If you follow my stories on Instagram then you are aware of my CONSTANT lower back pain. I’ve pretty much had it my entire life but for whatever reason it’s gotten really bad during quarantine so I’ve had to find ways to relieve the pain at home since seeing a physical therapist isn’t an option. Below are the things I’ve been doing daily that have really helped!
Stretch Morning and Night
I think this is an obvious one BUT I think it’s important to implement specific lower back stretches in your daily routine both morning and night. And if you throw a bonus midday stretch in you’ll feel even better. Follow my stretches board on Pinterest!
Roll Out
I use a foam roller whenever I’m feeling tight and after workouts. I follow this YouTube video to specifically target my lower back. My foam roller is nothing fancy, just this short one from Amazon.
Yoga
Ask anyone who knows me…I am not at all flexible and I’ve always hated yoga. Not because I don’t see the benefits, but because it’s SO uncomfortable for my body to do. My sister introduced me to Melissa Wood and I’m now obsessed. I’ve found that yoga focuses on areas I didn’t even know were there. Putting energy and attention into those areas has improved my overall flexibility which directly correlates with my lower back pain.
Core Strength
I didn’t realize how much I had fallen off the fitness train until my back started killing me during quarantine. After we bought the house I put fitness and my overall health on the back burner so in turn my muscles disappeared. Though I find a huge benefit in yoga it hasn’t been enough to get my core back to where it was pre-homeownership (Pearl Street Fitness 2x a week & gym for an hour every day). After doing the FitBody program by Anna Victoria for only 2 weeks I’ve noticed a HUGE difference. My back is aching but not painful.
No More Sleeping on my Stomach
This has by far been the hardest habit to correct…I LOVE sleeping no my stomach. It has taken me months to actively force myself to sleep on my side or back. I’ve made it work by sleeping with a third pillow; two behind my head and one for body support. When I lay on my back my lower back arches which is not good, so I put a pillow under my knees to correct it. When I sleep on my side I put the pillow between my legs as well. I took some getting used to but now it’s my new comfy norm and if I wake up on my stomach in the morning…I’m HURTING.
Booty Massage
A friend reached out and suggested I do a booty massage…I was intrigued. But basically…if you have someone who can give you a dip tissue massage on your booty cheeks and hamstrings…it works.
Other Temporary Relief Methods
- Epsom salt bath
- Hot/Cold compress
- Plenty of sleep
- CBD oils
When it’s safe to see a physical therapist I will definitely be giving that a try as well but unitl then I hope this post was helpful and if you have other tips to share, please leave them in a comment below!
Byeeeee.
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