What’s The Best Medicine For Back Pain Try Exercise

July 29 2014

What’s The Best Medicine For Back Pain? Try Exercise

Do you suffer from back pain? If so, you aren’t alone. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting upwards of 31 million Americans at any given time. With 33 vertebrae and dozens of different muscles and tendons, the back is a complex part of the human body that’s prone to injury as well as normal wear and tear.

While most people treat back pain with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, a recent study suggests that exercise may prove equally as effective, if not more effective, at treating back pain.

For this study, Australian researchers treated 1,600 people suffering from lower back pain with either paracetamol (acetaminophen) or a placebo — giving them a maximum dose of 4,000 mg per day. Participants were not told which pill they were taking. Participants who were given paracetamol experienced pain relief in an average of 17 days, whereas participants who were given the placebo experienced pain relief in an average of 16 days.

"The mechanisms of back pain are likely to be different from other pain conditions and this is an area that we need to study more," said Chris Williams of the University of Sydney, the study’s lead author

Rather than using traditional pain relievers like paracetamol to treat lower back pain, experts are not recommended patients try exercise. Lack of exercise, poor posture, and obesity are often the three leading causes of lower back pain.

Taking a pill may temporarily mask some of the pain, but it’s not a solution to the underlying problem. Exercising, on the other hand, improves posture, strengthens muscles, and burns away fat — all of which can prove beneficial in treating/preventing lower back pain.

So, what are some good exercises to target your back? Something as simple as jogging for 30 minutes a day can protect against back pain. If you’re looking to build muscle mass, however, you should focus on resistance training, such as deadlifts, bent-over rows, lat presses, standing military shoulder press, etc. Just remember to start small and gradually work your way up to heavier weights; otherwise, you run the risk of suffering a back-related injury.

By incorporating back workouts into your normal fitness routine, you’ll naturally reduce the risk of back pain.