Why Stretching May Make Your Back Pain Worse

The first sign of back pain or injury can, unfortunately, foreshadow what is to come for the rest of a person’s life. There are millions of people, in this country alone, who suffer with chronic back pain, which can be intensified by overexertion. Often, in order to alleviate the discomfort, sufferers will try stretching. In many cases that is just enough to make the pain bearable, but in some instances, it can make the discomfort worse.

While stretching is highly recommended before physical activity and even as a way to release tight muscles in the morning, it may not be wise when suffering with current back pain. It can actually aggravate the muscles that are already inflamed due to injury.

Trigger points, which form when muscles knot up around an injured area, are not alleviated with stretching. They are often causing the pain and may become further inflamed if the patient stretches. Many muscles are likely already weak and overstretched, as well, which is another reason why unsupervised stretching would be the wrong path to alleviating pain. One needs to know which muscles are already suffering versus those that are tight and need to be stretched. If the pain is made worse by stretching, then the wrong muscles are likely being targeted and that can make a bad day even less enjoyable.

It is always better to seek the advice of a doctor or physical therapist when trying to release tight muscles and do away with soreness. If you’d like to learn more about how the medical professionals at Interventional Pain Associates could help you, visit our website for information or give us a call.

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