How To Look After Your Back
Contributing post
A whopping 80% of us experience back pain at some point in our lives. Back problems can occur for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few ways in which you can prevent a bad back.
Improve your posture
Stooping when you walk or slumping when you sit can put unnecessary pressure on the spine. This could turn into chronic pain in the future. Try to get into a habit of sitting or standing up straight with your shoulders back.
Lift with your legs
When lifting something heavy from the floor, always bend at the legs and not at the waist. If you bend your back while lifting, you increase the risk of pulling a muscle or slipping a disc. You can find many guides on how to lift heavy objects online.
Ditch the heels
High heels are notoriously bad for the joints. While wearing them occasionally is unlikely to cause any harm, wearing them regularly may begin to put a strain on the ankles, knees, hips and lower back. In fact, wearing heels is thought to be a leading cause of lower back pain in women.
Swap shoulders with handbags
If you always carry your handbag on one particular shoulder, it could be time to start regularly switching shoulders. Always wearing your bag over one arm can result in this shoulder becoming stronger than the other. This can throw your whole body out of balance and your back muscles may end up working overtime just to keep you upright.
Upgrade your mattress
Sleeping uncomfortably can also lead to back pain. A new mattress could help to offer your back the support that it needs. There are orthopaedic mattresses on the market that can help those with existing back pain to get a good night’s sleep.
Photo by Romina Farías on Unsplash
Know when to see a doctor
Any back pain that you have noticed come on suddenly is worth visiting the doctor for. Pain following an accident could require particularly urgent attention. Don’t be worried about affording treatment – there are many ways to raise funds such as hiring a personal injury lawyer and winning compensation or even looking into loans. You do not want to ignore a bad back.
Stay active
It was once recommended by doctors that patients should lie in bed to help their back get better. However, it has since been discovered that lying down is generally no good for a bad back. Staying active can help to prevent muscles and joints stiffening up and it can flood the body with feelgood endorphins to reduce pain. While you may want to avoid high-impact exercises like jumping and running with a bad back, low-impact exercises like walking and swimming are worth trying.
For more fitness inspiration and barre workouts visit Nadia Murdock Fit on Instagram @NadiaMurdock and the NMFIT Blog!