3 Simple Tips To Take Care Of Your Back
25% of adults in America report lower back pain. Given the prevalence of lower back pain, it's important to learn different ways to prevent it. Below are three tips to help care for your back.
Don't Lift Immediately after Bending
When engaging in tasks that force you to bend for extended durations like weeding a garden, minor changes occur in your discs. As you bend, your spine's stability reduces. Thus, bending exposes your spine to a higher risk of injury when you exert sudden stress like lifting.
For example, after gardening for hours, if you abruptly lift a heavy bag of soil, the stress can be disastrous and cause pain. You can avoid lower back pain by standing upright slowly and remaining upright for several minutes. Standing for a while before lifting allows your spinal tissues to recover and fully reshape after bending for too long.
Engage in Exercises That Strengthen Your Core
One easy and effective way to take care of your back is exercising. Core strengthening exercises help stabilize your back by building strong muscles that provide the needed support.
Some of the exercises you can engage in are low-impact cardio, like brisk walking. Although it's a mild exercise, walking helps increase blood flow and stretch muscles. As more blood flows through your spine, your spine gets well hydrated and healthy due to the healing nutrients in the blood.
You can also try water therapy since it offers an increased range of motion. Alternatively, you can engage in exercise ball workouts. If you are new to exercise, you can seek the services of a physical therapist or chiropractor to help kick start your exercise journey. A health practitioner can also offer guidance to help you exercise safely.
Lift Carefully
One of the major causes of lower back pain is poor lifting. Depending on your everyday schedule, you could be subconsciously engaging in a lot of lifting, like unloading shopping bags or picking up things from your garage. When lifting, you need to be careful about your posture. When you lift something with a bent or twisted back, you could incur an injury.
To avoid sustaining injuries, you should begin by bending your knees when you lift. Ensure your hips and feet are pivoted, and then hold the object you are lifting close to your chest and ensure your spine remains straight. Lifting is an inevitable everyday activity. Therefore, you need to do it correctly to avoid sustaining injury.
Get Chiropractic Help for Your Lower Back Pain
Are you already dealing with lower back pain that won't go away? Get in touch with a chiropractor today at a place like Accident & Injury Center and book your consultation to begin your treatment immediately!