According to a recent survey, almost twice as many Germans complain about back pain during the cold season. The most common forms of back pain are part of a healthy life. They can protect us from passivity and motivate us to behave more actively and healthily. As non-specific back pain, it is usually not an independent disease. There is often the opinion that back pain is always caused by damage to the intervertebral discs or wear and tear on the vertebral bodies. However, back pain is predominantly a signal from the body and our pain defense system that we have not been active enough. This especially applies to the winter months. We sit comfortably in armchairs, don't go outside, do less sport and are less physically active. The muscles remain passive.
Lack of exercise quickly leads to back problems. If you don't go, things won't go well soon. And the question “How are you” cannot be answered positively. The body signals to us “get up and do something, move, start running”. From this perspective, back pain is a positive signal: “Get up and walk”. Just a quarter of an hour of gymnastics or half an hour of walking can be enough to counteract the lack of exercise and eliminate back pain. It is not the excessive demand that causes back pain, but rather the under-demand. It's about stabilizing the deep muscles and relieving the pressure on small vertebral joints on one side. Relaxed running, yoga and Qi Gong can have an effective effect here, while working on training machines and excessive one-sided strain can even cause back pain in the long term.
Lack of exercise is undoubtedly the most common cause of back pain. Being overweight increases this factor even more. Increased weight puts strain on the musculoskeletal system, tendons, muscles and joints. This leads to increased back pain. Back pain is aggravated by more and more factors at the same time. It basically creates a vicious circle. The lack of exercise also results in too few calories being consumed. Obesity arises. This in turn causes more back pain and passivity. Physical protection closes the circle and the avalanche rolls.
Prevention must counteract this vicious circle. More exercise leads to lower body weight, strengthening of the muscles, the intervertebral discs are supplied with fluid and nutrients and at the same time calories are burned. This leads to less body weight, less back pain and greater physical and psychological well-being. A high-carb Mediterranean diet can help. Lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, vegetable oil and nuts not only activate the body's own pain defense system, but also improve mental performance and freshness. New studies even show that there is a lower rate of dementia in people who follow this diet.
The so-called sunshine vitamin D is also associated with back pain. Studies show that over 80% of patients with chronic lumbar back pain are deficient in vitamin D. When additional vitamin D was taken, the symptoms could be improved. Here, too, the connection between passivity, lack of exercise, insufficient outdoor activity and reduced intake of sunlight can be seen.
Especially in winter, however, it is important not to let the muscles cool down, to protect yourself from the cold, to wear warm clothing and to ensure that the muscles are constantly warmed up moderately. When the muscle is warm, the muscle fibers are loose, the blood vessels are open, and the metabolism in the muscle can take place in a controlled manner. However, if the muscle cools down unprotected, the muscles become tense, the muscle fibers are reactively activated, the blood vessels constrict and the metabolism is slowed down. Pain messengers cannot be transported away in this way. The cooled muscle also leads to a one-sided, tense protective position with pressure on the joints and tendons.
The right amount of exercise is the most important way to prevent back pain. That's why you should get up and get some fresh air, especially when it's cold and dark in the winter months. You should treat yourself to a walk in the midday sun every day, even if it only lasts 15 minutes. Protection from the cold with warm clothing is a prerequisite. A warm, relaxing bath in the evening, swimming, yoga, Qi Gong and a visit to the sauna are good for tense muscles, especially in winter.
Leave a comment