Best strategies for maintaining a healthy back

A healthy, pain-free back is to be celebrated. Unfortunately, back pain is one of the most common medical problems of people around the world with eight out of ten people who will experience a bout of back pain during their lifetime. Many people will simply tolerate the annoyance of the pain but eventually it can be disruptive to a person’s daily activities.

It is often not necessary to see a doctor for back pain as it will usually go away with or without treatment.  However any person who is experiencing numbness or tingling, if the pain is severe enough affecting walking and or doesn’t improve with medication or rest, a visit to the doctor is wise.  Other problems warranting a doctor’s visit that may be associated along with the back pain include trouble urinating, weakness, pain or numbness in the legs, a fever, or unintentional weight loss. 

Causes of back pain

The causes of back pain are usually the result of a medical condition and not a diagnosis itself.  This could include the following:

·      Mechanical problem such as disk degeneration, muscle tension or spasms or a ruptured or herniated disk.

·      An injury possibly from lifting or twisting improperly. Other causes could be osteoporosis or from a serious injury resulting from a fall or accident.

·      Acquired conditions and diseases such as scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis or various forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

·      Infections and tumors however which are rare causes of back pain.

How to keep your back healthy and pain free

One of the best ways to improve and maintain a normal, healthy back is with regular exercise. For those who do not practice consistent movement, most likely will experience some back pain.

·      Strengthen back muscles

In order to keep us upright and relieving pressure on the spine, our back muscles must be strong.  The stronger they are the more pressure that is reduced and the less pain you will feel.

The way to achieve strong back muscles is to do exercises targeting the muscles of the abdomen, shoulders and legs.  

·      Stretch back muscles

Keeping back muscles flexible is very important for a healthy, pain-free back.  A flexible back helps prevent becoming injured and provides a good range of motion for bending over or lifting something from the ground.

Practice stretching movements for the back by stretching the hamstrings and quadriceps in the thigh and the abductor and gluteus muscles in the hips and buttocks.

·      Improve posture by standing and sitting up straight

Good posture goes a long way in preventing back pain. This relieves stress on the back when you stand up straight.  Aligning your head with your hips and hips aligned with your feet is considered correct posture. 

Exercises that work the upper extremities help improve neck and upper back posture while core and leg exercises enhance lower back posture.

·      Avoid heavy lifting

If you do lift something heavy, lift correctly by bending your knees keeping your back straight.  This way your leg muscles do most of the work.

·      Lose weight if overweight

Carrying excess weight will only put a strain on your back resulting in pain.

·      Wear shoes that fit well

Your feet are your base of support whether you are walking or standing still, and everyone knows that a wider, flatter base is more stable than a narrow tilted one. Women who wear high heels often sacrifice back health for looking good. As a general rule, shoes should provide a wide toe box for the toes to spread. A heel no taller than an inch and a half is also recommended. Also, never shop for shoes early in the day.  Your feet swell later in the afternoon therefore proper fitting should occur after you have been on your feet for some time.

·      Use proper alignment when sleeping

Sleeping allows the body to rest and repair itself after a day’s activities. A minimum of 6-8 hours a day is best. How you sleep is also important. If you sleep on your side, a pillow in-between your legs can make a big difference in the morning. The pillow you use to rest your head on should be only be used to keep the head in alignment with the rest of the spine.  Too much fluffiness can cause long-term pain in your neck and therefore affect the rest of your back.