Products That Help Ease Back Ache: Get Through the Day with as Little Pain as Possible
Dealing with back pain, or even just muscle tension or soreness in your back can be a stressful and emotional process, fraught with panic and uncertainty. Though there is no one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with back pain since it varies so widely from person to person, there are some products that have helped many in dealing with discomfort, be it chronic or acute. Here are some to consider.
Massage Chair
This is the most expensive product on the list, but it is also arguably the best – the reason why I’ll start with it. Many see massage chairs as a luxury item, and they are certainly not necessary for everyday living, or for eliminating back pain. However, for some individuals, the benefits a massage chair can bring, outweigh the price.
One of the main causes of back pain is due to the muscles and skeletal system being overly tight, or overworked. When you buy massage chair of high quality, it works to relax your muscles by stimulating the blood flow to areas of your back that have been lacking in oxygen and nutrients. And the heat that comes out of the massage chair can be especially helpful if you are experiencing muscle spasms.
Considering that all your muscles are interconnected in your body, taking away the tension from your back area will also help reduce tension in your neck, chest and legs. This means, not only do massage chairs help calm down your back pain, they can also help with things like headaches, since a common cause of headaches is excess tension.
You’ll want to buy massage chair from a reliable retailer to ensure you get a quality product and a good warranty since it’s definitely a significant investment. You’ll also want to check the strength of the pressure to make sure that the chair can remove tension and properly massage your muscles. Anything that’s too weak won’t be effective. The chair should offer different levels of intensity so you can change from light to harder massage, depending on your needs.
Consider any extra featuresthat may help provide back pain relief. Some chairs come with zero gravity that imitates the sensation of weightlessness, a reclining feature to prop your legs up and even leg rests. These add-ons can elevate your level of comfort and reduce pressure on different areas of your back.
Foam Roller
A foam roller not only takes your yoga practice to the next level but can also help reduce your back pain. You can use it to self-administer deep tissue massage to release muscle knots, relieve inflammation and improve overall comfort. The main purpose of a foam roller is to assist massage in cumbersome areas for you to reach yourself by hand manipulation. In other words, it’s ideal for those hard-to-reach areas of the back.
Foam rollers can be used by anyone, though they may not be comfortable for some people. So be aware of the sensations that you are developing. If it feels good and beneficial for your, great. Make sure you understand the difference between pain that feels good from loosening a tight muscle and pain that feel like there is something seriously wrong.
Back Posture Support
In the modern world we now live in, many of us spend our days hunched over computers, lifting phones to our ears and touching the screens of smartphones. While these aren’t the only causes of poor posture, they can impact greatly the way we carry ourselves. And correcting bad posture can be quite difficult. Once your shoulders, neck and back are aligned in a certain way, breaking the habit can be extremely difficult.
An effective way to correct bad posture is with back posture support. The most common type of back posture support on the market is a back brace. This device sits at the clavicle and has the ability to correct your posture and thus alleviate your back pain. What it essentially does is pin the shoulders back to prevent slouching, whether you are sitting or standing and is light and comfortable enough to be worn under or over your clothing.
When it comes to which back support to choose, it’s best to follow recommendations from a physical therapist or doctor. Back braces can be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible. Rigid types are recommended for people with conditions causing moderate-to-severe pain and instability, like health issues following traumatic accidents. Flexible types make use of soft materials to limit excessive motion and provide compression while offering more freedom and flexibility. Semi-rigid models consist of a flexible brace for the body with rigid panels surrounding the device.
Flexible braces can be made from canvas, cotton or neoprene while rigid types can consist of leather, metal or moldable plastic. Machine-washable braces are easier to maintain. Braces with Velcro aren’t much durable and stretchy types may stretch out after regular use. As for the size and fit, the majority of back braces available on the market come in universal size with adjustable belt wings or hoot and eye locks to ensure a snug fit. Custom models are also available.