Best Sexual Positions for People With Back Pain
Houston Chiropractor Comments: I first wrote about this topic a decade ago and it has consistently been one of my most searched blogs. This is the question that most people with back pain have but are too shy to ask. As they say, knowledge is power. Never be embarrassed to ask your doctor important questions. It is our job to help our patients experience the pleasure of health.
The best sex position for back pain depends entirely on what triggers your specific discomfort, specifically whether your pain gets worse when you bend forward (flexion) or when you arch backward (extension).
Groundbreaking biomechanical research from the University of Waterloo revolutionized how doctors recommend positions, moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to tailored advice based on your pain mechanics and gender.
1. If Your Pain is Triggered by Bending Forward (Flexion-Intolerant)
This is common if sitting for long periods, bending to tie your shoes, or slouching makes your back ache. The goal is to keep your spine flat or slightly arched.
| Position | Tips for Men | Tips for Women |
|---|---|---|
| Doggy Style (Quadruped) | Highly Recommended. It allows you to keep a neutral spine. Drive the movement primarily using your hips rather than rocking or bending your lower back. | Highly Recommended. Rest your weight on your hands rather than your elbows. This naturally keeps your lower back extended and prevents pain-inducing spinal rounding. |
| Spooning (Side-Lying) | Avoid. Keeping your legs bent forward in a tight fetal shape can force the lumbar spine into a flexed, painful curve. | Recommended. Lying on your side naturally helps maintain a flat, neutral spine without bearing heavy weight. |
2. If Your Pain is Triggered by Arching Backward (Extension-Intolerant)
This is common for individuals with conditions like spinal arthritis, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease, where arching the back compresses the spinal joints. The goal is to keep the spine neutral or slightly flatter.
| Position | Tips for Men | Tips for Women |
|---|---|---|
| Spooning (Side-Lying) | Highly Recommended. Lying on your side behind your partner reduces the pressure on your spine and stops you from over-extending. | Recommended. This position relieves compression by avoiding a deep backward curve in the lower spine. |
| Missionary Position | Modified Approach. If you are on top, support your body weight heavily with your hands or elbows to prevent your back from sagging or over-arching. | Highly Recommended. Place a thin pillow or rolled towel under the small of your lower back. Keep your legs relatively straight or loosely draped around your partner, rather than pulling your knees tightly to your chest. |
| Doggy Style (Quadruped) | Avoid. The forward thrusting angle naturally forces a backward arch in your spine, which can severely aggravate joint compression. | Avoid / Modify. This position naturally forces an arch. If attempted, use cushions under your stomach to actively flatten out the arch. |
3. General “Low-Impact” Alternatives
If moving your spine at all is too painful, try positions that shift all physical effort to the unaffected partner:
- Cowgirl / Partner on Top: The partner with back pain lies completely flat on their back (the insertive partner can place a pillow under the knees; the receptive partner can place a towel under the lower back). The partner on top straddles them and controls the pace, depth, and movement, allowing the resting partner’s spine to remain completely stable.
- Supported Sitting: The insertive partner sits upright in a sturdy chair, and the receptive partner straddles their lap. This keeps both spines vertical and aligned, minimizing hazardous twisting or bending.
Practical Safety Tips
- Use Strategic Props: Keep a stash of rolled-up towels or firm pillows nearby. Placing them under the knees, hips, or lower back can change your pelvic tilt instantly and eliminate pinches.
- Move from the Hips: Focus on thrusting or rocking using your glutes and hips rather than flexing your core or bending at the waist.
- Take a Warm Shower First: Heating up your muscles beforehand can ease spasms and improve your flexibility before you initiate intimacy.
- Establish a “Stop” Signal: Communicate openly with your partner. Agree that if either person feels a sudden twinge, you will pause immediately to adjust positions or take a break rather than trying to “push through” the pain.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700, Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. For more tips like these, follow us on Facebook and X!
Best Sleeping Positions For Lower Back Pain
Houston Chiropractor Comments: When patients come in to my office in Houston, Texas they often comment that they have been having trouble sleeping due to the pain. Sometimes they have even moved to an uncomfortable location so that they do not disturb their spouse or partner.
Here is some helpful information.
For lower back pain, the best sleeping positions are on your side with a pillow between your knees or on your back with a pillow under your knees, both of which help align your spine and reduce pressure.
Side Sleeping with Support:
- Position:
Lie on your side, keeping your spine aligned by placing a pillow between your knees.
- Benefits:
This position helps to align the hips and reduce pressure on the lower back, maintaining the natural curvature of the spine.
- Additional Tips:
Use a pillow to support your head and neck and consider a full-length body pillow for added comfort.
Back Sleeping with Knee Support:
- Position:
Lie on your back with a pillow under your knees to support the natural curve of the spine.
- Benefits:
This position helps distribute weight evenly across the spinal column, reducing strain and pressure on specific areas.
- Additional Tips:
Try to keep both legs pointed in the same direction. Do not have one leg straight and the other bent at a large angle.
Other Considerations:
- Avoid Stomach Sleeping:
Generally, sleeping on your stomach is not recommended for individuals experiencing lower back pain.
- Reclined Position:
Sleeping in a reclined position can also help reduce pressure on the spine.
- Adjustable Beds:
Consider using an adjustable bed or wedges to achieve a reclined position.
- Mattress:
Ensure your mattress is providing adequate support and is not too soft. Typically, the firmer the mattress the better.
- Pillows:
Choose pillows that are appropriate for your sleeping position and provide adequate support for your head and neck.
- Consult a Doctor:
If you are experiencing persistent or severe lower back pain, consult with a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) to rule out any underlying conditions and to determine the best course of treatment.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
How To Minimize Your Low Back Pain During Pregnancy
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: One of the most common things that our pregnant patients complain about is lower back pain. Most women notice anything between mild discomfort to severe pain as the pregnancy progresses.
As the child grows, the mother’s body changes shape. The extra weight being carried in the abdomen changes the posture of the mom. As the weight in the abdomen pulls the body forward, the shoulders tend to lean backwards to counteract this. Typically, the walking gait becomes a little wider also. Toward the end of the pregnancy, the body releases a hormone, Relaxin, which helps the ligaments to loosen and allow the pelvis to open for delivery.
All these things put an abnormal strain on the muscles used to support and stabilize the spine and pelvis.
The good news is that the literature supports the use of chiropractic care to help reduce these pains and discomforts without the need of drugs or bedrest.
In addition to reducing your pain, Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) can help you improve your posture, increase your flexibility, and prevent other complaints from occurring such as sciatica and hip pain.
There are also things that you, as an expectant mother, can do to help reduce your lower back pain. Avoid slouching or prolonged standing. Take more breaks and reduce any heavy lifting. Perform regular prenatal exercises and stretches. Wear pregnancy support belts to help properly distribute your additional weight and wear low heeled or flat shoes.
In our 35 years of practicing in the Clear Lake City area of Houston, we have greatly enjoyed helping our pregnant patients and working with the local OB/GYN’s and birthing professionals.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Manipulation vs. Mobilization
Houston Chiropractor Comments: I recently had a prior patient return for treatment of her low back pain. Her HMO doctor had referred her to physical therapy (PT) for treatment of her pain and she went there. She had asked to be referred to my Clear Lake City, TX office, but her GP stated that chiropractors and PT’s treat low back pain the same so he would not refer her to my office.
The visit at the physical therapy clinic started out the same as most clinics. She had an examination followed by some therapy. After the therapy was completed, she asked about getting her back adjusted.
That is when she found out about the difference between chiropractic manipulation or adjustments and PT mobilization.
A chiropractic manipulation is typically a high velocity end range technique. A PT mobilization typically takes a joint through their range of motion, but does not take the joint beyond its end range.
The chiropractic manipulation requires a lot more skill to deliver the correct treatment. It usually requires several thousand adjustments before a chiropractor can determine the exact amount of force and speed to manipulate patients of any age correctly.
The mobilization usually is slower in speed and does not go through the full joint range of motion. They typically consist of slow, rhythmical, oscillating techniques similar to stretching.
After 3 visits with the PT my patient had not seen any improvement, so she decided to pay out of pocket to see me. After the first chiropractic manipulation she had a 50% reduction in pain and it was completely relieved in 3 visits.
Both of these treatments have their place, but they are not the same and neither are the results.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
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3 Stretches for Lower Back Pain
Dr. Ward Beecher walks you through 3 stretches to help with lower back pain.
1. Laying on back, pull knee up to chest.
2. Laying on back, roll knee over opposite leg while keeping shoulder flat.
3. While on stomach, keeping hips flat on surface, push upper body up.
Check out the video to learn how to preform each of these stretches.
Likelihood of Surgery with Back Injury
For people that end up with a back injury on the job or not, those that visited a chiropractor first were much less likely to need surgery.
Avoid Damaging Back When Wearing Backpack
When wearing a backpack, make sure to chose the right one and to wear it correctly to avoid hurting your back.
Understanding Sacroiliac (SI) Pain
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: When most people come in to my office complaining of “hip” pain, they usually point to their sacroiliac (SI) joint. The SI joints are located right below your belt line above your buttocks. The SI joints are designed to help transition the weight from the spine to the pelvis. Additionally, sacroiliac joints are designed to allow a minimal amount of movement, and are reinforced with an interconnected network of strong ligaments and tendons.
Pain in the SI joints comes from either too much motion or not enough motion. There can be too much motion in the joint during pregnancy when the ligaments become relaxed to help with the birth or as a result of an injury. The most common injury that we see is when people are bending and twisting at the same time. This can either sprain the joint or allow the joint become subluxated or out of alignment. There can be not enough motion in the joint when it has become arthritic or has degenerated.
Typically SI joint pain will start in the joint and radiate out into the adjacent muscles. The SI joint can also send out a referred pain. The referred pain will go into the buttocks, around to the groin and possibly down the front of the thigh. It will not cause pain to go past the knee. That is a nerve pain.
The best treatment for SI pain is chiropractic care to make sure that the joint is in the correct alignment and not immobile, physical therapy to help with the pain and relax the muscles, stretches to make sure that the joint and associated muscles are moving correctly and therapeutic exercises to make sure that the joints are properly supported.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
