Tips you can do for back pain prevention

1. Maintain Proper Posture

Good Posture is essential for good health.

• It helps us keep our bones and joints in the correct alignment so that our muscles are correctly utilized thereby decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could lead to degenerative arthritis and joint pain.
  
  
• It reduces the stress on your ligaments which minimizes the likelihood of injury.
  
  
• It allows the muscles to work more efficiently so that your body needs less energy to function thus reducing muscle fatigue.
  
  
• And it helps prevent muscle strain/pain and back pain.

• Standing- Bear your weight on the balls of your feet with knees slightly bent.  Your feet should be about shoulder width apart and your arms should hang naturally down your sides. Stand straight with your shoulders pulled back and tuck your stomach in. Keep your head level, not forward, backward, or to the side- your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders.  If you have to stand for long periods of time try shifting your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other. Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes when standing or walking.
  
  
• Sitting- Keep your feet on the floor or a footrest if they don’t reach the floor. Don’t cross your legs, your ankles should be in front of your knees. Maintain a small gap between the front of your seat and the back of you knees and your knees should be at or below hip level. Relax your shoulders and when possible keep your forearms parallel to the ground.  Make sure to adjust the backrest of your chair to support your back.  Shift positions if you have to sit for long periods of time.
  
  
• Sleeping- Find the right mattress for you, though a firm mattress is recommended sometimes a softer mattress may reduce your back pain. Sleep with a pillow, therapeutic pillows are available for people who have poor sleeping posture. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees or on your side with a pillow between your knees, never on your stomach.

 2. Maintain a Healthy Diet and Weight

A healthy diet is important to your overall health. Not only is it important to get the proper nutrients to maintain an effective immune system to ensure a healthy body it is also important to maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts an additional strain on your back leading to more avoidable pain.  Abdominal Fat or “Beer Belly” is a leading offender, putting pressure on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons causing lower back pain because you center of gravity shifts forward. Obesity is a leading cause of lower back pain. Eat sensibly and try to keep within 10 lbs. of your ideal weight. Your ideal weight should always be considered in terms of your height, overall body size, shape, and frame. Know your BMI (Body-Mass index), which measures your weight in proportion to your height and is one measurement used to determine your overall fitness.
 
A sensible life style includes getting the proper amount of sleep in order to obtain optimum energy levels to get through your day without fatigue.

The most important thing you can do to maintain a healthy back is to stay active and fit. Regular exercise helps prevent back pain by strengthening your abdominal and back muscles, and improving your flexibility. Walking, swimming, or bicycling top the list of low-risk activities for your back while providing the most benefits. Participating in any of these activities at least three times a week is a good strategy for you if you tend to have recurrent episodes of moderate low back pain. Always remember to warm up or stretch before any physical activity, such as gardening, spring cleaning, moving items and of course before exercising. Consult with your Doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you have health issues or pain. Your chiropractor can recommend appropriate exercises and fitness strategies to minimize your particular pain and to maintain your individual wellness plan.

 4. Proper Lifting

Avoid twisting while lifting at all times to avoid harming your spine. Use your legs, not your back or upper body, to lift an item.  If it is too heavy to lift, get someone to help you and if that’s not possible try pushing it.  It helps to hold heavy items as close to your body as possible. Do not bend over at the waist to pick up an item, rather bend your knees and lift with your legs or kneel on one leg with the other foot flat on the floor as close to the item as possible to pick up the item. Straining to reach for an item that is to high may not only hurt your mid-back and neck it can also lead to shoulder injury so always stand on a stool.