If you have a sore back, you’re not alone. 8 out of 10 people will experience back pain in their lives. Then for 8% of people it’s even worse than that, as they suffer from chronic back pain and never get a respite (but they can ease that pain). 

When your back starts playing up, it can be tough to know what to do. Most of the time, you don’t even know how it happened! In fact, only 10% of people end up finding the root cause of the injury because there may have been many contributing factors. 

Luckily, The Comfort Co has your back (see what we did there?) 

Here are our top tips on how to take care of your back. 

The best things you can do for a sore back

Get it checked

If your back is constantly sore, there may be something deeper going on. If you’ve tried everything, get a scan and delve deeper into the problem. 

Exercise

If your back is actively sore the best thing you can do is to get moving. We know this can be difficult, as bad back injuries can be very demobilising. Try your best to hobble around the block, a few times if possible. This will help loosen up the muscles in your back and aid recovery. 

If you simply can’t move, we get it. Rest up. But please limit that bedrest to two days at MAX. As staying still for too long will make your back worse. 

If your back isn't actively sore, exercise is still one of the best things you can do to prevent your back getting sore. Having a strong & stable core will stabilise your back and keep the injuries away. Try core exercises like planks, sit-ups, crunches etc. But by far the best exercise you can do for back health is yoga. 

Manage your weight

This and our last tip kind of go hand-in-hand. Being overweight will exacerbate a bad back exponentially. If you get a bad back regularly you’d be amazed just how much getting in shape can help. 

Work on your workplace

Up to 1/3 of back injuries could be prevented with a better workplace. In the modern age we spend an incredible amount of time sitting, more than any other recorded time in history. This change in lifestyle has had a huge effect on our backs and for most, the biggest culprit is work.  

The good news is there’s a lot that we can do to combat this:

Go for walks

Research states that you should stand up every 30 minutes while at work to maintain health. Go up and get a glass of water, go to the bathroom, have a gossip with Steve in accounting. Whatever you need to do, just don’t stay sitting all day. 

Posture

Remember when your Nan yelled at you to sit up straight? She was onto something! Posture can make all the difference with your back. Make a conscious effort to sit up straight (and tighten those new found core muscles).

Get a good chair

Your old rickety chair could be doing you more damage than you know. If your chair is terrible, you’re within your rights to ask the boss for a new one (the worst thing they’ll say is no). If they do say no, it’s worth going out and getting a new one yourself. If you don’t, at least set it up right. Your feet should be flat on the ground and your thighs parallel to the ground. 

Standing desk

They’ve had a bit of a renaissance recently. They’re not as naff as they once were and you’ll no longer be the butt of the joke in the office. Plus, they’re now super affordable AND adjustable (put it down, and it’s a sitting desk again). 

Fix something else

Sometimes the source of your back pain may not be your back. Other injuries can change the way that we walk because we’re compensating to deal with the pain. This can change the way our bones and joints interact with each other. 

A good pair of shoes can straighten that alignment and might just fix your back (as well as a multitude of other problems). 

Head over to The Comfort Co to grab yourself a solid pair of shoes. While you’re there check out some of our recovery range and grab everything you need to put your bad back behind you. 

The best stretches for a sore back 

Stretching is the BEST way to prevent back injuries, and the best way to recover from a back injury. If your back is currently injured you should probably see a physio for stretches specific to you. But this is a good place to start: 

Legs 

Believe it or not, the majority of back injuries can be traced back to the legs. As the song goes, “the leg bone’s connected to the back bone”. In this case it’s muscles, but you get the point. As your legs muscles tighten, so will your back. So limbering up your legs is a good place to start. 

Hamstrings 

Touch your toes

Starting simple, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bend forward to touch your toes. 

Standing hamstring stretch - Stand with feet hip-width apart. Put one leg forward and point toe in the air. Lean forward putting your hands on the leg in front until you feel a stretch. Hold for at least 15 seconds before alternating to the other leg. 

Towel stretch - Lie flat on your back and hook a towel (ideally a yoga band, but a towel will do) around one of your feet. Keep your leg straight and use the towel to pull it towards your body. Alternate legs and repeat. 

Hips 

Loosening up your hips can do absolute wonders for your back. Having tight hips can alter the alignment of your pelvis and can change the way you walk. Which in turn affects the way your spine lines up. 

Lunging Hip Flexor - Kneel on the floor and put one leg out in front of you at a 90 degree angle then lean forward. Swap legs and repeat. 

Knee to chest - Lie flat on your back with both legs extended. Grab one of your knees and pull it to your chest while you keep your other leg straight. Make sure your lower back keeps pressed to the floor. Then repeat with the other leg. 

Yoga poses 

You might be starting to notice a theme to this blog. We cannot overstate just how good yoga is for a bad back. To strengthen your core and fix your back there’s nothing better. Here are some good poses to start with. 

Downward dog - With your legs shoulder width apart, place your hands on the ground in front of you so that your body makes a “V” shape. Pressing through your hands, push backwards keeping your legs straight. You should feel a big stretch through your hamstrings. 

Child's pose - Kneel on the floor, lean forward placing your arms in front of you. Your knees should poke out to the side and your buttocks should be resting on your heels. Keep leaning forward until your forehead touches the floor. 

Back stretches

It’s come the time to dig into your back. If your back is currently injured BE CAREFUL. These stretches can provide some real relief, but if you take it too far you can exacerbate your injury. Breathe, put on some relaxing music, ease into it. 

Sphinx stretch - Lie face down on the floor, use your arms to push your torso up stretching your back. 

Seated spinal twist - Sit on the floor with both of your legs in front of you. Cross one leg over the other, your foot should be against your other knee. Use the opposite side arm to reach over the leg you’ve crossed and use the other hand to support you from the back. Keep your back straight as you twist into the stretch. Repeat on the other side. 

Supine Twist - Lie flat on the ground with your arms stretched out. Keep your lower back against the ground and pull one knee across your body. Repeat the other side. 

The best equipment for a sore back 

Having some of these things around for when you throw your back out can be a lifesaver giving relief when you need it most. Properly utilised, you can use some of these to prevent injuries moving forward too. 

Heat packs

Heating your back increases circulation, meaning that oxygen and nutrients make their way to the needed area. This will help your injury recover quicker. There are lots of disposable heat packs available, but for the environment’s sake look for one you can reuse by putting in the microwave. 

Cold packs

When you FIRST injure your back (within 72 hours) cold can be your best friend. An ice pack will reduce swelling and inflammation and help everything settle. But after that, move to a heat pack. 

Foam Rollers

These are honestly cheat codes for a bad back (and every other injury you might have). Roll over one of these and feel those creaks and cracks leave your body. 

Trigger balls

This hardened ball will become your best friend and worst enemy in equal measure. Place under your sore spots or pressure points then lie on it as you roll them out. It will release all sorts of tension, but pre-warning, it’ll REALLY hurt. 

Orthotics

Your back might be sore simply from a lack of alignment. Getting a pair of top quality orthotic insoles could fix your problem. Even if it doesn’t completely fix your back, it’ll do you a lot of good. Find the best pairs at The Comfort Co.

Shoes

A decent orthotic insole is a good place to start. But to make big progress with your alignment, you’re going to want a great pair of shoes. Every pair of shoes you’ll find at The Comfort Co. have been Comfort Co Certified. Meaning that they’ll do wonders for your health and well being. The technology in every pair will keep you walking, which can have a snowball effect on the rest of your life too!

Having a bad back is terrible, but with the right treatment and prevention it doesn’t have to be a huge part of your life. The Comfort Co. has everything you need to get back on track! 

Get your back back