What are some of the things you’ll have a hard time doing when you’ve got chronic low back pain? For starters, it can be hard to get in and out of bed. You might need to grab something nearby to help push yourself up. Anytime your lower back is hurting, you’ll find yourself wanting to grab something/anything for support. You might need to lean against the wall sometimes just to stay upright, while giving yourself some temporary relief. Meanwhile, besides getting in and out of bed, the other major problem will be getting in and out of a vehicle. The way cars and trucks are made today, it seems like they’re smaller than they used to be. You almost have to twist yourself to get in/out of them, and, so, you’ll find yourself taking it “easy” when you attempt to do so. Next, putting on underwear, pants and shoes can be incredibly difficult when you have low back pain. You try and put your leg through one hole in the pants, and then work harder to get the other one in. Whether or not it’s “good,” you might find yourself standing straight up, holding your pants with one hand, and without bending like you normally would, you’d do your best to put your pants on. Furthermore, when it comes to putting on shoes, perhaps the best way to do so is to sit down. Then, use one hand and arm to pull one leg up onto the area above the other knee, so that the foot is closer to you. Attempt to put on your shoes. You might find yourself straining to tie shoes– ugh, that hurts! It’s no wonder that people with back problems prefer slip-on shoes or flip-flops. Finally, if you’ve been going to the gym and/or working with a personal trainer, and you develop low back pain, then you’re going to undoubtedly avoid going to the gym. Despite your intentions to get fit and exercise regularly, it just hurts too much to go through the whole process of going to the gym, working out, and then coming back home. Honestly, it feels better to just take a nap on your bed at home. Oh, and speaking of beds, if yours is older (more than 8 years old) it might time for a new one. Your old bed could be contributing to your chronic low back pain. Try buying a new one– get a nice and firm mattress and see if that helps!