The typical Southern California active patient! They are always on the move whether it be surfing, golfing or running here in So Cal. They are always on the go whether it be early morning paddleboarding in Newport Beach or hiking on the trails in Rancho Palos Verdes on the weekends. It is not until they have a lower back pain that they slow down and give attention to their spine.
Most people are unaware that back pain will not go away on its own. Many of our patients try to continue their daily active lives in pain. Whether it be going for a morning run followed by yoga or going golfing with friends on the weekend taking Advil along the way. The reality is that back pain will not fix itself and needs to be addressed as soon as possible in order to achieve optimal results in the long run.
The Hidden Toll of Untreated Spinal Discomfort
There is often a time frame of several months to years before the symptoms become so severe that they cause the patient concern and they seek the health care of a healthcare provider for manual and movement therapies for back pain. Typically the patient reports stiffness in the morning that goes away as they begin to move throughout the day. However, as the day continues, the stiffness returns. Sometimes simple tasks such as reaching up to high shelves in the kitchen can cause sharp pain in the lower back. The physical restrictions developed in the body can also cause people to move in ways that feel completely normal to them.
For example, a hiker in Rancho Palos Verdes who has lower back pain may start to develop a limping gait while walking down the trails with the dog. A tennis player from San Pedro who has pain in their lower back on one side may start to serve a tennis ball with their arm in a way that avoids putting their hand on their side where it hurts. A person who has pain in their lower back who takes a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway may find that the car ride is not as enjoyable as it used to be and feel fatigued by the time they arrive at their destination.
Taking pain relief medication to mask your symptoms will only provide temporary relief and will not address the mechanical misalignment in your body that is causing your back pain. A correct diagnosis of the mechanical cause of your back pain is necessary to treat it.
Common Pain Triggers We See in Southern California
Real-world physical triggers usually fall into a few specific categories. In our practice, we see these exact patterns daily.
Sedentary Work and Poor Posture
Sedentary work (desk jobs) and poor posture can cause a lot of back pain. When you sit for long periods of time and are in a slouched position, it can put a lot of pressure on the intervertebral discs in your spine. This can cause recurring cases of lumbar tightness. Commuting to work can also put a lot of strain on your back. Sitting in traffic on the way to LA for example can cause your lower back to be squeezed and cause your hip flexors to become tight. Many people also sit in a forward leaning position for long periods of time which can cause your spine to adopt an unnatural position leading to pain and stiffness.
Sports and Active Lifestyle Injuries
Just because you are active and participate in lots of different sports and activities does not mean that you are immune to injury. In fact, the opposite is often true. Because of all the stress that your joints and spine are placed under on a regular basis, it does not take very much to cause a problem. A simple misstep, over stretching to reach for a ball, or falling wrong during a sport can cause a joint to go out of alignment and create pain. Even very minor sports injuries can become chronic limitations if they are not treated properly. It is very common for our chiropractors to see athletes and active individuals who have repetitive strain type injuries to their joints and spine. Surfing, golf, and running are just a few of the activities that put uneven stress on the body and can cause problems.
Lifting Strains and Sudden Movements
Many people believe that back injuries occur from lifting heavy objects at the gym. However, the majority of back injuries are caused from normal activities of daily living such as lifting bags of groceries up the stairs, moving a large potted plant, reaching for a bag in the back seat of the car, etc. A muscle in the back can become strained from lifting such objects. In the short term the person may have intense pain and stiffness in their lower back. In the long term the muscle can become scarred causing recurring pain and stiffness in the lower back.
Recognizing When to Seek Professional Help
A slight misalignment in the spine can create many problems for you down the road, and waiting until it creates severe pain and limited mobility is far worse than fixing it before it becomes a chronic problem.
Common Mistakes That Cause Back Pain and How Early Intervention Prevents Misalignments from Becoming Chronic Problems.
It is common for people to wait until they cannot walk due to severe back pain and then they realize that they should have gone to see a professional months ago for proper diagnosis and treatment. Early intervention is key in treating any physical injury or condition, especially when it comes to spinal injuries. Common symptoms that require a clinical evaluation are symptoms of stiffness in the back after physical activity that last for days. Sharp, shooting pain down the leg (Sciatica), numbness, and tingling in the feet and toes are symptoms of severe nerve compression and must be evaluated by a trained healthcare professional as soon as possible to prevent further damage. These specific set of symptoms indicate severe nerve compression that may lead to weeks of unnecessary pain and discomfort if not treated accurately and in a timely manner by a well trained and experienced health care provider.
How Non-Invasive Chiropractic Care Works
Standard medical approaches often focus on numbing the area. Chiropractic care takes a fundamentally different path. It focuses entirely on finding and treating the root cause of your dysfunction. Leading health organizations, including the American Chiropractic Association and the National Institutes of Health, strongly support non-pharmacological therapies as a primary defense for musculoskeletal pain.
For anyone looking for effective Newport Beach Back Pain Treatment, the focus should always be on personalized, non-invasive recovery. A chiropractor applies precise, targeted adjustments to restore proper mechanical function to your spine. This relieves the physical pressure on irritated nerves and reduces local inflammation.
Integrative care goes beyond a simple adjustment.
Combining spinal alignment with posture retraining improves your long-term symptom management. Depending on your specific condition, a personalized recovery plan might also include targeted stretching, spinal decompression for disc issues, or localized rehabilitation exercises to strengthen your supporting muscles.
Actionable Tips for Maintaining Spinal Health
Your spine is designed to move and when we spend long hours of time sitting for work, our spine can get damaged from even simple activities. So adding some simple activities into your daily routine can go a long way in preventing future bouts of back pain as well as helping to alleviate current back pain.
- Moving throughout the day – even for a person who sits at a desk in Torrance or Newport Beach for most of the day – can help to re-establish normal body posture. Every 30 minutes or so, stand up from your desk and take a 2-minute walk. This can help to stretch out your spine and alleviate back pain caused by sitting for long periods of time.
- Strengthen your core – Your core muscles, such as your abdominals, are a key support structure for your spine. Strengthening your core can help reduce your lower back pain by decreasing the physical stress on your lower back.
- Lifting with your legs – Bending at the knees will allow you to lift heavier loads with less strain than bending at the waist. Keeping the object close to your body will also reduce the amount of strain your back will endure. Never twist while lifting a heavy object as this can place severe strain on your lower back.
- Hydrate – Keeping your spinal joints and discs well lubricated with water, just like you would with any other joint, will help your spine to better absorb the normal wear and tear of daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is my back pain worse in the morning?
The spine is at its stiffest in the morning, primarily because of the spinal discs. These structures are filled with fluid that enters the discs throughout the day as the spine moves. At night, as one sleeps, the spinal discs absorb more fluid, causing them to become somewhat swollen. If there is a misalignment in the spine, the added pressure from the fluid in the discs can put considerable strain on the joints and nerves surrounding that area of the spine. As one begins to move about during the day, the discs return to their normal size, thus relieving pressure on the surrounding joints and nerves.
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Can a chiropractor fix a pinched nerve in my back?
A chiropractor can help alleviate a pinched nerve in the back. The chiropractor must correctly identify where the nerve is being pinched between vertebrae. Then the chiropractor can make adjustments to the vertebrae to alleviate pressure on the nerve. Once the pressure has been alleviated from the pinched nerve, the nerve can then heal naturally.
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How long does it take for chiropractic adjustments to work?
The amount of time that a person will require to achieve relief from back or neck pain through chiropractic care can vary greatly. Some people can be relieved of their symptoms immediately after their first chiropractic treatment, while others with chronic back pain or from injuries may require several weeks of chiropractic care and bodywork to bring their spine under control and have their muscles retrained to hold their new posture.
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Is it better to rest or move when my lower back hurts?
Most of the time it is better to keep moving rather than to become a temporary invalid and spend a few days in bed with your back in an odd position. Yes there will be times when you need to take a day off from activity with pain and stiffness but even gentle exercise of short periods of time, such as a short walk, will do more good than harm by getting the blood flowing to the injured area and allowing the muscle to move rather than lock up in a painful position.
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Does poor posture really cause chronic back pain?
Yes, poor posture can cause long-term back pain. The unnatural position of your spine while you slouch or lean forward to view your computer screen can cause excessive stress on your lower back muscles and ligaments. In most cases, this abnormal position can become a permanent position and cause long-term chronic pain.
Prioritize Your Wellness Journey Today
Taking control of your spinal health allows you to get back to doing the things you love without hesitation. Whether you are dealing with a fresh sports injury or years of accumulated tension from sitting at a desk, a personalized approach to recovery makes all the difference.
Stop letting joint stiffness dictate your daily schedule. For residents across Southern California, finding a natural, root-cause solution is entirely possible. Visit Zaker Chiropractic Pain & Wellness Center online to learn more.
Written by Manuel Paradela
