Living Well with Back Pain

Chronic low back pain is not the end of your active life. With the right self-care strategies, you can manage pain effectively and continue doing the things that matter to you.

A note before you begin: Do you ever think "I'm just getting older — there's nothing I can do"? The self-care approaches on this page have been shown to help people of all ages. You don't need to change everything at once. Start with one small step.

What You'll Learn

• Why self-care is considered the foundation of chronic pain management
• Practical tips for sitting, sleeping, and lifting
• How to pace your activities using time — not pain — as a guide
• The strong connection between sleep quality and pain
• How to keep a pain diary to find your personal patterns
• The benefits of warm water therapy
• Why staying socially connected matters more than you might think