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Back Precautions

Back pain can be crippling enough to prevent you from being able to walk for days, weeks or months at a time. According to Shreeji Orthopaedic Hospital, simple daily activities such as sitting, twisting or lifting can lead to chronic back problems. The best way to protect yourself is to use precautions.

  1. Sitting Properly

    • Sheeji Orthopaedic Hospital suggests using a straight-back chair with lower back support to help you prevent back injury. Always sit with your back fully against the back support, and place your knees just slightly higher than your waist. You can use a footstool or ottoman to raise your feet while you sit. If you need to turn to reach something while seated, turn your entire body as opposed to twisting at your waist. Stand and carefully stretch at least once every hour to help relieve the stress put on your lower back from sitting. Adjust your car seat close to the steering wheel and controls so that you don't reach out to use them.

    Stress

    • According to online back health resource Spine Universe, stress can contribute to lingering back pain. Constant stress causes muscle tension which turns into back and neck pain. Some stress-relieving activities are good for your back health, including swimming, a sauna bath, massage therapy and the occasional walk to help get your circulation moving and relieve the cramps in your back muscles. Even something as simple as pushing away from your desk once in a while and taking a deep breath can help relieve some stress and reduce back pain.

    Back Support

    • Younger people may not feel the back pain when lifting or moving heavy items. As you get older, you can start to feel that pain. According to eMedicineHealth, taking precautions earlier in life can help to prevent back pain as you get older. Those precautions include a lumbar support belt when you are lifting heavy items. A lumbar support belt offers additional strength to your back muscles, and can relieve the stress on your lower back when lifting. Using a lumbar support belt at any age is important, but if you start when you are younger then you help to preserve your back in your later years.

    Strenthen the Muscles

    • One of the best ways to make sure your back muscles protect and support your spine is to keep those muscles strong, according to Shreeji Orthopaedic Hospital. A simple back-strengthening exercise you can do each day is to lie flat on your back, lift your legs four to five inches off the ground and then hold them there for a count of five. If you do just thirty of these leg lifts a day, you will strengthen your back muscles and help prevent back injury.

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