snap, crackle, pop, these are not the terms we’re used to hearing when we are just in our 20s! I’m sitting on my seat cushion and I’m here writing to you, why do you have pain in your 20s?
You’re 20s are a time of in-destruction, moments filled with less breaths and more back and forth, you’re the pink little energizer bunny who just needs to be sniping and turning…just keep going, and going, and going. But in many cases like my own, the batteries corrode abruptly.
It’s a hard reality and we like to play the blame and in denial game when we have a lower back pain ache or pain. Why me? What in the mother…you see how far these retaliations can get. So why….
Why are you getting a small lower back pain, and in most cases already a chronic condition? A small percentage of us will have to tuck away our frustrations, and open up the bottom doors if we want to do what’s right.
In this article, I’m going to explain to you not only why, but how and what you can do to get rid of your lower back pain. And You’ll see the strategies that I have used to eliminate my acute and chronic pain so it doesn’t disrupt my activities day to day.
So let’s jump on in.
He’s At the 10, the 15, The 20, OH No He Can’t Go Further!
In my early 20’s I remember feeling like a football player stuck past the 20 yard line, only having to turn from offense to defense…
Into a closed shell waiting for another day to pass and get over with.
So you’ve felt your lower back give out on you, is that it? Are you going to throw in the towel? No you’re not, I’m going to make sure of that. There’s no time like now to correct your problem, so that in 5, 10, 20 years from now, you’re living your best life on repeat.
Ask yourself why your back is aching, before you try to purchase or buy into any conservative treatments. This is where most people get it wrong. When you have a back pain, you’ll almost immediately either relax and it gets worse or 2. Use what you “think” will work. Going into it with this mindset, will create a dependency, and you’ll forget to completely do one thing:
Target the root of the cause. That’s right, It’s not about your symptoms, but getting to the root of it, your inflammation. But to understand that, you’ll need to know why you have a back ache. There are many reasons:
- A fall
- A large injury
- Muscle strain/sprain
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Schemuermans disease
- juvenile chronic pain
- poor posture
- early disc and herniated degeneration
- arthritis
The first response I always receive is, “but these are for older people”. I promise you I will not laugh, but that’s far from the truth. All of these are conditions that are more common among older folks, but they are just as presentable at an earlier age.
One way to tell if it’s just a minor ache and pain is if:
- Your pain comes and goes. There are many instances where you’ll feel your back ache because of a certain activity. Some of these activities can include sleeping, twisting, pulling, bending, hunching, and slouching.
For Example:
If I’m at work and 1 hour at my desk I start to hunch into my desk, and that’s where the pain sets off every time, then I know it’s nothing more serious than a posture problem
Example 2:
If I wake up in pain, it can just be a common muscle ache you feel in the mornings from either not taking care of your body well, or you have a bad mattress
- Your pain is persistent over time. Having pain that carries over the weeks, months, and years can be said for having a chronic condition, but it’s also the same for a small ache and pain. Over time, you’ll become more aware of the times you have pain, and you’ll get better at understanding why.
For example: For 2 years, every time I was bending over to pick my clothing up, my back would always give out on me. I knew it was not a muscle strain or spinal problem, rather it was due to my weak muscles. What I had was known as a muscle imbalance.
the muscles and ligaments on the right side of my leg were much weaker than the ones on my left. The reason for that was becuase I hadn’t conditioned my legs the same way. On one, I would stretch it more than the other, or use those muscles more when I lifted weights. On my weaker leg, I did a couple things wrong:
- Sat on it with more pressure
- leaned on it too often
- didn’t stretch it out enough
How to correct it:
I get a shocked looked on peoples faces when I tell them they have a muscle imbalance, and I get that you’ve got to be kidding me look. Most commonly when it’s not your spine to blame, it’s becuase you have weak muscles all around your lower back, from your:
- hips
- pelvis
- thighs
- buttocks
- hamstrings
Have you ever tried to stand up but you notice yourself leaning to one side? I sure did. The way you stand is the #1 reason for a weak muscle imbalance. Take a look at the simple equation to illustrate that better:
Poor Posture = Weak Muscles = Back Pain
The only way you will be able to condition your body is through stretching and exercise. Do not underestimate it.
A Large Fall
I don’t always share my stories without the people I don’t know, but because my life has changed so drastically since my injury, and I’ve made it my mission to help others with the same problems I severely had at one time, I want you to know I’m full on board with my support.
In our 20’s we are usually very active, and that can comes at a cost. In our youth we seem to be pushed harder at work. Some of us work hard general labor jobs, and many of us have a lot of office work that needs attending to. Whichever one, both have a couple similarities:
- You’re constantly exposing your back to external forces and pressures
- Your subcontinous mind
If you are on your feet most of the time, lifting, using tools,or running machines, your constantly bending your bending and twisting, and leaning over. What might have started off with a small muscle spasm, in the next couple days can turn more serious…
The next time it could be a muscle strain, and even worse, a herniated disc. I’ve talked to a couple people at my local 24 hour fitness about people who lift heavy weights, and when I mean heavy I’m not talking about the dumbbells your used to typically seeing at a gym.
And what I was told was that many of these people are placing a high amount of pressure on their lower back. Particularity when they squat. When you’re up in the air, you don’t have any pressures, but when you begin to lower, you work against gravity, and the earths gravitational pull is far greater going down then it is up.
Not Doing Anything?
We have an epidemic on our plates, and I;m talking about weight. The harsh reality about lower back pain in your 20’s is that it can get to you even if you’re not being active. The main problem is overeating and a gain in weight. The more fat calories you take in, the less your body will be able to burn it off, and many of us don’t look at that.
Your stomach begins to grow, and your spine takes all the pressure.