Across the globe, back pain is a common complaint amongst people. Besides being painful, this condition can also affect the other aspects of your life as it prevents you from enjoying things or accomplishing easy everyday tasks. However, back pain can be prevented by making simple lifestyle changes to take good care of your spine. Taking care of the spine is about practising proper body posture while sitting, sleeping, walking, or performing daily activities. The daily habits that you follow play an important role in developing back pain. Following a few simple things like the below can help take care of the back:
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Spine Support While Sitting
Sitting puts more stress on the spine and the discs as compared to standing. Prolonged sitting may lead to bad posture and slouching forward to view the desktop can also lead to back pain. Here are some tips to know how to reduce back pain while sitting:
- Keep the knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the ground. To maintain this posture, you may need an ergonomic chair so that the seat's height can be adjusted and the hips are in the same line as your knees. You can also use a footrest if you don’t have an ergonomic chair. That reduces stress on the spine.
- The chair you use for sitting should support the spine's natural curve. If the chair does not have lumbar support, use a cushion or a rolled towel between the chair and your back. Ensure that you sit with your back to the chair so that the spine is cushioned and supported.
- When sitting on a chair, make sure that you sit straight. If you work with a computer, adjust the height of the monitor so that it is at eye level when looking ahead.
- If you are sitting for a long time, take breaks and stretch yourself. Use a standing desk to relieve back pain or alternatives to traditional office chairs.
Always sit with a proper posture and move around whenever possible, if not every 30 minutes or so.
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Rest Your Spine While Sleeping
When you lie down on your favourite mattress, all the parts of the spine that have worked all day get an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate. But the support for the spine can be had only when the mattress and pillow you have offers it. A few tips to consider when sleeping are:
- Use a mattress that offers the right support to your neck, back, and lower body. Medium-firm or firm mattresses provide proper support to the spine when compared to soft mattresses as they sink in due to the weight. Choose a mattress that offers the best support and comfort for the body type and sleeping position.
- Ensure that the spine maintains the natural alignment while sleeping. A good orthopedic mattress such as our signature doctor recommended Duropedic range with a 5 zoned support layer, provides a customised support to each part of your body irrespective of your sleeping position, maintaining the natural alignment of your spine as you sleep comfortably.
- Getting good quality sleep is essential to overall health. The body needs proper sleep to repair itself. Also, while sleeping as much as possible, avoid sleeping on your stomach. Tummy sleeping puts pressure on the spine and thus increases the chances of pain in the back and neck. Another reason to sleep on the sides is that it helps you get a good night’s rest and prevents sleep apnea symptoms.
If you have back issues, invest in a good Orthopedic Mattress like Duropedic Mattress. These mattresses cradle the body, provide spinal support, correct posture and offer a rejuvenating sleeping experience. Additionally, these mattresses are recommended by experts and doctors.
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Exercise The Core To Strengthen The Back Muscles
The major question for those who have chronic back pain is how to get relief from back pain? The answer is core strengthening. The core muscles in the abdomen and lower back have to be strong to support the spine. But for most people, the core is not used enough during daily activities. So these need to be targeted and strengthened through regular workouts. If you have back pain and are unable to do exercises, try yoga with a qualified trainer who can guide you with specific back pain exercises to reduce it and slowly gain strength.
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Wear Proper Shoes
The shoes you wear play a major role in supporting your back, whether you are exercising or simply walking to a grocery store. A good supportive shoe ensures that the spine's natural curvature is maintained. Also, wear shoes that snugly fit the heel and are not tight. The height of the sole should be such that it does not cause back pain.
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Be Active
There is an increase in the chances of experiencing lower back pain if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. So ensure that you remain active and keep your body moving so that it helps to maintain the spine healthy. Also, do some stretching and strengthening exercises for the back and neck to keep the spine healthy.
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Maintain a Healthy Weight
Diet, exercise, and good sleep are important to maintain a healthy weight. Sudden weight gain around the torso can cause stress on the lower back. So ensure that you don’t carry excess weight.
The above are some of the most simple ways to avoid back pain and support the spine. Even when you are in pain making small changes can do wonders and get you back to good shape.