They say back pain comes with age but we say back pain is inevitable if you don’t take good care of your spine. Every year, thousands of people complain of back pain. People who suffer from back pain are desperate for a solution because the condition can affect their quality of life. If you are one of the millions who suffer from back pain you know very well that it will affect your performance at work, prevents you from enjoying hobbies and sports you love, and stops you from accomplishing tasks leaving you physically depleted and mentally drained. Therefore, it makes sense that as early as now you need to take extra care of your spine so that you won’t experience back pain later in life. The steps you need to take to keep your spine healthy aren’t difficult. Here’s what you need to do.
Make Sure You Lift Properly – do you know that if you twist your body incorrectly there’s a chance you might damage your spine? To protect your spine, we recommend you practice proper form and stance while lifting an object. What is the right way to lift an object? According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, you need to stand close to the object you’re about to lift. Instead of using your back to pull the object, you should use your knees and legs. It’s helpful to bend your knees to level your arms with the item. Keep your back straight. If the item is too heavy, ask someone to help you.
Get Enough Sleep – do you know that getting enough sleep helps improve your overall health? Your body needs to sufficiently rest to be able to repair itself. When you sleep, it’s best if you sleep on your side rather than on your stomach. When you sleep on your stomach you are putting extra pressure on your spine. It’s also important to get a good mattress to provide a better cushion for your neck and spine as you sleep.
Stretch Every Now and Then – no matter how busy you are or how preoccupied you are with work never forget to stretch your neck and back for proper joint function. Stretching also improves your range of motion and lowers your risk of injury. Strive to start your day by stretching, not only is it good for your spine but it also invigorates you throughout the day.
Be Active – inactive people are prone to experience back pain. As much as possible strive to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle for your spine’s sake. Go to the gym, swim in the pool, run in the front yard – anything to keep you moving. The best exercise for your spine is aerobic exercise.
Maintain a Normal Weight – if you are overweight or worse obese, you are at risk of lower back pain because of your excess weight especially if you have fat around your belly area because it adds stress on your tendons, ligaments, and muscles of your lower back. Get moving, eat right and stay hydrated until you achieve your desired weight.
Takeaway
Consider yourself lucky if you don’t suffer from lower back pain, but if you do, adopt these lifestyle changes. By practicing proper posture and stance, exercising, stretching, getting enough sleep and maintaining a normal weight you can help protect your spine from damage. Meanwhile, find a good and licensed chiropractor to help you deal with your back pain the natural way. Chiropractors specialize in manual spinal manipulation to correct misalignment issues that are responsible for neck and back pain. Millions of people say that after receiving chiropractic care they felt significantly better.