Ancient Back Pain Relief for Open-Minded Runners
Dear A & H…Writing more about pain today, back pain in particular. While there’s no getting around experiencing some form of discomfort while running, back pain is not the kind we want to court. Thankfully, there is a way to manage it without calling in the “experts” every time. ت
Back Pain for Beginners
First, a few statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about the state of our (unhealthy) backs in the U.S. (but not here):
- “Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the U.S.”¹
- “About 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetimes.”²
- “It is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work days.”²
- “Acute pain is the most common type of back pain and lasts no longer than 6 weeks. Chronic pain can come on quickly or slowly and lasts a long time, generally longer than 3 months.”¹
- Causes of low back pain: sprains and strains, intervertebral disc degeneration, herniated or ruptured discs, radiculopathy, sciatica, spondylolisthesis, traumatic injury, spinal stenosis, skeletal irregularities, infections, tumors, cauda equina syndrome, abdominal aortic aneurysms, kidney stones, inflammatory diseases of the joints, osteoporosis, endometriosis, fibromyalgia.²
- Risks for developing low back pain: age, fitness level, pregnancy, weight gain, genetics, occupational risk factors, mental health factors, backpack overload in children.²
Sound familiar? Anything you can relate to?
Maybe yes to #1 and #2.
Not so much #3 (we, as proud Americans, with our Puritan work ethic, will work through pain, illness, give up vacations…).
As for #4, yes and no.
Interestingly, if you’re a runner, maybe not at all to #5 or #6.
Huh?
Where Did All This Back Pain Come From Anyway?
If you’re like me, your back pain is an ever-present companion but can’t be accounted for by any of the “causes” on this list.
As for the “risks”, the definition for “occupational risk factors” comes close to an explanation, but not completely. Also, some definitions could benefit from more studies (e.g. postpartum exercise).
Maybe that’s why it takes so long to find relief (said with an undertone of sarcasm). 😏
To be a little conciliatory, the pain my back is intimate with relates (kinda) mostly to the first “cause,” sprains and strains. As the NIH defines it, “Sprains are caused by overstretching or tearing ligaments, and strains are tears in tendon or muscle. Both can occur from twisting or lifting something improperly, lifting something too heavy, or overstretching. Such movements may also trigger spasms in back muscles, which can also be painful.”
But, what if you’ve done nothing that could be described as “overstretching,” “tearing,” “twisting,” or “improper” in recent memory?
Could pain, even the significant kind, come about from doing nothing?
The Problem with the Sitting Pose
If you run, have back pain, and sit a great part of the day, it’s possible your back pain is similar to the kind I suffer from.
When we sit for a great part of the day (and resume this position while sleeping, AKA the fetal position), a cascade of functional imbalances can develop in and around our sitting apparatus:
- muscles in the hip region get shorter and tighter,
- hamstrings get tighter,
- glutes get weaker,
- back gets tight, and
- abs get weak.
Put this all together, not forgetting the necessary ingredient called…
Thyme
Hehe…get it?
Ahem…
…Time, and you have the makings for back pain’s ideal digs. Before long, a lodger moves in…
The Back Demon:
And, once settled in, IT stays until functional imbalances can be addressed.
Thankfully, significant relief can be found without rushing off to a health care professional (MD, physical therapist, chiropractor), taking medication, opting for surgery, or *gulp* giving up running.
And, it costs no more than a movie and popcorn. (More on this momentarily.)
So, if you’re suffering from back pain, my hope is, in sharing what brings me relief, you’ll find it helpful, too.
Rightly, this might not be your answer. That’s perfectly fine. What’s important is knowing that there are options before first choosing medical intervention (i.e. meds and surgery). True, this might turn out to be the best solution in the end but, before crossing that bridge, commit to not leaving a single stone unturned in the search for noninvasive answers.
Your body is a temple. Truly, no one is going to treat it better (or worse) than you. The commitment is yours to make.
Uggg!…Not Again
The pain was coming back.
It had been so well controlled for so long. True, it wasn’t completely gone but, with it only humming faintly in the background, it was easy to ignore.
Not so about 15 years ago.
Back then, it greeted me each morning and, for the next 2-3-4 hours, it challenged my every move.
I felt like Sisyphus with his boulder, every day starting the same way…
Pain…Stiffness…Rinse…Repeat
…and none offered respite.
No, I’m fine…just a tweak in my back. Almost gone now.
Was I somehow the cause of this misfortune?
Did it happen during that stocking job I had as a teen? Lifting boxes any way I could, was irreparable damage done? Injury prevention classes not being the norm back then, I definitely took a lot for granted.
Or..could running too soon after giving birth to both my children be the cause? Ligaments are still loose then. It’s not illogical to think something shifted…kind of like a cabinet’s hinges getting loose leading to an improperly fitted door.
Possibly…not a pretty picture…but possibly…
?
In the end, the source really didn’t matter, especially when the damage is done and there’s no going back.
So, every morning, for hours on end, pain (vice-like and persistent) and stiffness were what greeted me each day. Eventually, as the day wore on, some stiffness would work its way loose but not the pain. It was more controlled but heaven forbid any jarring movements.
This Can’t Go On
After a bit of time, I realized I needed to do something. I needed intervention.
However, having worked in a hospital setting, pursuing medical care was not an option.
This was a no-brainer for me. That route led to medication, the likely suggestion to give up running, and, possibly, surgery.
Not acceptable.
The allopathic (i.e. conventional) way is not always the best answer.
As I’ve come to understand and experience over and over in my life, a knee-jerk response to run to an MD whenever something is amiss in the body will not always lead to the best intervention.
I firmly believe, in most situations, there’s more than one solution to most problems and there’s no wrong in exploring options.
Take poison oak, for example. 🙂
An Aside
Poison oak is a plant found in the western part of North America. It’s rather beautiful. Green in the summer and reddish in the fall. It even has its own rhyme:
Leaves of three, let it be
If it’s hairy, it’s a berry
If it’s shiny, watch your hiney.
Yup, a plant to admire from afar but, woe to those who unknowingly brush against it and find the landscape of their skin transformed into a mess of bumps, itch, and ooze.
Ahh, the loving touch of nature. 🌿
What’s interesting is a natural remedy to this ubiquitous plant’s rash-promoting oil can be found right where it grows. No, not the strip mall down the street that sells Tecnu, but a plant called mugwort. Just crush the leaves, rub them on skin that’s been exposed to poison oak and, in many cases, a rash can be avoided.
Photo: yankeebarbareno.com
This actually has been known for quite some time. A Native American people called the Chumash used it for this very purpose. Though they acquired immunity from frequent use of poison oak (ex. wrapping food, making baskets from stems), if needed, mugwort was readily available.
Even today, many people eat small sprouting leaves in the hopes of promoting immunity. (Homeopathy?)
Of course, there are risks associated with this practice. My family discovered this the hard way when my son decided to give it a try when no one was looking. He was at an outdoor nature class and just learned about how some wildfire firefighters, wanting some degree of protection from smoke that could be laced with poison oak oil, will regularly eat small amounts of it. Needless to say, it wasn’t a good week or him. Hands were fine, but head and face became a canopy of red splotches. 😢
It was great seeing him feel confident in the suggestion. He took a risk but ate too much. Not a wrong thing to do, but maybe needed more thought and consideration before taking action. More weighing of the pros and cons.
So it goes with the search for answers, especially those related to health. Being okay with sometimes going down unfamiliar but helpful roads while simultaneously avoiding sketchy alleys that might cause more harm than good.
Back Pain Relief Solution #1 (When You’re Desperate)
Facing daily back pain while trying to be a hands-on mom wasn’t working. No matter how diligently I engaged in the stretches I was familiar with, no relief came my way. In some desperation, I decided to visit a chiropractor, a good choice since, outside anything I could do to help myself at the time, this approach aligned most closely with my belief in the body’s potential to heal itself given the right environment.
Long story short, it worked:
- For about 6 months, I received 3 adjustments every week.
- Then, for the next 6 months, weekly.
- Finally, for the final 6 months, once per month.
After that, I thanked my chiropractor and decided to see how my back would hold up without maintenance treatments.
Thankfully, all went well. Year in and year out, my back held up. Yes, there was a low hum of discomfort, but nothing major.
Until, that is, about 2015, when I started this blog.
Blogging is Fun But Not Always Back Friendly
Until setting up this website, most days found me up and on my feet. This had unintended benefits I didn’t fully appreciate until feeling the effects of sitting for hours on end in front of my laptop.
Simply…
Pain…Stiffness…Rinse…Repeat
But, this time, I didn’t seek chiropractic care. Yes, it was a godsend all those years ago but, knowing this could happen again (and again and…), I wanted to learn how to return functionality on my own.
A first step in that direction was this video.
I loved this video because it told me so much about my body, more specifically, what my body couldn’t do.
Attempting to follow along, I realized I was extremely inflexible around my hips.
Each stretch, to say the least, was an equal mix of revelation, extreme difficulty, and outright pain. Just attempting the half-pigeon pose, I felt more like a beached fish lying on its side than a graceful bird. ☹️
My eyes opened, the search was on for even more ways to challenge my body and snap it back into shape.
The tin man thing had to go!
Back Pain Relief Solution #2 (For Only the Cost of a Movie and Popcorn)
It’s funny how answers can sometimes be found right under one’s nose. Or, this time, on one’s bookcase.
Many years ago, I read about this thing called Kundalini yoga, how it helps with flexibility, strength, stress relief, etc., etc. Willing to give it a try but not really expecting being wowed, I bought a beginner level DVD. This is it…
But, for one reason or the other, it never made the daily “to do” list. With two teens in the house, it never was a priority.
Fortunately, be it from desperation or divine intervention, I eventually gave it a try. That, to say the least, was a happy day.
Now, even years later, it continues to be my saving grace. When practiced regularly, pain stays under control. When I miss more weeks than I should, it serves as a reboot.
All this, literally, for no more than the cost of a movie plus popcorn (DVD plus yoga mat).
Hmm…maybe a pack of Goobers, too?
Of, course, there are many Kundalini videos on YouTube that can be explored for free. Since I’ve been pleased with the results I’ve experienced from Ana and Ravi’s workouts, I haven’t felt the need to do this myself.
A Little Housekeeping
Before I go any further, I have to admit, I’m no yoga expert. I’m just a novice who knows no more than the next person, this being, “there are different styles of yoga that involve doing various poses.”
Yeah, nothing to brag about but maybe sharing these few facts about Kundalini yoga will help redeem me:
- “Kundalini is an ancient Sanskrit word for coiled snake.”³
- It was a secret practice kept hidden for thousands of years until 1968 when a holy Sikh rebel named Yogi Bhajan decided, upon careful reflection and meditation, to share it with the world.³
- It’s a blend of different yoga practices: “Bhakti (the practice of devotion and chanting), Raja (the practice of mediation/mental and physical control) and Shakti (for the expression of power and energy).”⁴
But, whether I know a little or a lot, what matters most at the end of the day is how well it helps back pain, not much different than how we look at medication. Case in point, if we’re told we have pneumonia, we take medication without giving it a second thought. We trust it will work and don’t feel compelled to ask about when it was discovered, what company makes it, the mode of action, etc. We just want to know it works.
So it goes with Kundalini yoga. Since it works, that’s enough for me. A blessing in more ways than one:
I can help myself.
There’s no need to pay another to provide care.
It’s available 24/7.
A Happy Ending
Knowing this yoga practice is effective and available when I need it, I’m never in a situation where I have to pop NSAIDs and anxiously anticipate my next chiropractic treatment. I’m glad it’s there if needed (which, thankfully, hasn’t been the case since all those years ago), but I’m more than ecstatic to be able to care for my back, with its unique form of pain, all on my own.
There is nothing more empowering than that.
Also, when I get away from my one yoga session per week and my back starts acting up, I know what I have to do. The prescription: one yoga mat plus my favorite video:
RECAP:
(1) Lower back pain is associated with various causes, however, simply sitting could possibly be the #1 culprit for most people.
(2) Sitting for extended periods of time fosters functional imbalances, including:
- short and tight muscles in the hip region,
- tight hamstrings,
- weak glutes,
- a tight back, and
- weak abs.
(3) When addressing this problem, consider all options before choosing medical intervention (i.e. meds and surgery) first. True, this might turn out to be the best solution in the end but, before crossing that bridge, commit to not leaving a single stone unturned in the search for noninvasive answers.
In this pursuit, one has to be okay with sometimes going down unfamiliar but helpful roads while simultaneously avoiding sketchy alleys that might cause more harm than good.
Your body is a temple. Truly, no one is going to treat it better (or worse) than you. The commitment is yours to make.
(4) Chiropractic care and stretching are two noninvasive approaches for alleviating lower back pain. However, if they don’t help, keep searching and, fingers crossed, you’ll find the answer(s) you seek.
(5) Kundalini yoga is recommended for back pain that responds well to stretching. Of course, as you would with any exercise, listen to and honor your body’s limits. With time and consistency, your amazing body will adapt and eventually do more and more.
That’s Pretty Much It
Over the years nothing has hindered my running more than back pain. Yet, I never was willing to give it up (no way, no how, no ever). Whether a couple of times a week or just once, I was okay with that so long as I could still run. Now, with Kundalini yoga a part of my training, the challenges my back once posed to running goals are nothing more than a distant memory. 🙂
So, what do you think?
Does Kundalini yoga sound like it could help you and your suffering back, too?
I hope so.
Also, even if your back is doing fine, Kundalini yoga can help keep it that way. Simple and effective preventative “medicine.”
One last thing, as was mentioned above, Kundalini yoga is a fusion of different yoga styles. Because of this, there’s a spiritual aspect to the practice. It may not be for everyone but, whether you embrace this spiritual side or not, there’s no denying the healing power of its poses.
Finally, it begs repeating, there is absolutely, positively, and categorically no wrong in exploring any and all options to what might heal you.
Sat Nam
Find out how to test hip flexibility here .
Much love, O.M.
Sources:
- ¹Back Pain (National Institutes of Health)
- ²Low Back Pain Fact Sheet (National Institutes of Health)
- ³Introduction to Kundalini: The Yoga of Awareness
- ⁴WHAT IS KUNDALINI YOGA?
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