Back pain is suffered by millions of people. If you want to avoid becoming one of them, you need to learn how best to avoid the kind of back pain that troubles so many people. To help you do that, here are just a few tips that can help you prevent back pain.
Tip: To determine how tough your injury is and avoid making it worse, you should rest at least a day after back pain starts. If the pain goes away in those first few days, you are probably going to be fine.
Lose weight. You might not think you weigh enough for a spot on “The Biggest Loser”, but the truth is that any extra weight, particularly in your belly, is going to throw off your center of balance. That causes the muscles in your back to be strained, which will result in pain. Try losing 5-10 percent of your body weight, and you can avoid back pain.
Tip: Lay down and place your hips and legs at a 90 degree angle. This position will ease stress on the back more than other positions, and feels comfortable.
Lift things in the right way. We have all heard that you need to lift with your legs and not your back, but many people dismiss that information because they either aren’t sure what it means or think it doesn’t make sense for them. Review videos on YouTube about the proper way to lift heavy objects, and make sure to use the right form when you are lifting. This can help you avoid back pain in the future.
Tip: Genetics or habits of daily life can make you vulnerable to back problems. Regular visits to a chiropractor for back alignments can help prevent a painful condition from developing.
Think about the career you are getting into. There are some jobs that put you at higher risk of back pain. For instance, nurses often report higher instances of back pain than many others due to the nature of their jobs. If you are serious about not getting back pain, think carefully about the line of work you’re in and whether there are steps you can take in order to cut down on any back-straining activities.
Tip: Make sure that you drink plenty of water every day. A good diet can help ease back pain.
Take it easy on the abdominal exercises. A lot of people want to get smaller bellies and do all manner of crunches and exercises to work their abs. However, what happens is that your belly muscles become tight and they seem to pull on your back muscles. To maintain your posture, your back can become strained. Therefore, try to do as many back exercises as you do abdominal exercises, so that your core muscles are equally strong.
Tip: You could seriously injure your back if you try lifting a box without confirming its contents. Inside the box could be something heavy, which can jolt your back.
Stretch properly before you start any sport. You may enjoy a good game of basketball on the weekends, but that can be a great way for you to injure your back. Make sure you do the right warm up exercises before deciding to hit the hoops.
Tip: You can protect your back during long hours behind a desk by simply going on a few walks throughout the day. Stand up and stretch your body and legs regularly to help stretch your back muscles.
Find out as much as you can about your back. Study a bit about the muscles in your back, and keep abreast of new information that concerns the back and what you can do to protect it.
Back pain can result in dozens of extra doctor visits, hundreds of pain pills, and in extreme cases, surgery. You don’t have to suffer from those things if you take the time to prevent as much back pain as you can. Use the tips laid out here to help you really start to pay attention to your back and to care for it. That way, you can live life with a healthy back free of pain.
