Living with back pain can be a miserable experience. You cannot do the things you normally would and simple things like tying your shoes or holding your baby are cumbersome. You do not need to live that way. The first step is to understand a little about the back so you can avoid the things that will cause pain.
Your back is designed to act with gravity. The vertebra (bones) are stacked one on top of the other and are arranged with three distinct curves or arches: 1) the neck (cervical) curve, 2) the middle back (thoracic) curve and 3) the lower back (lumbar) curve.
The spine is cushioned by discs which are in between each vertebra which prevent them from rubbing directly on each other, something which is very painful. The vertebrae are attached to the muscles of your back.
The spine and muscles work together as a unit to provide movement. To keep your back pain-free and in good health, it’s important to sit and stand using proper posture. This keeps your spine in its natural position ‘ your shoulders should be aligned with your hips. When you sit, keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees at a ninety degree angle. When standing or walking, keep your feet no wider apart than your shoulders.
By maintaining proper posture, you’ll be able to maintain the three natural curves in your spine, which is very important to preventing back pain and keeping your spine and back muscles in good shape. However, what should you do if you already suffer from back pain? If you have bad back pain, spine strength has already been compromised. What do you do?
One of the best ways to relieve back pain is through performing simple exercises. These can both alleviate pain that you’re currently experiencing as well as helping to prevent further back pain. Before you exercise or engage in any physical activity, do some bending and stretching to loosen up your back muscles and reduce the chance of straining yourself.
There are some exercises which can be very helpful to those who are currently suffering from back pain. Make sure not to overdo it with these exercises though ‘ it’s important to take it easy so as not to increase the pain you’re already in. Leg lifts and side bends are among the best exercises to relieve back pain as are forward/backward bends. Remember to keep your exercising gentle and stop at once if you experience any pain while exercising.
By warming up before exercise and maintaining good posture, you’ll usually be able to prevent back pain and even relive back pain that you’re already suffering. There are a lot of people who successfully manage to rid themselves of their back pain by simply training themselves to exhibit good posture.
Take good care of your spine and back and they’ll return the favor. Work to improve posture and your back will reward you.
Remember to always lift with your legs and not your back – many serious back injuries are caused by improper lifting. Bend at the knee, take hold of the object to be lifted and stand up. This is a safe way to lift which watches out for your spine.
