If you suffer from joint pain, particularly back pain, from working on the field I have some good news for you. There are a few ways you can fight the pain and in some cases prevent it from coming back in the future.

Obviously, you should talk to your doctor first to make sure you aren't facing something more serious like a disease that is causing the pain.

Taking drugs to cope with the pain is one way to deal with it. But as you all know we do have to alert on the job, so here are some alternative ways to fight against back pain, joint pain, and muscle pain.

Take some fatty acids.

There are supplements on the market specially for joint health and inflammation relief. These supplements have special fatty acids that help alleviate pain. They can also help increase your range of motion.

 

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Fatty acids can help lubricate your affected joints which ends in increased mobility and in some cases pain relief.

Trigger Point your Muscles.

When your muscles are tight, your posture gets off-balance. This causes your joints to compensate to keep you moving. So over time, the muscles and joints that are compensating for the tight muscles start hurting. The best way to address this and get almost instant relief is by trigger pointing.

You can get a Theracane, lacrosse ball, or use a foam roller to work on the tight muscles.

A deep tissue massage can help, but you are better off with a myofascial trigger point release.

Watch your body weight.

Sometimes a few extra pounds is what causes the joint pain. As electricians, we know that the job itself is to blame. But to keep the pain away, make sure you are eating well, sleeping, and exercising. If you do have a few extra pounds, you'll see that your joints will start to feel better once you get back to a healthier fat percentage range.

Exercise regularly.

Simply getting a massage or myofascial trigger point release isn't going to help you in the long run. You also need to add daily exercises. Stretching daily is a start. Then add a few resistance training days to your week. What this does is helps strengthen the muscles that usually tighten up. Remember that when your muscles tighten up, the rest of the body and joint overcompensate to keep you moving, then you end up in pain. If you strengthen your muscles with regular exercise, you will avoid joint pain long term.

Not just any type of exercise will do. Exercise programs should be individualized, because people have different needs.

Ice it up.

When you get home after a long day at the field, reach for the ice pack. This will help numb the area and offer you some relief. Make sure you wrap that ice pack on a towel and never apply it directly to the skin. This isn't long term however, so your best bet is implementing a plan that will keep your body running smoothly.

What is the best way to get rid of joint pain?

1. Trigger point
2. Exercise
3. Stretch
4. Repeat

Thanks for reading!