Lower back pain can seemingly creep out of nowhere, no matter your age, job, and fitness. Instead of treating back pain once it arrives, why not prevent it altogether? Below, we’ve laid out our nine top daily habits to prevent lower back pain – check them out and add them to your routine today!
Ensure you have excellent workplace posture to prevent low back pain
If you’re like most people, the majority of your time is spent at work. So, it only makes sense having good workplace posture tops our list of daily habits to prevent lower back pain. If you’re sitting at a desk for a large portion of your workday, a few simple habits can make all the difference between a happy back and chronic back pain. These include:
- Choose a quality chair that provides good support for your lower back.
- Adjust your seat height so your hips are the same height or slightly higher than your knees.
- Ensure the middle of your monitor is at the same height or slightly lower than your eyes. You’ll be naturally encouraged not to slouch.
- Consider switching to a stand-up desk or yoga ball for part of the day.
- Get up and move around throughout the day.
Sleep with good posture to ensure a happy lower back
Considering people spend an average of 26 years of life sleeping, it only makes sense having good sleeping posture comes in second on this list. Sleep posture is also the hardest habit to adjust as often we’re not even aware that the way we sleep can cause lower back pain.
Sleeping on your back and or front is the biggest cause of lower back pain due to increased pressure being placed on your spine and causing your back, neck, and head to become unaligned over time.
Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees is the best position to reduce lower back pain. Sleeping in an unsupportive position over time can increase pressure on your spine and lead to muscular back pain.
Working your core prevents back pain
Think lower back pain is all about your posture? Think again. Incorporating core exercises into your daily routine is a must-do to prevent lower back pain. Your core supports your spine, and a weak core can result in your lower back muscles overcompensating, thus causing lower back pain.
You’re also much less likely to suffer from lower back injuries if your core muscles are strong, flexible, and have good mobility and endurance. Make it a daily habit to spend 10 minutes working on your core muscles, and you’re much less likely to suffer from lower back pain.
Don’t underestimate good shoes for eliminating back pain
Having quality and supportive shoes is key to preventing lower back pain. Make it a habit to wear athletic, comfortable, and supportive shoes when you’ll be on your feet for long periods, and save the fancy high heels for special occasions.
If you’re a runner, you should also track how many kilometres you’ve put into your shoes. On average, you shouldn’t put more than 500 to 750 kilometres into a pair of shoes. While it may feel expensive and unnecessary to get a new pair, you’ll save yourself plenty of money in the long run when you don’t have to pay for physiotherapy for your lower back pain.
Lighten your load to reduce the risk of a lower back injury
Do you tend to insist on carrying all your groceries into the house in one load? Chances are, that’s causing long term harm while only saving a few minutes of your time. It’s not just the groceries either. Carrying a heavy pack, holding infants always on one side of your body, and lugging around heavy objects improperly can all cause acute and chronic lower back pain.
Make it a habit to carry less weight than you know you can. Also, make it a habit always to pick up and carry things properly. Center weight on your body, use sturdy backpacks with good straps, and lift with your knees, not your back!
Focus on your diet for a healthy and happy lower back
A good diet can do wonders for lower back pain and your general well-being. Processed foods, especially fast food, are linked to inflammation, and if you’re already suffering from lower back pain, these foods will make it worse.
Try and incorporate foods high in calcium, vitamin D and neutral anti-inflammatories. Leafy greens, broccoli, berries, green tea, beans and nuts are great options. To add flavour, skip the butter, salt, and fatty sauces and instead consider using spices such as ginger, garlic, oregano and rosemary.
Think low-impact activity for low back health
In addition to eating healthy, making exercise a habit will do wonders to prevent lower back pain. Obesity is a very common cause of lower back pain and can cause excess stress on your lumbar spine.
In addition, low-impact exercise will increase blood flow to your back, allowing it to heal more efficiently and rid it of inflammation. Great exercises to add to your routine include biking, using an elliptical machine and walking.
Don’t forget to stretch to eliminate lower back pain
Yes – something as simple as ten minutes of stretching a day can prevent lower back pain. When you sit, stand, or lay in the same position for an extended period, your lower back will become strained and tense. Adding a few minutes of lower back stretches when you wake up, throughout the day, and before going to bed will relieve that strain and create more mobility in your back.
Consult a back pain professional
Even if you don’t suffer from lower back pain, enlisting the help of a back pain professional is a great habit to start at a young age. A consultation at Back Pain Auckland will answer your questions and set you on the path to preventing lower back pain. Book your consultation today!
With 18 years of back pain rehabilitation and prevention experience and many success stories, your back will feel amazing for years to come.
