain Sufferers! By Steven Alexander Are you living with or worried about,someone living with back pain? Whether you see them just starting to slow down with their activities, or they have started saying, “It’s Not That Bad,” this message is for you! Do you or a loved one like to stay active on the courts, golf course or in the gym but are often held back because you suffer from regular episodes of back pain? Perhaps it is so bad it prevents you from walking? Prolonging the Pain Unfortunately, back pain is so prevalent that nearly 80%of people experience it at one point in time. Pain is bad but sadly, I see people prolong their pain for many months — and even years —before they decide it is time to get treated. This shift to decide to get some help for the pain usually occurs when we notice we cannot move as well. More importantly, people finally seek help when their spouses, family or friends continue to nag them about how poorly they are moving. They are usually the first ones to notice your back swing has become a little shorter, your tennis stroke stops mid follow-through and you can no longer reach down to hug your grandkids or let them leap into your arms. It is hard to admit that we all age. It is much easier to admit and concede when we are not moving well, are not attending our golf outings anymore or when pickleball tournaments start turning into movie outings. But in reality, we don’t get old and then stiff. We get stiff then old. That is why I have made it a mission to help treat active adults. We are staying alive longer. But are we actually living? Helpful Tips Here are some tips for staying active while dealing with back pain: 1. KeepMoving! This is the number one piece of advice I give. Nothing gets better by just laying around. That’s like thinking the strange noise from your vehicle will go away on its own. Maybe it will or maybe it is a sign of a larger problem waiting to emerge? Don’t forget the old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it!” 2. Don’t Use Pills: Pills are not the first line of defense to treat back pain. Our bodies are great at healing, we just need to put them in a position to heal! Pain pills act like a band-aid. They either just block the pain signals —which are there to protect you—or take away inflammation (but the body is great at putting it back if it needs it). Plus, have you seen the opioid epidemic? The longer I have been in the business, the more of an issue I realize this is. 3. Avoid Back Braces: Stop reaching for the back braces. Braces can be used temporarily. Putting a little extra pressure on a painful joint, muscle or nerve typically helps out…temporarily. Braces don’t work the way you think they do. They can help you be more aware of the pain and try to stop you frommoving into those painful motions, but you eventually need to get back into those motions. These are not long-term solutions for back pain. I hope these tips help you the next time you have a bout of back pain. Nobody likes to miss out on golf outings, pickleball tournaments or attending tennis club events because of their back pain. It is your choice whether you want to be one of those 80% of people who live with back pain or whether you will make the decision today to seek help and give your back pain an eviction notice! Stay active, age well! For our Leisure World neighbors, we are currently offering a free consultation, right at the comfort of your own home! We are offering seven free phone consultations . Why? We realize some may try these ideas or have trouble implementing them. Either way, we want to help active adults age gracefully! Give us a call to see if you qualify. Don’t delay. If you were able to get rid of the pain on your own, it would have happened by now! Contact us today and get relief! For more information or questions about back pain and how to stay active with back pain, please contact us at 480-452-9191 or salexander@sparkperformancept.com . -Steven Alexander, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Spark Performance and Physiotherapy. PHYSIO TIME