How to Prevent Back Pain

Prevent Back Pain

Back pain can be one of the most consistent and annoying pains that can occur at any time in your life. While it’s nearly impossible to prevent back pain all the time, there are some steps to take to prevent it most of the time. It starts with a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise

The most important part of preventing back pain is to exercise and stretch regularly. You want to combine a wide variety of exercises that not only support whole body health, but also strengthen your core muscles and spine. One specific exercise that helps with those core muscles is crunches. Done properly, you not only end up with a toned tummy, but you develop a strong core that can prevent back pain later.

Get Fit

It’s also important to have a healthy diet. Being fit is important to your health. This doesn’t mean being skinny necessarily, but it does mean getting your nutrition to strengthen your bones and maintaining a healthy weight. Those that carry excess weight tend to have more back pain overall.

Avoid Toxins

Avoiding toxins like alcohol and nicotine are also important. While the alcohol can dehydrate and suck important nutrients from your body, smoking and nicotine cause the discs in your spine to wear out faster than normal. This can inflame areas in your back, result in slipped discs, or any number of back issues.

Have Good Posture

When someone comments on your poor posture, it’s probably the most annoying thing at the time, but they are doing you a favor. Those with poor posture tend to have low back problems throughout their life. It’s important to keep your shoulders back and your spine straight. This keeps your back in alignment meaning less pain overall.

Lift Properly

Working a difficult job where you are lifting a lot or when you’re moving are prime times for tempting injury and back pain. It’s important to use proper lifting techniques when trying to pick up something as well as making sure that you aren’t lifting something outside of your capability. You don’t want to overstrain or irritate your spine. Maintaining your proper posture and using your legs to lift rather than your back will prevent injury in the long run. If it’s particularly heavy, get someone to help you. In the end, you’ll get it done faster and feel better if you do so.

Sleep Comfortably

While there’s no clear evidence that one brand or type of mattress is better than another, there are studies that show you should have one with a good support system for keeping your spine aligned. It’s important to find a mattress that fits your comfort level for firmness while also making sure your spine is supported properly. If your back is hurting in the morning, you may need something that supports you better.

While back pain isn’t always preventable, following these important rules can mean less pain overall and a healthier you.

This article is brought to you by Dr. Brandon Downs, an orthopedic surgeon. Find Dr.Downs at:

Hughston Clinic Orthopaedics, Centennial Medical Center in the Physician’s Park Building 2400 Patterson Street Suite 300, Nashville, Tn 37203 (615) 342-6300 Hughston.com and Orthopaedic Specialists, 415 Henslee Drive in the Creekside Center, Dickson, Tn 37055 (615) 375-8287, Orthopaedicspecialists.com.