Tired of a back pain that will just not go away? Here are six things that may be preventing your back from healing or causing you to have recurring back issues:
1. Be aware of your posture
If you have poor posture with a head thrust forward or a slump in the back with the pelvis pushed forward, this is likely to aggravate any back issues you may be already having. Correcting a bad posture is not easy but it may be the single biggest thing to reduce the back issues you may be facing.
2. Get ergonomic chair and sofa
Ergonomic furniture is another key that may help you keep your back healthy. Finding Ergonomic chairs is easy but the same cannot be said for sofas. Sadly most sofas sink in and make it hard to sit properly. If you cannot find a good sofa avoid them and use a chair instead. Even if you are sitting on an ergonomic chair does not mean that you are guaranteed to sit properly. Please follow these guidelines:
a. Feet flat on the floor
b. Rear is up against the back of chair
c. Arch of your back is supported. (Use pillow if needed)
d. Sit up straight
The above guidelines apply while sitting at work, or at home, or while driving. In addition take care of the following when working at a desk while using a computer:
e. Elbows at 90 degrees
f. Monitor straight ahead with top of the monitor at eye level.
3. Do not sit for long periods
If you have back issues, one likely cause is that your sitting posture may not be perfect. But it is not easy to correct this overnight. Since an incorrect sitting posture may put stress on your lower back, it makes sense not to remain seated for long hours. Make sure to get up and walk about every 30 minutes to relieve pressure on the back.
4. De-stress
A widely quoted source for back issues is stress. This happens because we tend to clench our muscles tight when in stress. Sooner or later our muscles give way. When this happens with the muscles in our back we get muscle spasms and back pain. Also weakened muscles may not be able to support our back well and this may lead to more pressure on our spinal column. The best way not to aggravate back issues is to reduce stress in your life. See funny movies and shows, meditate, practice yoga, do breathing exercises that elongate your breath, and make sure you get adequate sleep.
5. Avoid forward bends, lifting and pushing weights
Another reason why a persistent back ache may not be going away or getting worse is that it may be aggravated by incorrect motion. If you have a back ache you may want to avoid forward bends. You may also want to be extremely careful while pushing or lifting weights. Keep the weight close to your body. If possible you may want to avoid such activity altogether. If this is not possible at least avoid asymetric weight lifting or twisting motion while lifting weights. Yoga is great for strengthening your back and relieving stress. But you want to avoid certain postures or do them with modifications. Most of these are postures related to forward bends while standing or seated.
6. Sleep well and rest your back
You must be able to rest your back. This happens when you sleep so getting adequate sleep is critical. Be sure that your back is well supported while sleeping. Avoid sleeping on your stomach. If you cannot sleep otherwise at least put a pillow underneath to relieve the pressure in the arch of your back. Also be careful that you are not stacking up too many pillows under your neck to cause upper back pain. While getting up from a lying down position be careful to roll on your side and then get up.
A great back is important for a good quality life. Given proper care most backs will heal on their own with time. Yoga and/or Physio Therapy can help strengthen your back but you have to make sure that you follow some of the tips in this article to make sure your back issues do not return.
Credits:This has been written by Raj Shah and edited by Ketna Shah.
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