When your back hurts every morning, follow these tips

By Sherwin Nicholson | Updated May 7, 2020

morning back pain tips

What can I do to stop from hurting every morning?

Waking up in constant pain is not fair and it can wreak havoc on your day.  If you are tired of this ordeal and need practical, last tips, then this site is for you.

Below are the lists you’ll need on how to begin so you can have a much better day with relief. Follow each one carefully. 

These tips will help to retrain you to move in a much better way that is safer.

In Part 1: Morning Back Pain, we discussed the struggles, management, and questions that we have about this condition.

In Part 2: Misunderstandings About Morning Back Pain, we discussed 8 misunderstandings that we have about this problem and why they worsen the condition.

Tips To Practice:

Upon Waking:

  1. While still lying in bed, bring one knee slowly up to your chest and hug it with your arms. Hold for 10 seconds. Alternate with the other knee.  The other leg should be kept straight as you hold your knee. Keep your spine straight. Do not forcibly pull your knee up to your chest.  Keep alternating.
  2. While still lying in bed, lie on your back.  Bend both knees at a 90-degree angle.  Cross your legs (one leg over the other).  Hold this position and only allow both legs to slowly fall to the side.  Hold for 30 seconds.  Repeat in the other direction.  Do not rush this as it will take time for any tightness to release.
  3. While on your stomach, bend both knees upward and tuck your thighs under your stomach and chest.  Hold for 1 minute.
  4. Use gentle massage with your hands and knuckles around the muscular areas of your hips and lower back.  Avoid direct pressure on the joint so as not to cause injury to any sensitive nerves.

 

After Getting Out of Bed:

  1. Sit on the edge of your bed.  Feet firmly on the floor.  Bend one of your knees and bring one foot up on the bed.  Your foot should be resting in front of you near your buttocks.  Hold this position for 30 seconds.  Repeat with the other foot.
  2. Squat directly down on the ground until your stomach meets your thighs.  Hold for 30 seconds.  Get up slowly.  Hold onto the bed for support and balance or squat down on a stack of books to avoid falling over.
  3. Stand straight up and point both hands directly up to the ceiling while looking forward.  Your hands, arms, spine and legs should be in a straight line.  Hold for 20 seconds.  Push up as if you are trying to reach the ceiling.  Keep looking forward.

During the Day:

    1. Allow 5 minutes of brief standing, walking or lying down for every 25 minutes that you are sitting.
    2. When sitting, use a soft cushion and try to sit with as little lumbar support as possible.  Your posture should be similar to someone playing the piano while actively sitting straight up and unsupported.
    3. Avoid arching or slouching whenever sitting.
    4. When picking up any heavy items or items that are low on the ground, bring yourself down to the object while keeping upright.  Here you will be squatting into the position and not leaning over.
    5. Avoid sitting and slouching for extended periods of time 1-2 hours before bed.  (ex. TV, desk work).
    6. Wear only clothing that provides a loose fit around your hips.  Denim jeans that do not stretch or tight pants can worsen your discomfort by limiting your flexibility.
    7. Drink sufficient amounts of water to keep your discs well hydrated and to avoid muscle cramps.

Before Bed:

    1. Incorporate as many of the exercises and stretches suggested above before lying down.
    2. If recommended by your doctor, take an anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant before bed.  This practice should be minimized or done only if necessary.
    3. Lie sideways on your bed with your knees bent and a cushion in between your knees.  Avoid sleeping or lying on your back and never on your stomach.  If you must lie this way, elevate your knees with extra pillows.
    4.  Maintain a warm bedroom temperature.  Cooler temperatures can cause muscle stiffness and spasms.
    5.  Learn the Deep Squat Rest.  It will test your stiffness.  Mastering this movement will help to reduce your pain as it helps to increase your lumbar and hip flexibility. If you have difficulty with this exercise, you are at risk of poor muscle conditioning.

Before following any of these exercises or stretches, please consult a medical doctor or your spine specialist if it is advisable or safe at this time.

Remember, these tips are only suggestions to help you on a path to controlling and treating yourself. Management is not treatment.  Treatment is required so that you can provide and achieve longer lasting relief and fewer symptoms.

Options to Explore: Simple, Pain Reducing Exercises

It is important to follow a Targeted Program.  You can self-treat these very concerns long term.  If this chronic problem is already part of your life, you’ll learn many ways to alleviate, control and prevent it. 

If you find the above suggestions helpful, there are many more available in the eBook.  They are more specifically designed to carefully bring you to a better and more comfortable state long term.  They are designed so that you will require less exercise as you progress and as you improve.

For more help:

  1. What can I do for morning stiffness?
  2. A good stretch for a stiff back in the morning
  3. How sitting all day can ruin your sleep

References:

  1. Sleep problems, exercise and obesity and risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain: the Norwegian HUNT study –http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24293504
  2. Management of chronic lbp – Nikolai Bogduk Med J Aust 2004; 180 (2): 79-83. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2004/180/2/management-chronic-lbp
  3. Solving BackProblems – Dr. J. Sutcliffe. Timelife Custom Publishing. Health Fact File.  1999. RD768S82

More references for this page