Back Pain Myth : You need time off work
... NOPE!
Now... let's be clear here.. I am talking *PURELY* from a back pain perspective. We could ALL do with some time off work and a holiday now and again, but does your BACK need some time off? Chances are, it doesn't.
If you've been following The Posture Practice for a while, you'll know that MOVING is basically the number 1 thing you can do to improve your back pain, so unless you are planning some time off work to implement a full back rehabilitation programme (which is probably totally unrealistic) then taking time off work is unlikely to improve your back pain in the long term.
In fact, taking time off work actually *increases* the likelihood of developing chronic pain and disability. And while there may be some discomfort in the initial stages, continuing with work and daily life can help improve and speed up recovery on a long term basis. In other words, keep moving - keep going!
Now, you may be reading this thinking "but my back ALWAYS feels better after I've been on holiday "
(Ahhh holidays, remember them?!?! )
And I won't doubt you on that... but could there be another factor at play here...?
A major study into back pain in Manchester showed that for people with no current back pain - psychological stress doubled their risk of developing back pain, and dissatisfaction at work was a risk factor for employees reporting a new episode of back pain. (Croft et al, 1995)
The link between mind & body is well documented, and emotions and beliefs can have physiological effects on the body (think of the placebo effect - a well studied phenomenon) Experiencing stress at work, especially over a prolonged period can by physically and physchologically harmful and may also contribute to the development of back pain. So your holiday may be more of a psychological break from stress than a physical improvement in your back pain.
Participating in physical activity that you enjoy, practising stress relief/mindfulness techniques and doing whatever you are able to to reduce stress in the workplace is likely to have a more positive effect on back pain outcomes than simply taking some time off If you'd like more help to manage your back pain through lifestyle and physical activity interventions - drop me a message... I'll be happy to help! #ThePosturePractice #BackPainManagement #LowBackPain #BackPainMyths #BustingTheMyths #PhysicalActivity #StressRelief #Pilates #PilatesStudio #ExerciseSpecialist
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