About 619 million people all over the world suffer from lower back pain. By 2025, this number is likely to reach 843 million. These significant demographics show that lower back pain is a prevalent issue among adults.
Our lower back is at the mercy of bad posture as it not only causes muscle strain in the back but is also the leading cause of herniated discs, nerve compression, and tightness in the surrounding muscles.
If you feel compression in your spine, it’s essential to know how to decompress the lower back through exercises and professional decompression techniques.
What Is Spinal Decompression?
The backbone provides major support to the body. The spinal column has vertebrae, ligaments, spinal disks, associated nerves, and blood vessels. The spinal column houses 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch out from the spinal cord. If any of these nerves get pinched, you’ll experience a very sharp pain in the back.
Spinal decompression refers to relieving the pressure on the spinal cord and nerves to ease pain. Decompressing the lower back not only relieves pressure but also reduces pain.
It treats spinal pinched nerves, lower back pain, spinal cord compression injury, and even radiating pain to the legs and lower half of the body.
These problems are a result of nerve compression. Therefore, spinal decompression relieves pain in all these cases.
What Are the Causes of Lower Back Compression?
To effectively decompress the spine, you should understand the causes of lower back compression.
Prolonged Sitting
One of the many reasons for lower back compression is sitting for extended periods. Poor posture, slouching, and hunched back compress the lumbar spine. Poor spinal alignment causes chronic compression.
Improperly Lifting Weight
If you don’t use proper body mechanics while lifting heavy objects or working out at the gym, it puts pressure on the lower back, causing lower back compression.
Obesity
Excess body weight, specifically excess belly fat, puts more pressure on the spine. Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle further worsen the pain.
The core muscles support the spine. These weakened core muscles cause more spinal compression.
How to Decompress the Lower Back?
If constant pain makes you wonder how to decompress the lower back, you can try a few exercises and decompression techniques to improve spinal stability and reduce pain.
Some of the following exercises help decompress the lower back at home.
1. Side-Lying Technique
The side lying technique relieves the tension in the lower back muscles. You can lie down on the bed on one side of your body with the knees bent and heels stacked.
Dip the shins down off the bed. This will give you a sensation where the pelvis is dropping to one side, producing a lower back stretch.
Hold this position for 20 seconds before returning the shins to the couch. Take a 20-second break before repeating the stretch.
2. Overhead Stretch
For an overhead stretch, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly extend the arms above the head and interlock your hands.
Straighten the elbows and face the palms towards the ceiling. Bend your body to one side to stretch the sides of the lower back. Try to hold the position until you can feel a stretch in the lower back.
3. Pelvic Tilts
Lie down on your back on the floor. Bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Then, slowly tilt your pelvis towards the ceiling, engaging the core muscles.
You should be able to feel the tightness in your core. This exercise relieves the tension in the lower back muscles and decompresses the spine.
4. Child’s Pose
The child’s pose is one of the most gentle yoga poses. It is an excellent exercise for spinal decompression as it stretches out the lower back.
Begin by being on your hands and knees, then sit back on your heels while stretching your arms forward. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Cat-Cow Stretch
Cat-cow stretches are dynamic, as they loosen the spine and release tension in the lower back. For spinal decompression, get on all fours and alternate between arcing and rounding your back while moving in sync with your breath. Make sure to keep your hips in line with your shoulders.
Professional Decompression Treatments
Are you experiencing severe lower back pain that radiates to the legs? It’s very likely the result of spinal nerve compression.
For severe spinal compression, the following decompression techniques are used. Here’s how to decompress the lower back professionally.
1. Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors use spinal manipulation, a technique that adjusts your spine, improves posture, and relieves the pressure on the nerves. You can consult a chiropractor for regular sessions for spinal alignment.
2. Physical Therapy
Spinal decompression through physiotherapy is a good way to improve spinal mobility. The targeted physiotherapy techniques also strengthen the muscles in the lower back.
Since these muscles support the spine and hold the body weight, physical therapy improves flexibility, enhances muscle tone, and reduces pressure on the spinal discs.
Lumbar traction and core strengthening tactics prevent spinal compression. Focusing on proper body mechanics also decompresses the lower back.
3. Decompression Surgery
In severe cases of herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and chronic pain, decompression surgery is essential. Surgical treatments for decompression are laminectomy and spinal fusion.
Laminectomy removes the parts of vertebrae that protrude and compress the spine. This creates space in the spinal tunnel, preventing the nerves from getting compressed.
The movement of vertebrae creates friction and pinches the nerves. Spinal fusion is a surgery where two or more vertebrae are joined to prevent their movement. Reshaping the structure reduces pressure and relieves lower back pain.
Final Words
If you know how to decompress the lower back properly through professional techniques and at-home exercises, you can reduce lower back pain and relieve pressure on the nerves.
Spinal decompression tactics are beneficial. However, prevention is always better than the cure. By managing your weight, focusing on proper body mechanics while lifting weights, and exercising regularly, you can prevent the nerves in the back from getting pinched.
If the pain persists, do not neglect the discomfort and consult a chiropractor for professional spinal decompression. Early intervention can save you from lifelong complexities and backaches.
