If you suffer from back pain, you may well be subjected to a barrage of advice about what you should and shouldn't do, especially what movement and physical exercise you can safely undertake. However, since the causes of pain are so individual, what's good advice for one person may be totally irrelevant for another. It's best to be guided by your own discomfort... if something feels OK, then go ahead and do it. If it causes pain, stop it.

Stretching and exercise is good for your back...as long as it doesn't hurt and aggravate the symptoms. If you allow the muscles to stiffen up or worse still, become weak through lack of use, any problem you have is likely to be made worse. Seek the help of a professional to show you stretching and exercises.

What to do during an acute attack

It is advisable to seek the advice of your GP or health Care Provider at the on-set of acute pain. Or probably the best thing to do is lie down with your knees bent... it might be the only thing you can do, and even then you might not be totally without discomfort.

You could find that heat (a hot water bottle, for instance) or cold (perhaps a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel to avoid ice burns) will help, but you need to apply it for at least 20 minutes at a time. Ice will reduce inflammation. If either causes further discomfort, stop using it. Ice will reduce inflammation.

Most acute attacks clear up spontaneously within 2 or 3 days. If one persists for longer than this, you should contact your GP.