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| Lower Back Pain and Sleeping Posture |
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Question:
I've had some lower back pain for the last few years which I believed
to be caused by my bed. I recently got a new bed, and that helped things
a lot. Now there's just one little spot of pain left, and I only feel
it when my back is in certain positions. I think the pain may be caused
by sleeping on my side on a hard bed, such that the middle of my side
at about the level of the belly button is not getting enough support.
Has anyone else had this problem, and discovered what to do about it?
I've found that sitting with better posture and doing sit-ups have helped
a little, especially the latter. I've only had the bed about a month,
so I'm hoping that the pain just needs a little more time to go away.
Lying flat on my back takes the pain completely away, but I can't sleep
that way.
Answer:
I sleep on a firm bed, and as much as possible on my side, to
_prevent_ back pain. People differ. Have you seen a doctor?
My family physician recommended a simple sequence of back exercises
(pelvic tilt and some other things) to me several years ago, and
they have largely freed me from back pain when combined with some
attention to sleeping posture. I find I have to do them quite
religiously; a couple of days without and I find myself in some
danger of some mild lower back pain.
I'm happy to confirm
your suspicions related to the varied use of pillowed supports to minimize
back-pain while sleeping.
The mechanics are straight-forward. Placing a pillow underneath your knees
while sleeping on your back, flattens the lumbar spine "against" the mattress
so that the lower vertebrae are supported...thus the paravertebral muscles
can relax for the evening along with other probably inflamed tissues. When
it comes time to roll on your side, the pillow between the knees keeps your
thighs parallel thereby eliminating lumbopelvic torque that occurs in side-
lying. An additional pillow should be placed between the iliac crest and
rib-cage in side-lying so that the lumbar spine can be supported in its
neutral position as well.
All this "pillowing" sounds like a lot of work at a time when your just
trying to get some rest...but it is surprising how a back-pain sufferer
can learn to do this "in their sleep." For those who are anxious that
they could never acquire such skill, the McKenzie roll (a tubular-shaped
pillow that is worn around the waist like an inner-tube and is tied in front)
can be used. While donning such attire before bed-time may seem quite
unfashionable or alluring to your mate, generally people with severe back
pain have little concern about this aspect. An auxiliary 'knee-pillow' (under
the knees while on your back and between the knees on your side) is still
recommended and must be contended with in your semi-conscious state.
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