Knowing Your Limitations Keeps the Chiropractor Away

Dr. Pagano fixed my back again...after the soccer episode I explain in a previous post. After that happened, I started to understand that knowing your limitations is critical, especially as you get older. I'm almost 35 so I can't move at the pace I used to. That's unfortunate, since I'm a highly competitive person, both professionally and personally. So, I've decided to list some things you can do to stay within your safe boundaries while performing physical activities.

Think Before You Act

Simply put, before you do something really physical, stop and ask yourself what the impact could be. Practical example: I was cutting some of the trees in my backyard recently and needed to jump to grab a branch. Before I jumped (which would have probably hurt my back), I thought about it for a second. Then I went and grabbed a ladder instead. In the old days, I would have just jumped!

Don't Overdo It

If you are going to run, don't run 10 miles, run 3 or 4. If you want to play golf, don't hit 36 holes, hit 18. If you want to play company softball, play once per week and not double headers after work. I think you get the point.

Take Care of Your Back

Visit your chiropractor on a regular basis, which is determined by you and your chiropractor. Now that my back is feeling better, I only go in once per 3 or 4 weeks versus a few times per week. Also, take hot baths, stretch, and be wary of things that can throw your back out. For me, it's alignment (whether that's running, sleeping, sitting, etc.)

Don't Be Baited Into Doing Something Stupid

When you get together with old friends or coworkers, don't be baited into doing stupid things. For example, don't bowl for 3 hours at a company event if it will kill your back! Don't golf 2 days in a row if an old friend is in town, and don't think that you are younger than you really are and go out all night only to find out the next morning that you did something stupid and threw out your back! ;-)

I hope these tips help you out...I'm learning as I'm going. I think the world of my chiropractor, but I'd rather not see him very often! :-)

The Patient

Steps I Take to Minimize Recurring Lower Back Pain

OK, so I threw my back out a month ago, and as you read in my last post, my back has bounced back very quickly. I feel great overall and I am even running again. I went for a 3 mile run yesterday through Pennington. When I woke up this morning, I did feel some pain again... nothing crazy, but my back was reminding me that it wasn't too long ago that I threw it out. So what is causing that slight, but annoying pain?

The Weight of 2 Quarters:
When I first visited Dr. Pagano at Pagano Chiropractic Center, he placed two quarters on my hand, which I could barely feel. He said that even the light weight of 2 quarters would cause the pain I was feeling (which was pretty bad at the time...) When your back goes out of alignment, nerves that are trying to fit into an already small space, might have pressure on them from the misalignment. That pressure, even if it's only the weight of 2 quarters, is enough to cause some serious discomfort. That's what I am feeling now...

Now that I've been going for chiropractic adjustments for the last 5 months and educating myself on what is going on with my back, I've come up with some things to do when I feel the first hint of pain in my sacrum (lower back):

1. Stop major exercise like running, lifting weights, etc. I might still walk and do some light weights, but I'm now wise enough to know when my back is telling me something...like STOP WHATEVER YOU DID TO MAKE IT ANGRY!

2. Watch how I lift things... even small and light items. As Dr. Pagano told me, when you are about to lift something significant, you stabilize yourself, which cuts down on injury. However, when you go to lift something light or small, you don't prepare yourself. This is when you can do some damage... So, I watch my alignment when picking things up (and I definitely try and use my legs as much as possible.)

3. Hot Baths - When I start to feel a hint of pain, I start taking hot baths each night. This loosens up my back muscles and really seems to help. Heck, it's also really relaxing!

4. Go for chiropractic adjustments - When there's a sign that my back is angry, I go to Dr. Pagano and get an adjustment. There's obviously something off...and getting everything aligned is a no-brainer. If my schedule allows me to do so, I try and get in there asap.

5. Keep a log of what I did to throw out my back. I try and jot down all of the activities I performed the day before I feel my back start to hurt, which typically lets me know which one activity in particular pissed my back off! Then, I can always reference the list to remind me what I shouldn't do...I know it sounds weird, but when you are as competitive as me, you tend to do things that normal people wouldn't try!! And especially now that I'm getting older... Ouch.

I hope this list helps you when your back starts sending signals that it's out of alignment or just angry at what you did! If there is anything you do to help your back pain, please comment on this post...I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Patient