Maintaining the health of your spine is an important part of protecting your neck and back. Try using the steps below to keep your back healthy and strong.
Eight Ways To Prevent Pain In Your Back
– Perform stretching and warm-up exercises. Limbering up before performing tasks like heavy lifting can go a long way toward protecting your neck and back. Spend a few minutes stretching before lifting anything heavy. Activities like moving a desk across a room may not seem overly complex. If you don’t warm up first, however, you could easily strain your back muscles or your spine.
– Take a cautious approach to lifting. Lifting anything heavy can put excess strain on your back. To avoid injuring your neck, back, or legs, tighten your stomach muscles, bend at the knee, and hold whatever you are lifting as close as you can to your body instead of out away from you.
– Try not to twist. Anytime you are lifting or performing other activities like gardening or housework, do your best to avoid twisting. If you aren’t cautious, you can easily injure your back, even if you are doing something as basic as leaning over to pick an item up from the floor. The only time twisting is acceptable is if you are dancing. In everyday life, however, you should avoid that particular motion as much as you can to reduce the risk of injury.
– Strengthen your core. Your stomach muscles provide essential support for your back. Even though they may not be as strong as they were when you were younger, you should still focus on strengthening your core. Keeping your stomach muscles strong is the best way to support your back, reducing the risk of future injuries.
– Avoid sitting for extended periods. If you spend a lot of time sitting, it can increase the amount of pressure on your spine. Over time, this can lead to issues. Spinal compression can cause injuries to your discs. It also can lead to poor posture, neck pain, and other problems. During the day, periodically get up and move around, stretching and spending a few minutes on your feet. Don’t forget to smile, as well, since it will instantly put you in a good mood.
– Maintain a healthy weight. Keeping your body in the ideal weight range for your height will make it easier to avoid injuries to your spine. Adopt good dietary habits that provide you with the proper balance of whole grains, healthy vegetables, and lean protein.
– Get regular exercise. Whether you exercise at the gym, attend yoga classes, or take a walk around the block, working out is an essential part of staying in shape. If you find it hard to stick with an exercise program, try working out with a friend. The two of you can help motivate each other to stay on track.
– Stay hydrated. Most experts recommend drinking a minimum of 12 glasses of water each day. This will keep your body properly hydrated, reducing the risk of problems with your spine. When your body is adequately hydrated, it has greater fluidity. This helps the discs in your spine do a better job of absorbing shock.
