How Will Osteopathic Treatment Alleviate Your Back Pain?

The most common cause of back pain is injury to a muscle or ligament. These strains and sprains can develop due to you not using the correct form when lifting heavy objects, poor posture and lack of frequent exercise. Being overweight can increase the risk of back strains and sprains too.

Why do people turn to Osteopathy for support with their back pain?

Osteopathy is the science of human mechanics. It’s an established, recognised system of diagnosis and treatment that lays emphasis on the structural integrity of the body. It’s essentially a natural therapy and is distinctive in the fact that it recognises much of the pain and disability we suffer stems from abnormalities in the function of the body structure as well as damage caused to it by disease.

Osteopathy provides a holistic treatment for back pain using various techniques such as:

  • Massage
  • Spinal manipulation 
  • Muscle energy technique: This is where a patient uses their muscles in a specific direction, and from a precise position, against a counterforce applied by the osteopath.
  • Counterstrain technique: This is where the patient is moved away from a position where movement is restricted to one of greater comfort.
  • Cranial osteopathy: This is a form of gentle bodywork addressing the bones of the head and spinal column. An osteopath will use a therapeutic touch to alleviate both pain and stress.

Lower back pain is one of the most frequent reasons people visit osteopathy clinics. Even though the pain can feel like you’ve caused severe damage to your back, this isn’t always the case.

Osteopaths use physical manipulation, stretching and massage with the aim of:

  • Increasing your joint mobility
  • Relieving your muscle tension
  • Reducing your pain
  • Enhancing the blood supply to your tissues
  • Helping your body to heal.

Osteopaths look at the health of your body as a whole and aim to make sure all your bones, muscles and joints are functioning smoothly together. This helps us to focus on manual therapies that’ll help to get your body back to a fully functioning state.

What can you do at home to aid your back pain?

Knee to Chest Exercises

  • Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent
  • Bring one knee up to your chest and hold for 15 seconds
  • Return the knee to the starting position and repeat the process with the other leg and knee
  • Do this 3–5 times for each leg, alternating.

Child’s Pose

  • Start on your hands and knees
  • Rest your buttocks on your heels and lean forward, extending your arms in front of you with your palms placed flat on the floor
  • Rest your forehead on the floor
  • Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.

If you’re ready to eliminate back pain from your life, the Enfield Osteopathic team would love to hear from you. We will work together to get you in the best shape possible so you’re able to lead a pain-free and comfortable life, and so you’re able to reach your 2023 goals.

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