Back Pain Care at Home: 3 Tips from a Physiotherapist

Tips for back pain care at home are essential as we have been noticing an increase in back pain cases in Singapore recently. This could be due to unergonomic work from home situations as well as the general increase in physical and sporting activity among Singaporeans. Sudden back pain can be caused by prolonged hours in poor postural positions while working such as working on the sofa or in bed.

The increased uptake in physical activity such as HIIT and gym memberships can also lead to back pain caused by a sudden increase in physical activity or performing exercises and movements incorrectly.

In this article, we share 3 tips for back pain care that you can do at home if you experience sudden and acute back pain.

1. Stop the activity causing back pain

Very often, sudden and severe back pain can be caused by an increase in a certain activity. Thus if you experience back pain suddenly, the first step you can take to back pain care at home is to stop whatever activity that you suspect is causing your back pain. If you’ve been working out more than usual – rest and take a break from exercising for the next few days. If you’ve been busier at work and stuck at the computer seated for longer than usual and suddenly experience back pain – stop sitting and get up and move around for a while.

2. Stretch your back

Sudden back pain can occur due to a compression in the spine – you can perform gentle stretching exercises such as the one below to gently stretch your spine and create more space so as to relieve the pain. Do keep in mind that not all stretches are suitable and some may actually worsen the pain. A simple and safe exercise recommended by our physiotherapist for back pain care at home is as follows:

1. Get into a seated position on a chair
2. Place your hands on your thighs
3. Gently bend forwards to stretch the spine

3. Over the counter medication

If your back pain is severe and affecting your quality of life, consider taking some over-the-counter painkillers or muscle relaxants such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with back pain care at home and temporary pain relief. This should help to tide you over until you are able to make an appointment to see a physiotherapist or a medical professional.

Seek professional help instead of managing back pain at home

Keep in mind that these 3 tips for back pain care at home only provide temporary relief and is not a permanent solution. It is still essential to check in with a physiotherapist or a medical professional to get a clearer understanding of why; you are experiencing back pain and to resolve it effectively. In most back pain cases, the condition is likely to worsen without medical treatment or correcting certain triggers that is causing your back pain.

If you are experiencing back pain, do contact us to make an appointment to see one of our physiotherapists to effectively resolve your back pain problem.