10 Tips for Preventing Back Pain

Lift Safely

Safe lifting involves using your legs to spare your back. Bend your knees, tighten your abdominal muscles, and keep the object being lifted close to your body.

It is also a good idea to be aware of unsafe lifting techniques so that you can avoid them. Unsafe lifting techniques usually involve positions that will cause you strain when you add a load to them.

Minimize and Avoid Twisting Motions

The use of twisting motions should be carefully monitored and scaled back or eliminated as appropriate. You should avoid twisting when lifting heavy objects.

When doing heavy work, such as housework, try to keep twisting to a minimum. In other activities, pay close attention to how you are moving your spine as well as any warning signs, such as pain or tightness that may indicate trouble.

Drink Plenty of Water

The adult human body is about 50% to 60% water. Enough water keeps us fluid, rather than stiff.

Water is necessary for nearly every bodily process, so it’s good to have in generous supply. There’s no consensus about exactly how much water people need to consume, but six to eight 8-ounce glasses per day is generally fine. (It is difficult to drink too much water, though some people take it to risky extremes.)

Stay Active and Strengthen Your Abs

Exercise and activity keep the muscles of the spine strong. The most important muscles to strengthen to avoid back pain are your abdominals.

Include stretching in your fitness program to avoid stiffness, which causes pain. Another reason to stay flexible is that stiff muscles are a precursor to injury.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight is generally an excellent way to prevent all kinds of diseases and discomforts. For the spine, a healthy weight helps prevent compression and loading of the intervertebral disks, prevents postural abnormalities (such as anterior pelvic tilt), and interrupts a sedentary lifestyle, which can be responsible for stiff and/or weak muscles.

Research Sleeping Positions

Finding a sleeping position that works for you can help you avoid placing unnecessary strains on your back or neck. Doctors tend to vary when recommending ideal sleep positions. So, trusting your comfort levels and using your judgment are good accompaniments to their advice.

Warm Up When Exercising

When exercising, warm-ups are a must. A warm-up means 5 to 10 minutes of light aerobic activity just before the exercise session. Recommendations by experts vary as to whether the warm-up period should include stretching.

Cool Down

During the cool-down period after exercise, your muscles are still warm from exercising, so they are very receptive to stretching. Stretching will be less painful during cool down, as well. Stretching relieves muscle tightness, which is one cause of back pain.

Interrupt Long Periods of Sitting

If you sit for long periods, force yourself to get up from your chair as much as your work environment will permit. Sitting loads the spine and compresses the disks, leading to disk problems. Slaving over a computer for long periods can also cause neck and posture problems, such as kyphosis.

Try a Holistic Approach

Holistic bodywork techniques and systems are a great way to keep the structures of your spine tuned up for a lifetime. Try any of these:

• Massage therapy
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Feldenkrais Method
• Chiropractic adjustment
• Acupuncture