Simple daily activities can help keep off back pain

Back pain can make it difficult for many people to function in daily life. It affects how you move, feel, and think, leaving you no choice but to take action to relieve the pain.

But, instead of reacting, what if you took small daily steps to proactively avoid back pain?

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the everyday activities that cause back pain — or of the steps that can be taken to avoid it. If you have back pain, keep reading for six simple solutions.

Move more

To avoid the stiffness that contributes to aches and pains, our bodies require adequate movement throughout the day to keep joints mobile and blood circulating through our muscles. This is especially true for the spine and back muscles.

If the weather is nice, don’t look for the closest parking spot to a store; don’t take the lift when one or two flights of stairs are available. Set a timer to get up every hour and be active for a few minutes if you need to sit for long periods of time.

More movement minutes add up to significant health benefits over time. According to research, actively moving for just 11 minutes a day increases your life span in addition to promoting back health. Consider starting a daily walk to get more movement into your day. Try this 10-minute bodyweight workout or this 5-minute yoga routine.

Switch sides

When we overuse our dominant side, we create muscle patterns of weakness and tension in our muscles, which increases pain and the likelihood of injury, particularly in our backs. Consider the actions you perform repeatedly throughout the day that shift your weight to one side: opening doors, carrying a bag, walking your dog while holding a lead, and so on.

As a mobility coach in professional sports, I’ve noticed that many of the athletes who were least prone to injury were ambidextrous in some way — for example, NHL or MLB players who play recreational golf left-handed but play their respective sports right-handed.

Because most people are not naturally ambidextrous, I design movement programmes for athletes that address and counter dominant-side repetitive patterns in order to restore alignment and reduce susceptibility to associated pain and injury.

You can use the same strategy in your daily life by switching sides when carrying items such as a computer bag or purse; occasionally using your opposite hand for basic activities such as opening doors; and not always sitting on the same side of the couch.

Correct imbalances

Just as you switch sides to balance your body, you should be aware of and correct imbalances in symmetrical movements. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, and other activities fall into this category. Our bodies are built to do these things in a balanced, alternating, and reciprocal pattern.

When we deviate from that symmetry by using one side more or keeping our weight shifted, we can overuse back muscles on one side of our bodies, causing spinal stress and increasing our risk of injury.

Stop sagging.

It may appear that the only way to avoid slumping is to catch yourself doing it and stop — but how you correct that slump is important.

To avoid slouching, don’t just squeeze your shoulders back; posture and breathing are inextricably linked, so as you sit upright, check in with your breathing, taking some long, deep breaths with lower rib movement to help drop your rib cage into a better position to support your posture and avoid unnecessary back pain.

Stay present

According to research, psychological stress is a known risk factor for back pain. Because most mental stress is caused by focusing on the past or the future, being actively mindful of the present moment reduces stress.

A few minutes of mindfulness practise per day can help to reduce the impact of stress. Furthermore, mindfulness practises such as meditation, tai chi, and qigong have all been shown to be effective in reducing back pain.

Breathing is our most profound connection to the present moment because it is always present. Taking “breathing breaks” throughout the day is a simple way to incorporate mindfulness into your routine. To get started, try the exercise in this video.

Be proactive

You take care of yourself every day by taking showers and brushing your teeth. If you suffer from back pain on a regular basis, you must approach your back’s health as a responsibility as well, developing a game plan of daily activities to practise for back health.

This should include some of the suggestions above, but because back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, you should learn more about the source of your pain to determine the best course of action for you. For example, if you have sciatica, you may find that some of the exercises in this video help you manage it better.

Don’t just chalk it up to a “bad” day if your back hurts at the end of the day. Ask yourself if you have done the activities that you know will help you avoid the stress and tension that is causing you discomfort. Keeping back pain at bay requires a proactive, day-to-day approach to cultivating a healthy body.

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