Saved by physical exercise! We must fight against the misconception that back pain rhymes with the need for immobility. On the contrary, we must move! Not sport, but physical exercise.
A quarter of French people believe that low back pain is a serious problem, and 7 out of 10 believe that rest is the best remedy. The frequency of this evil is such that 69% of general practitioners are consulted every day for a back problem.
It is the Health Insurance which says it: “When you suffer from lumbago, rest is harmful and you have to mobilize. And the sooner we mobilize, the sooner we will be cured. »
This reduces health expenditure, but not at the expense of the quality of care. And faced with a risk of chronicization, it is necessary to immediately reinforce support and consult occupational medicine right away, so as not to let the person isolate themselves.
Low back pain is simply back pain, “kidney” pain as we say in popular language, although this organ has nothing to do with this spinal problem from which suffer, have suffered or will suffer. 2 out of 3 French people.
It’s not a fatality
Acute back pain is the “kidney turn”: lumbago. It lasts a few days, requires rest, but disappears completely. When it drags on, recurs several times a year, this is called “chronic” low back pain. In summary: acute low back pain is a few days; chronic low back pain, we are talking about weeks, months, or years… It ruins life, whether you are a footballer, an intellectual or a retiree!
In 90% of cases, it begins with what is called a “rein turn” whose first cause is a false movement or an unusual effort. For example, the great classic: lifting a box of books without bending your legs.
What should be done in case of acute back pain?
Some tips can help relieve low back pain:
- Continue the usual activities by adapting them in order to keep a straight position for the back.
- Be careful not to force and avoid sudden movements.
- Check that the bed is not too low and that the mattress is of good quality.
It is also interesting to use muscle relaxation, especially in case of associated stress. Here are some relaxation positions:
- Stretched out, back flat on the ground, bent legs resting on the seat of a chair, hands crossed behind your head.
- Lying on your back, bring both knees towards the chest, one after the other. Hold both knees together and pull them towards the chest.
- Kneel, sit on the heels, back rolled up, forehead against the floor and framed by the elbows, the forearms resting on the floor.
These positions that allow the back to rest can be practiced for a few moments every day.
Should you rest in case of uncomplicated acute low back pain?
Bed rest is absolutely not recommended, scientific studies have even shown that it may paradoxically prolong pain.
An early resumption of activities of daily living is therefore recommended for better muscle preservation. It has also been demonstrated in several scientific studies that a gradual resumption of physical activity promotes healing.
In case of professional activity and if the pain is not too important, a work stoppage is not always necessary. Of course, when the doctor prescribes a work stoppage, he takes into account the nature of the work and the routes to get there.
If the work is sedentary with short commuting times, the interruption of work is not systematic. On the other hand, if the work is physical and the transport long and difficult, the stop will be adapted to these constraints (from 3 days on average in the event of light physical work, to five weeks in the event of heavy physical work).
