Back Pain Self Help: Practical Solutions for Problem Backs

Are you getting sick of back pain?

Doing something useful for your back can cost nothing. Try lying down at lunchtime for 20 minutes every day for a month-- don't underestimate this: it has transformed many peoples' backs, and it boosts your energy for the rest of the day.

Back pain affects families. Perhaps you're a dad, wanting to rough and tumble with your kids without having to worry about your back.

Giving birth, the sheer non-stop rush of parenthood and all the lifting and carrying can be a real challenge. Many parents, particularly women, suffer from back pain. The range of gentle exercises on this website are suitable for pregnant and nursing women as well as Dads and others with sensitive backs.

Back pain affects relationships. Perhaps your partner has chronic back pain, and you're getting frustrated about how many things they can't or won't do any more. Or the back pain is affecting your partner's mood for the worse. Back Pain intensives can help. Here's one based on the Alexander Technique.

Back pain affects working people: perhaps you've been injured at work and you suffer with chronic back pain. The back pain statistics in the western world are bad and getting worse. But both employer and employee can win given the right help. An employee can receive appropriate help for his condition, and an employer can reduce time off sick and improve productivity, staff morale and loyalty. All while saving money.

Many people have no obvious trauma to point to. Perhaps you're noticing that you're getting more and more uncomfortable all over. This could be happening slowly or quite quickly, and is often mistaken for an ageing process. In fact, it is often back-related.

Welcome!

I hope you find interesting and useful things on this site. I injured my back 20 years ago, have recovered and have much to share about my journey. I don't know everything, and I'm still learning. If you come across anything that isn't here and you think should be, please let me know!

I am on Twitter and "tweet" regularly. Following me is a good way to keep up to date with this website, as well as being a source of useful tips about your back, and new information about back pain.

Self Help Exercises: The gentle self help exercises on this website are to help you understand your back better. Here's how to use them
How To ...: How to rethink various ordinary activities so they cause less back pain
"All I Did Was Cough!": "All I Did Was Cough!" Sometimes a simple cough or a sneeze is all it takes to start a big back problem.
What's New on Back Pain Self Help: Latest changes and additions to the back-pain-self-help.com website.
Stop Whingeing?: When you get your first twinge of back pain, should you just "stop whingeing and get on with it?"
Creeping Backache: Your back never used to ache picking up a box of books. If pain is gradually increasing, it may be best to act now.
Back Exercise: Lying on the Floor: Lying down on the floor every day is a simple and effective back exercise. It is a way to take weight off your spine for a while and let it get back to its natural springiness
Back Exercise: Walking: Walking as a Back Exercise. Simply walking can be an excellent tool for people with back pain. Here are some reasons, and ways to make your walking frequent <i>and</i> fun!
Neck Pain: Neck pain can often be caused by misuse of the head-neck joint, and consequent straining of small neck joints further away from your head. More rarely, neck pain can be a sign of medical nasties like
Middle Back Pain: Middle Back Pain: The middle back is a weight-bearer and a wonderfully flexible part of the spine as well. It is often misused while lifting weights
Lower Back Pain: Exercises and Other Resources for Lower Back Pain
Back Pain in Pregnancy and Birth: Pregnant women's bones soften and their ligaments loosen during pregnancy. It's a preparation for birth. It's also a time when many women experience back pain
Deep Self Help: The Alexander Technique: Deep Self Help: Back Self Help is a really worthwhile, life-long project, but takes time to learn to do well. You can speed up and deepen your Self Help with the Alexander Technique.
Contact Nick Mellor: Contact details for Nick Mellor, author of back-pain-self-help.com
Having Your Baby At Home (Home Birth): Home Birth gives you choices you don't have in a hospital. Some of these choices can reduce the possibility of back pain and injury during labour and birth
Good Posture and Back Pain: Good posture is about much more than 'stand up straight and don't slouch!' Good posture makes moving a joy. If moving is a joy, you'll move more. Try the exercises or get some professional help with y
What is Osteopathy?: A brief description of Osteopathy, with two experiences of Osteopathic treatment for back pain
Back Pain Statistics: A summary of the back pain statistics and economic cost of back pain in Australia
Back Pain Relief Saves Your Business Money: Sending a valuable staff member for Alexander Technique movement re-education could save your business money
ATEAM Trial Results: The ATEAM trial (August 2008) is a randomised, controlled, double-blind study of the Alexander Technique and therapeutic massage, with and without GP-prescribed exercise
How to Enjoy Walking: Simple tips on turning walking from a chore into a pleasure
My Back Pain Story: How I came to be publishing this website about back pain-- I've been there too

SBI!