No matter your industry or workplace environment, there’s the potential to throw out your back. You can throw your back out from any number of movements, lifting, or body positions. So even if you work in an office environment, it’s still important to know what to do if this happens. Typically throwing out your back occurs when the muscles in your back seize, stiffen, or become very sore. You’ll want to treat the pain with rest, heat, and sometimes medication. To prevent this from happening, it’s important to exercise and learn to lift things properly. And finally, if your pain is persistent, it’s important to see your doctor to make sure you are not doing further damage to your back.

What to Do if You Throw Out Your Back: Accessing and Treating the Injury

Symptoms

When you ”throw out your back” the phrase is usually referring to the muscles in your back being overly stressed. This is often in the lower back and can happen after a sudden movement or lifting something heavy. It can also happen because of sleeping positions or improper posture. You’ll likely feel some stiffness, soreness, and inability to move as well. Some people experience a shortness of breath and catching sensation in their breathing in certain positions.

Treating the Pain

The first thing to do when you throw out your back is rest the area. Lay in a comfortable position that does not put more strain on your back. For many, this is laying on their side with a pillow supporting their stomach and behind their back. For others, it’s lying flat on their back with a pillow under their knees. Apply a warm compress on the sore area and try anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. For some, ice works better than heat, so you might have to experiment to see what works best for you.

Prevention

It’s easy to throw out your back if you are lifting heavy things. Therefore, if your job requires you to do the lifting, it’s important to learn the proper technique. Bend with your legs and try to take the brunt of the object’s weight in your legs, rather than back. In addition, exercising can greatly reduce your chances of throwing out your back. Try to do strength training exercises that target your back and core, and work on flexibility as well.

When to See a Doctor

If you throw out your back, you can often treat it at home. However, it’s important to know when to see a doctor. If your pain is persistent for several weeks, it’s worth a check-up. If you lose any sensation in your spine or lower body, you need to seek medical help immediately. Your doctor might be able to prescribe a stronger medication to help ease the muscles around your back and make sure that you aren’t causing further damage.

It can be incredibly painful to throw out your back. And unfortunately, it happens to many people. Whether you work on a construction site or in an office setting, the potential is still there for back injuries. It’s important to take preventative steps to protect your back from injury. For example, learning proper lifting techniques and exercises. Treat the injury with rest, heat, and anti-inflammatory medication. Seek help from a doctor if your pain is not responding to the medicine, is persistent, or is affecting your daily life. Hopefully, your doctor will be able to show you exercises to help strengthen your back so that you begin feeling better quickly.