Of course, you also can throw out your back by doing completely nonathletic
activities, such as improperly lifting a child or a bag of groceries. Always use
proper form (lifting and bending with your legs, not your back), when lifting
and carrying anything.In many instances of back pain, the worst thing you can do is just stay in bed.
This weakens the very muscles that need to be loosened up and strength-
ened (and lack of activity may have led to the back pain in the first place).
Another time-honored treatment, the heating pad, makes many back condi-
tions worse by further inflaming the nerves.So what helps back pain heal? Time, for one thing. Many cases of back pain
disappear within four weeks without any treatment at all. If that doesn’t
work, you can see a variety of professionals. Most experts believe that the
majority of back pain is muscular in nature and can be treated successfully
with nonsurgical procedures, such as exercise, massage, physical therapy,
and chiropractic. (To find a good chiropractor, get a recommendation from
a friend, or better yet, from a medical doctor.) Swimming, walking, and yoga
seem to be the best activities for limbering up tight back muscles. Back and
abdominal strengthening exercises supervised by a physical therapist or
trainer experienced in dealing with back pain can give you long-term immunity
from further recurrence of back pain. For helpful back stretches, see Chapter 6.For an episode you’re having right now, ice and gentle movement are probably
your best bet for relief. Some experts recommend seeing a physiatrist,a med-
ical doctor who rehabilitates the disabled. Physiatrists are more likely to pre-
scribe exercise than medication or surgery. If you experience severe back
pain that prevents you from going about your normal activities, see your
physician first to rule out any underlying medical causes, such as kidney
infections or intestinal disorders.Don’t ignore the symptoms, like Liz’s husband, Jay, once did. One night Jay
woke up in the middle of the night to get some ice but got so dizzy from his
back pain that he fainted. When he hit the floor, Liz woke up and found him
lying in the hallway, blood dripping from his mouth. Liz thought he had been
shot. For the next two days, Jay was confined to bed because he couldn’t
walk. His cut lip didn’t feel too good, either.Tennis elbow ........................................................................................
You don’t need to be a tennis player to experience a tenderness on the bony
bump on the outside of your elbow or an aching sensation whenever you
straighten your arm or pick up an object. In fact, tennis elbow(inflammation
of the tendons in your elbow) can be caused by carrying a gym bag or brief-
case with a straight arm or by lifting weights or any heavy object with
improper form.64 Part II: Enjoying Total-Body Health: Eating Well and Staying Injury-Free