Being one of the most common reasons why people miss going to work for days or need to see a doctor, back pain should be taken seriously. It’s estimated that around 80% of the US population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. It can start from a simple bending over to pick something up, or caused by an accident, or by carrying something heavy, or by an unhealthy lifestyle, poor posture, or brought about by old age.
Simple back pain is usually tolerable and won’t last long. Chronic back pain, however, won’t simply go away and could get worse if not addressed properly. Here are a few tips to help alleviate back pain and help avoid future back problems:
Strengthen your core
The core supports the spine so strengthening your core would be a big help in easing back pain. When the abdominal muscles are weak, other muscles need to make up for their weakness. Without strong support, the spine has to work hard to carry the load and this can lead to back pain.
Include abdominal and back strengthening exercises in your workout routine Starting with twice or thrice a week would be ideal.
Stretching
Regular stretching can strengthen back muscles, loosen stiff muscles, and relieve existing pain in the back. Simply bending forward, backward and side-to-side help in improving your movements in daily activities. The best way to boost flexibility is by practicing yoga. A study showed that adults with chronic lower back pain experienced improve back functions after a 12-week yoga program.
Sleep properly
Sleeping in a bad position can cause back pain as soon as you wake up and sleeping in a soft mattress will make it worse as it can cause back misalignment. To avoid back pain, make sure that the mattress you sleep on can support you properly while you sleep. Without back pain, you’ll have better sleep and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.
Proper diet
Eating properly is necessary to keep fit and being fit is key to keeping your ideal weight. Having extra weight adds extra pressure on your back, making it more painful. Eat well-balanced meals that contain lots of fruits and vegetables. Limit intake of processed foods and foods with high sugar content.
Correct posture
Poor posture is one of the leading causes of back pain. It puts unnecessary stress on your spine that weakens the lower back tissues. The joints, disks, and muscles in your back are then pushed to their limit which causes back pain. With a correct posture, your back is kept at its proper curvature, the pressure is taken off your nerves, and back pain is greatly reduced.
Stop smoking
Smoking not only causes serious lung problems, but it can also cause back pain. The reason is nicotine constricts blood vessels and reduces the blood sent to the soft tissue. The decrease in the blood flow to the disks in the spine causes the disks to dry out, break, or rupture.
Smoking can also minimize the oxygen in the blood, this leads to the decrease of nourishment of the back muscles and tendons which then results to a weak back. A poor, weak back is more susceptible to accidents that can cause back pain.
Minimize stress
Another leading cause of back pain is stress. Stress can induce muscle strain and agonizing spams that add unnecessary pressure to your spine which then leads to back pain. Yoga can help relieve stress. Mindful meditation, deep breathing, spa treatments, and tai chi can also help.
Wear comfortable shoes
Wearing shoes that don’t provide enough support or don’t fit well can strain the muscles in your legs, back, and neck. This can cause your back to be painful. A study showed that wearing high heels for a long time can cause back pain.
Comfortable, low-heeled shoes with not more than 1-inch heel reduces the pressure on your back while you’re standing. You can ask a foot specialist to help you find the right footwear if needed.
Following these helpful tips will greatly aid you in managing your back pain easily. You can also get relief from back pain by increasing your health and vitality with the help of our Chi Vitalizer Machine and maintain back fitness with the Yamuna Save Your Back Kit.