Got back ache? Experts say do this to ease and prevent the pain

For many people, their left shoulder is slightly higher than their right, because they hold their bodies at slant, doing activities such as driving, where one arm stays low to change the gears, while the other stays higher up to do the steering.

Over time, that means the muscles on one side of your body develop more than the other, an asymmetry that can cause back pain, says a German physiotherapist.

Physiotherapist Alexander Srokovskyi says these asymmetrical activities like when driving a car can have a profound impact on our backs. When you get out of your car and start walking, the following happens: "your muscles work more on one side. And less on the other," he says.

As a result, some of your muscle groups are permanently overstretched, while others shorten, causing a muscular imbalance. All that makes your musculoskeletal system less stable and your muscles are no longer able to support your spine as well.

Above all, some of your muscles are exposed to high levels of tension, ultimately leading to pain. "The cause of back pain is often that a single small structure has to withstand a lot of stress," says Srokovskyi.

There are many situations and postures in daily life that can contribute to this beyond driving.

You may also regularly find yourself sitting slouched and crooked at your desk or dining table. Or at some point you might notice how your head tilts slightly forwards as you scroll through your social media feeds.

Cause of back pain not always clear

Orthopaedist Matthias Manke knows from his work that when patients come to the doctor's surgery with back pain, they often assume there is a clear cause.

They figure it must be a problem with a disc or a case of wear and tear. But these kinds of muscular imbalances are what cause the problem in 85% of cases of back pain, he says.

If a doctor cannot find a clear cause for the back pain, and rules out a herniated disc, spondylolisthesis, a tumour, curvature of the spine due to scoliosis, then they conclude the problem is non-specific.

That can sometimes be traced back to a psychological issue that is causing your non-specific back pain, the heavy weight of worries, fears and problems many of us carry around. "When we experience stress, our entire musculoskeletal system is much more sensitive," says Manke. That means people are more likely to suffer from painful tension.

For patients, it can be frustrating not to have a clear explanation for their back pain, especially as they continue to suffer.

The good news is that non-specific back pain is usually not lasting, and the unpleasant sensation at some point disappears without any intervention needed.

But when it comes to acute cases, "it is important to clarify what could be behind it," says Srokovskyi.

You may be itching to get an injection, painkillers or a prescription for a massage to fix your backache, but bear in mind that these measures are not going to address the root of your problem. "Pain is a signal that we need to do something ourselves," says Manke.

So what to do exactly? Move, move and keep moving some more, is Manke's advice. You can start with changing your everyday routines. Take the stairs instead of the lift, walk or cycle short distances, try not to drive.

Sure go to the gym, but do the right exercises

If you sit a lot and work in an office, try to incorporate healthier routines on the job. "Ergonomics at work is actually movement at work," says Srokovskyi. Try changing your position every half hour, ideally along with taking a short break of one to two minutes. In that time, have a good stretch, do some brief exercise, take a few steps and then carry on refreshed.

You will also need to do exercises that specifically strengthen your back muscles. For some who feel twinges, they are immediately filled with the urge to go to the gym, lift weights, seeing strength training as good. That's true, but, for your back's sake, you need to make a plan.

"It's not about building up in the classic sense of making your muscles bigger and bigger," says Srokovskyi. "It's more about the deep muscles, so that the muscles can work together better like cogs."

Try functional training, meaning coordinated movements that ensure several muscle groups have to work together.

What about stretching? "Many people think so: Everything goes with stretching, stretching, stretching," says Manke. "That will make your muscles more flexible, but it doesn't make them stronger."

But you need to get stronger to protect yourself from pain in the long term.

Exercise your core and pelvic floor

To help your back, you need to do core exercises, says Manke. "Your core includes your back muscles, your pelvic floor, your lateral abdominal muscles and straight abdominal muscles." You can make them stronger by doing push-ups or planks, for example, he says.

Pay attention to your pelvic floor, advice that applies to men and women alike, he says. After all, your whole spine is based on this muscle plate, which closes off our pelvis at the bottom.

Here's how you can do a pelvic floor exercise. "Sit down normally - preferably on a slightly soft surface and place the palms of your hands under your buttocks. You can feel two ischial tuberosities," says Manke.

Next, imagine you want to move these bumps towards each other. That tenses your pelvic floor. "It's like an unfolded umbrella and now you want to pull it together." You don't want to trigger a big movement - you just want to tense your muscles. Then release the muscles again. It is an exercise you can do several times a day.

Activate your pelvis and upper back

Srokovskyi says many people hold their upper back too tightly and are too flexible in their lower back area. An exercise to counteract this is to stand up and spread your arms about 20 to 30 degrees away from your body. "Spread your fingertips wide apart, push your bottom out. Bend your knees slightly, but only slightly. Try to keep your knees back," he says.

You should notice a slight pull in your back. Push your shoulder blades backwards and downwards, building up tension - also in your arms, up to your spread fingers. Press your feet into the floor. "Imagine you're going to jump. But of course you don't actually jump." Hold this tension for three seconds, then let go and go back in. Do this ten times. "This activates your pelvis and upper back at the same time," says Srokovskyi.

If you are driving, you can also help your back. "Press the back of your head firmly into the headrest. Of course, it has to be perfectly adjusted for this," says Manke. It is a very brief workout that strengthens the back of your neck muscles, which people tend to overstretch.