Whether you like to row, run, or shoot hoops, sports are excellent for your mental and physical health. However, as an athlete, you’re more vulnerable to back pain, which can get in the way of your performance. To learn how you can prevent and work through the pain, review the following.

3 Ways to Prevent & Deal With Back Pain as an Athlete

1. Take Advantage of Ice Packs

After a long run or a rigorous soccer game, remember—temperature changes can help your body. Start by applying an ice pack to your problem area, which will reduce blood flow and decrease inflammation. After about 10 minutes, switch to a hot compress to relieve tension in the tight muscles supporting your lower spine.

2. Consider Cross-Training

As an athlete, you may be hyper-focused on a single sport, such as running or tennis. Unfortunately, completing the same motions day in and day out can cause strain and tension, irritating certain joints, vertebrae, tendons and muscles. By working out other muscle groups—such as baseball pitchers switching to swimming or biking—you can strengthen muscles that might have been excluded from your workouts, helping you to support your spine.

3. Allow Your Body to Recover

As devoted as you may be to your athletic workouts, it’s important to give your muscles time to repair themselves between practice sessions. Since the body does most of its healing during the sleep cycle, make sure you’re getting at least seven to nine hours every night. If you’re experiencing back pain after a long string of workouts, give your body a day or two to recover, and use that time to rest, stretch and take warm baths with Epsom salts.

If you have back pain on a regular basis, reach out to the specialists at iSpine Pain Physicians in the Twin Cities, MN, area. They have locations in Maple Grove, Coon Rapids, Chaska, Shakopee, Sartell and Delano, and they’ll assess your symptoms. Once they’ve gotten to the root of your discomfort, they can prescribe pain-relieving procedures, such as back injections. To learn more about their services, visit the website. Call (763) 201-8191 to make an appointment at their Delano location.