Nature's medicine

Say goodbye to aching backs

An afternoon of weeding may do wonders for the garden, but lots of bending over on cold muscles can also leave you with a stiff, aching back. "You can avoid backache by making sure you warm up with gentle stretching exercises before starting any strenuous activity," advises Dr Michael McKiernan, chairman of the charity BackCare. If backache strikes, don't be tempted to lie down for days: "Unless the pain is excruciating, don't stay in bed for more than 24 to 48 hours - it will only cause muscles to seize up further," he says. "Fight its onset by placing your hands on the small of your back and arching backwards (with stomach pushing forward)." A hot bath or a hot-water bottle on the area of pain can also help - last year, researchers at University College London found that when body cells reached temperatures of over 40°C, the body blocked chemical pain messages being sent to the brain.