Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

While we rarely recommend rest as a stand-alone treatment for back ailments, there’s a pretty good chance that we’ll tell you to take it easy for a short while if you present to our office with back pain. Rest is typically a great way to allow inflammation to resolve and to give your body time to heal from traumatic or repetitive stress, but in some instances patients find that their back pain actually seems to worsen when they are resting. Why does your back discomfort seem to worsen when you’re inactive, and how can you overcome this problem? In today’s blog, we explain what could be going on in your spine if rest is making your back pain worse.

Why Is Rest Making My Spine Pain Worse?

You’re typically not putting much strain on your body when you’re resting, so it’s quite rare for rest to cause spinal discomfort to intensify. However, there are a couple different spinal issues that may appear more symptomatic when you’re idle. Let’s take a look at them:

• Axial Spondyloarthritis – Axial spondyloarthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the spine, leading to chronic inflammation. This constant inflammation can speed up cartilage breakdown and lead to pain and stiffness in the spine. Many patients say that movement can help to resolve some of this stiffness, so they actually feel more comfortable when moving. Symptoms tend to be more noticeable after long periods of inactivity or upon waking up in the morning after a night of rest.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis – Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that affects a person’s sacroiliac joints, which is where the spine meets the pelvis. Similar to axial spondyloarthritis, this condition typically presents with pain and localized stiffness that tends to improve when the patient is active. Movement helps to maintain optimal range of motion and strengthens supportive structures that can take some of the stress off the sacroiliac joints.
• Spinal Muscle Atrophy – While rest may not cause symptoms of spinal muscle atrophy to become more noticeable while you’re resting, the effects may be clear when you first start moving again. Spinal muscle atrophy is the term for muscle weakening, and this can happen if you live an overly sedentary lifestyle. These muscles aren’t regularly being strengthened and challenged, and over time they can weaken. Too much rest and inactivity can cause these supportive spinal muscles to become weaker, which can increase your risk for a number of related back problems. Excessive rest is a common cause of spinal muscle atrophy, but you can work to develop these muscles with a course of exercise and activity.

If you find that your back pain appears to get more intense when you’re resting, or you have reason to believe that a sedentary lifestyle is contributing to your spinal discomfort, your best move is to connect with a spine specialist in your area. Dr. Sinicropi and his team can conduct a physical exam, talk with you about your symptoms and conduct some imaging exams to really learn what’s going on in your spine. From there, they will be able to put their expertise to work for you to develop an individualized treatment program based on your unique needs. Odds are exercise or movement-based treatments will be in your recovery course, but we’ll go over your specific care plan in detail before your diagnostic exam is over. We’re confident that we can help set you up with a plan that ensures movement and rest are comfortable times for your spine.

For assistance managing a back pain condition that gets worse with rest or activity, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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