Back pain can range from a mild nuisance to a debilitating condition. If you’re currently experiencing any form of back pain, you understand how it can negatively impact every aspect of your life. Not only is it physically agonising, but it can also affect your emotional wellbeing, leaving you feeling tired, irritable or even depressed. However, there are practical tips you can follow to ease your back pain and prevent its recurrence.
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Stay active
Studies show that remaining physically active can significantly reduce pain, strengthen your muscles, and speed up the healing process. For minor back pain, getting back into the swing of things as soon as possible is crucial. Start with low-impact exercises like walking or swimming. Once your pain is more manageable, gradually introduce a regular exercise routine. Focus on gradually building your core strength, as it plays a pivotal role in supporting your back.
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Be mindful of your posture
With technology dominating our lives, maintaining proper posture has become increasingly challenging. Nonetheless, being mindful of your posture, particularly the alignment of your head, neck, and shoulders, is vital in preventing back pain. The next time you catch yourself hunched over your phone or slouched in front of your computer, make a conscious effort to correct your posture.
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Focus on a healthy diet and weight
Maintaining a healthy diet and weight is really important, especially if you’re experiencing back pain. Excess weight puts added strain on your back, increasing the risk of pain, joint issues, and muscle strains. Pay particular attention to weight around your stomach, as it can pull your pelvis forward and further strain your back. Additionally, consuming a diet rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D promotes new bone growth and vitality.
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Create a daily routine of exercise
Incorporating stretching exercises into your daily routine can provide significant relief from chronic back pain. Stretching the soft tissues in your back, legs, buttocks, and around the spine is beneficial for everyone, but particularly important if you are experiencing ongoing back pain. Consider stretching in the morning or before bed, or even attending a weekly yoga, Pilates or stretch class.
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Strengthen your core
Strengthening your core is essential for supporting your spine. As we age, the back and abdominal muscles that support our spines tend to weaken unless we focus on exercising them. Strong back and abdominal muscles can help alleviate various types of back pain, especially pain caused by soft tissue injury or muscle strain. Make sure to incorporate back and abdominal exercises into your exercise routine to strengthen your core.
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Engage in correct lifting and twisting techniques
Lifting heavy objects, twisting, sudden movements and falls are common causes of back pain. Sports-related injuries, particularly those involving twisting or sudden impacts, can also contribute to back pain. To prevent such issues, always use proper lifting and twisting techniques, engaging your core for support during sports or any activity involving lifting or twisting.
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Your sleep health
Your sleep position and mattress quality play a crucial role in how you wake up feeling and whether or not you experience pain. Being mindful of your sleep position and investing in a supportive mattress can aid in the restoration of your back muscles, bones, ligaments, and discs during the important hours of sleep.
Having a good quality mattress or mattress topper can help if you suffer from back pain so make sure that you review your mattress regularly to ensure that it is not a contributing factor to your back problems.
Photo by Morgan Petroski on Unsplash
