Each year, over 250 million workdays are lost to back pain (Source: ACTA). They also estimate that a massive 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. 

For those with a diagnosed condition, it’s often a never-ending circle of doctor’s appointments, pain killers, and reduced mobility. For those of us lucky enough to be pain-free, it’s essential that we look after our backs every day, so that we can stay pain-free in the future too. 

Don’t underestimate back pain

If you do start experiencing back pain, it’s important not to ignore it.  See your primary care provider of a specialist at a company such as Advance Physical Therapy. They will be able to provide advice and treatment early, which often results in a better outcome. 

Exercise

Getting regular exercise is a great way to keep fit and healthy. Being active and eating a balanced diet can reduce the risk of a host of conditions including Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, heart attack, stroke, and insomnia. 

Exercising and keeping your weight in check, keeping your muscles supplied with blood and oxygen, and is great for keeping the pressure of the extra pounds off your joints. But in order to keep your back in tip-top shape, you need to be doing specific exercises to strengthen it too. 

The key to a strong back is a strong core. Exercises such as yoga, pilates, and exercise ball workouts are all good for keeping your core strong. 

Learn how to lift

Lifting too much weight, with a bad technique, can lead to serious back injuries. These can be prevented by learning some of the basis of lifting. Here are some of the basics for safer lifting. 

• Don’t lift more than you can handle – no correct technique is going to help you if you’re lifting something that’s far too heavy for you. 
• Stack your shoulders over your feet – you should be aiming for a straight line between the two. By doing this, you will find it easier to maintain your balance and not twist as you lift. 
• Hold the object close to you – the closer the object is to your body, the less strength you will need to hold it. 
• Bend at the knees – everyone knows this but few do it consistently. Use your leg muscles to lift, not your back or core. 

Correct Your Posture

Bad posture can cause a lot of health problems including back pain, muscle aches, headaches, and insomnia. It’s something that most of us are guilty of, as we slouch at our desks or lounge on the sofa. 

When sitting, try to use the following techniques: 

• Sit up straight with your shoulders back. 
• Keep your knees level with, or slightly higher than your hips, feet flat on the floor. 
• Don’t sit still for too long, try and get up every 30 minutes. 

Conclusion

Though it’s a very common health problem, back pain can really affect your quality of life. We should be looking after our backs as much as any other part of our body. Your spine will thank you for it.