As I was driving in to the Physical Therapy clinic in Elizabeth, NJ, I was thinking about my children. As many of us all have kids and have attended their baseball games, soccer games, or simply watching our toddlers at home, it dawned on me as to why they are so resilient when they fall, or can stay longer in seated and standing positions. Well, of course, they are younger, so their lower backs have not succumbed to the pressure of age and time and as well there is more water in their discs vs someone at age 40. But, in reality, there is one very simple word that explains why they are able to bounce back so fast:
FLEXIBILITY
A healthy spine starts with healthy flexibility both bending forward and bending backward. Two ways to promote that are by doing the great, “secret” exercises that Dr. James put in his last blog post: the child’s pose activity and the modified cobra position.
With regards to these two positions, you are not standing and you can look to put as little pressure as possible on an injured back while still trying to obtain the proper flexibility. It takes time, especially if you are just starting a stretching routine after a period of being inactive but certainly our body still has an ability to improve if given time and a little TLC.
And remember, with these positions, if you, in any way, feel any more discomfort at all, I highly recommend that you see us in Elizabeth or Jersey City, or head to your own preferred medical professional. These maneuvers shouldn’t cause pain, so there may be something else of concern that needs to get checked out other than just simple back or lower back pain.
Dr. Asha Koshy is a Physical Therapist and co-owner of Complete Physical Rehabilitation in Jersey City and Elizabeth, NJ.
She is a McKenzie certified back pain Physical Therapist specialist, an LSVT BIG certified specialist for Parkinson’s Disease, and also specializes in treating Vestibular conditions relating to vertigo, dizziness, and other balance disorders.