Bend over and touch your toes! When we were kids, we did it with ease, but as we age, many of us find that bending over – and straightening back up again – becomes increasingly difficult and may even cause pain. Chiropractic can help many people improve their range of motion, flexibility and can also alleviate lower back pain associated with bending over. And, if you don’t yet have pain but are starting to notice that you can’t touch your toes as easily as you once could, chiropractic can also help you avoid spinal problems in the future.

Advanced Spinal Care in Chicago for Difficulty Bending Conditions

Which of the following 'difficulty bending' statements do you relate to?

A. I can bend over without bending my knees and place my palms flat on the floor without difficulty or pain.
B. I can bend over without bending my knees and touch my toes without difficulty or pain.
C. I can bend over, but to touch my toes I have to bend my knees. It’s a bit of a struggle.
D. I can bend forward a little but I cannot touch my toes at all or at least not without pain.
E. I’m afraid if I try to bend over, I won’t be able to stand up straight again.

Group A - you’re better off than most Americans. Your spine is healthy and flexible. You may already get regular chiropractic treatments and you may take part in regular strengthening and flexibility exercises, like yoga. This is great! Keep it up!

Group B - you’re still doing pretty well compared to most Americans. In order to keep that flexibility and maybe even increase it, you should visit a chiropractor to discuss your spinal health. Also, stretching and strengthening exercises like yoga and pilates will help keep your spine in excellent health.

Group C - you need to take action before the situation worsens. You may just consider your stiffness part of the aging process – but it doesn’t have to be that way. With proper chiropractic care and the introduction of stretching and strengthening exercises, you may be able to improve your spinal flexibility before it get worse.

Group D or E - you should schedule an appointment with a chiropractor immediately. Not being able to bend over can be a hassle – what happens when you drop your pen on the floor? – but it can also be dangerous. Attempting to reach things that have fallen when we can’t bend properly is one of the top three causes of fall-related injuries in senior citizens. Even if your inability to bend over is only periodic, it’s imperative that you take action now.

The reason our spines are flexible is because our vertebrae – the individual bones that make up our spine – are connected by semi-soft and flexible cartilage. This cartilage keeps the bones together but allows them to bend and twist. We call this cartilage the discs. You might think of these discs like thick, sticky rubber bands: they can stretch and twist to allow our vertebrae to move, but they then regain their original shape.

As we age, the discs in our spine to break down. When a disc gets thinner or smaller, it can mean that the vertebrae on either side of the disc are no longer protected from each other. When the bones come in contact with one another, they can’t move further, meaning that it makes it difficult or even impossible to bend past that point. In other cases, injured discs may slip out of place. As we bend, the bones may then put pressure on nerves, causing pain and limiting movement.

Causes for Difficulty While Bending

There are a wide array of different reasons that you experience pain while bending over, and it is essential that you know what they possibly could be so you can avoid certain activities and seek medical help directly with a chiropractor at Advanced Spine and Sports Care. After a thorough examination of your spine and have identified the reason for the pain, we will develop a personalized treatment plan to get you back on your feet. Here are some of the most common reasons people experience back pain when bending and their symptoms:

Lower back strain Pain

Lower back strain is one of the most common reasons people experience back pain when bending over. When bending, the lower part of the back is put on quite a bit of strain, especially when lifting an object. When bending over, the muscles and ligaments stretch excessively, causing strain.

Symptoms of lower back strain pain:

>Inflammation

>Muscle Spasms

>Stiffness

>Difficulty staying upright

>Limited range of motion.

Herniated Disk

Your vertebrae are cushioned by a series of disks that absorb shock every time you take a step. They also help stabilize the back, so when injured, it can severely affect your day-to-day activities. A herniated disk means that one of the disks in your vertebrae has slipped out of place, putting pressure on the nerves that surround it. Herniated disks tend to happen as you grow older, but severe trauma such as falling on the back can also cause a slip.

Symptoms of herniated disks:

Pain and numbness, usually on only one side of the body. It is common for there to be a weakness in one of the legs and numbness in the back.
Pain that reaches from your arms to your legs
Heightened pain when resting or with certain movements
Lower back pain while walking.
Muscle weakness

Sciatica Nerve Pain

Sciatica nerve pain is closely related to a herniated disk. When the disk slips out of place, it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. This is very dangerous as it can cause pressure, burning, and severe pain in the lower back. These sensations can also be felt in the legs.

Sciatica Nerve Pain symptoms

Mild to severe pain in the lower back, buttock, and leg.
Numbness in your lower back, buttock, leg, or feet.
Pain that worsens with movement
Loss of movement
The sensation there is pins and needles in your foot or leg
Limit in range of motion

Spondylolysis

Spondylolysis is also known as a stress fracture in the spine. It is extremely common in those who play sports like football, hockey and do gymnastics. People affected with Spondylolysis often have difficulty standing up straight or maintaining a decent posture.

Symptoms of Spondylolysis:

Difficulty standing
Difficulty standing upright
Unexplainable poor posture
Pain in the buttocks
Pain in the thighs

If you are an athlete and are constantly experiencing problems, it is critical that you contact Advanced Spine and Sports Care so that we can identify the issue right away and prevent any long-term injuries that can stop you from doing the things you love.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a persistent condition that attacks the spine around the joints near the pelvis and hips. Pain, stiffness, and other forms of discomfort are present when trying to bend over or pick up heavy objects. Treating this condition in a timely manner is extremely important as, if left untreated can cause bones in the spinal joints to fuse, leaving those affected with a poor posture giving off a hunched appearance.

Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis:

Pain in the lower back
Poor posture
Pain in the pelvis area

Do You Have Back Pain Caused By Bending? Try These Easy Stretches

Child's Pose

This is a very common yoga pose that gently stretches the muscles in your lower back. It helps alleviate the pain and is very easy to do. Here's what you need to do:

Carefully lower yourself to the floor.
Put yourself in a tabletop position.
Slowly extend your arms in front of you
Sit your hips back towards your heels
Drop your head and chest as you extend your arms

Supine Twist

This stretch targets 2 areas at once: your lower back and your glutes. Your glutes can also become affected when you experience intense lower back pain. here's how you perform the Supine Twist:

Begin by laying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground
Extend your arms to the sides of your body, creating a "T"
Keep your shoulders on the ground as you roll both of your knees to one side of your body
Hold this for about 20 seconds and move your knees to the other side

Knee-to-Chest Stretch

This stretch is amazing for helping with lower back pain but also for preventing it. We always want to be healthy 100% of the time so try to squeeze this one into your daily routine! How to do knee-to-chest stretch:

Start by laying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground
Put your hands just below your knee caps
Gently pull your knees to your chest
Hold for about 20 seconds, rest, and repeat

Improve Ability to Bend Over with Chiropractic Treatments

Let’s say you have a perfectly healthy spine and can bend freely and without pain. You want to keep it that way! The best way to maintain the health of your spine is to KEEP MOVING. You want to do non-strenuous exercises that gently stretch the back and help strengthen the muscles surrounding your spine. Yoga and pilates are great examples of these exercises. Also, regular chiropractic care can help keep your spinal discs hydrated and keep your vertebrae in proper alignment while heading off any potential problems at the pass. However, it’s not too late to take action if you’re already experiencing loss of flexibility, pain when bending over, or even the in ability to bend over safely.

Gentle, consistent chiropractic care can help make sure your spine is in proper alignment – this is the first step to regaining bending ability. Also, subtle adjustments can help hydrate and reposition damaged discs, which can improve flexibility and lessen pain. Your chiropractor can even give you easy exercises to perform at home so that you can continue to improve your spinal health even on days when you don’t see your chiropractor.

When you are experiencing back pain and the inability to bend over safely and without pain, it may have been suggested that you consider surgery. While in some cases that may be the only choice, a non-invasive treatment is always a better first step. The best part about chiropractic care is that it is gentle and non-invasive. It is our goal to improve your flexibility and lessen your pain without surgery. It is essential to remember that if you are experiencing intense lower back pain when bending, do not overdo it and visit Advanced Spine and Sports Care immediately!

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