Lower back pain is a prevalent disorder that affects millions of people. Virtually everyone has lower back pain at some time in their lives. According to the National Institutes of Health, the only thing more common than back pain is the headache. The best approach to treat back pain is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some back care tips to help you steer clear of back injury:
1. If you have a job where you are sitting all day, take regular breaks and either walk around or simply stand and stretch. Try to schedule any activities that require you to stand (such as trips to the fax machine or the filing room) throughout the day so you can interrupt extended periods of sitting at a desk.
2. Take a walk during your lunch break instead of simply sitting at a table. If it is not possible to take a walk, then find some appropriate indoor activity. Choose something that will allow you to stretch and get a little aerobic exercise.
3. If you are doing a recreational activity that requires you to crouch down or bend over for prolonged periods (such as gardening), take breaks and stretch out your back out every twenty or thirty minutes. This will prevent having constant stress in the back.
4. Following any physical pursuit, avoid having a slouched posture right after the activity as your body cools down. This is a very common cause of injury (more so than the original movement itself).
5. Be active. Engage in a physical fitness pursuit on a regular basis. When you are sedentary, physical exertion can cause injury simply because your body is not used to it. Unused muscles become weaker and are not as flexible. Regular physical activity can also help you drop excess weight. Excess weight about the belly can cause lower back pain by pulling on the spine disproportionately.
6. Use care when lifting heavy objects. Remember to move as close as you can to the object when lifting it. Bend your knees and work with your legs to pick up the object, not your back. You can do this by straightening your knees while holding the object to lift it, without bending over and straightening your back to lift the object. Do not be afraid or self-conscious to ask for assistance in lifting heavy objects, either – a moment spent to look for for help may possibly avert a lifetime injury.
7. If your work site has an ergonomist on site, be sure to confer with with him or her and heed his or her suggestions about your back care.
8. While sitting, utilize a lumbar roll to help guarantee a good posture. Slouching and slumping can cause both lower and upper back pain. Take regular breaks and do stretching exercises. Merely standing in place and stretching slowly forwards and backwards can reduce the tension off of the back.
A few steps of preventive back care can be worth a lifetime of being pain free. Take care and pay attention to the signs your back is giving you. And, if you are currently experiencing back pain, or know someone who is, you can download the free book filled with free back pain relief information, and natural treatment options. There is also plenty of free back care information here on this blog.
