Got a Kink in Your Back from Training? How to Straighten It Out
No matter what steps you take to protect your spine, a back injury can occur in the blink of an eye. While those types of injuries usually aren’t too dangerous, you will need to focus on your recovery if you want to avoid long-term health problems.
Keep Moving
It might be tempting to remain sedentary after you injure your back, but that could end up making the discomfort much worse. As long as the injury is relatively minor, you need to move around as much as possible. Going for walks, swimming, and stretching are all great options for those who are struggling with back pain. The extra movement is going to keep the blood flowing to the muscles, and that will speed up your recovery.
Try Heat and Ice
For soft tissue damage, hot and cold therapy can be incredibly beneficial. Immediately following the injury, you should try putting hot and cold packs on your back for a few minutes at a time. The heat packs will improve blood flow to the area while relaxing the tense muscles. Your cold packs are going to numb the area and reduce inflammation.
Use Over-the-Counter Painkillers Sparingly
Over-the-counter painkillers are a great option for temporary pain relief, but those drugs shouldn’t be thought of as a long-term solution to your back pain. Most medical experts agree that you shouldn’t rely on OTC painkillers for more than a few days at a time, and you must drink plenty of water when you are taking those pills. You also have the option of using a topical painkiller if you want to avoid oral painkillers. Topical painkillers usually provide you with immediate pain relief, and they can be applied multiple times a day.
Visit a Chiropractor
Scheduling a chiropractic appointment is another important step in this process, and that type of doctor could ease your pain and speed up your recovery. During your visit, the chiropractorwill most likely locate the area where the pain is coming from and relieve tension through joint manipulation. They might also be able to loosen the muscles so that more blood can get to the damaged tissue.
As a general rule, you should always head to the doctor if your back pain is debilitating or has lasted for more than a few days. Ongoing back pain could be the result of a serious medical issue that needs to be treated by a professional.
