5 Bad Habits that Could Hurt Your Back
Bad habits that can lead to back and neck pain are:
Habit #1: Poor Posture.
If you spend hours a day sitting at a computer or slouching in front of the TV, chances are excellent that you’ve developed poor posture. Poor posture bends the spine out of its natural alignment, which can contribute to disc pain, sciatica, and other problems.
When sitting, always keep your back straight, your head level, and your shoulders back, down, and relaxed. Keep your feet slightly apart, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. If possible, engage an expert in ergonomics to determine how to maintain better posture while sitting.
Habit #2: Improper Lifting Technique.
Bad habits while lifting are extremely common. Because of the extra strain lifting a heavy object puts on your joints, muscles, and spine, body mechanics while lifting are extremely important. A small error can cause an injury.
Some common lifting tips include – Never bend from the waist when lifting; instead, bend from the knees and use your legs to support the weight of the object being lifted. Make sure you’ve got a good grip on the object, and hold it close to your body. Most importantly, never twist while lifting. Always lift in a fluid, straight up-and-down movement.
Habit #3: Lack of Exercise.
Leading an active lifestyle is important for people of all ages. It is especially important for people who suffer from back conditions like bone spurs, arthritis of the spine, and bulging discs, because a lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, muscle stiffness, and other factors that contribute to back or neck pain.
An ideal exercise routine is about 30 minutes of activity, 3-5 times a week. Try to choose an activity you enjoy; if you like what you’re doing, chances are that it’ll be easier to stick to. Remember that exercising doesn’t have to mean slogging it out on the treadmill. If the gym bores you or makes you anxious, try yoga or Pilates, martial arts, dance classes, or other alternate forms of exercise.
Habit #4: Drinking and Smoking.
Although these are two separate habits, they both can contribute to back pain. It is not understood exactly why drinking and smoking seem to increase back pain, there does seem to be a strong the correlation.
It’s best to limit drinking, and to quit smoking altogether. Your doctor will be able to recommend resources to help you eliminate these bad habits from your life.
Habit #5: Avoiding the Doctor.
People have all sorts of reasons visits to the doctor. Some have trouble fitting a doctor’s visit into their busy schedules. Others are fearful of bad news, or of receiving a lecture about their poor habits.
Understandable as these reasons may be, there is no good reason to avoid regular check-ups or to refuse medical help for specific problems. Back pain in particular should never go ignored; if your back hurts, visit your doctor before the condition gets worse.
Habit #1: Poor Posture.
If you spend hours a day sitting at a computer or slouching in front of the TV, chances are excellent that you’ve developed poor posture. Poor posture bends the spine out of its natural alignment, which can contribute to disc pain, sciatica, and other problems.
When sitting, always keep your back straight, your head level, and your shoulders back, down, and relaxed. Keep your feet slightly apart, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. If possible, engage an expert in ergonomics to determine how to maintain better posture while sitting.
Habit #2: Improper Lifting Technique.
Bad habits while lifting are extremely common. Because of the extra strain lifting a heavy object puts on your joints, muscles, and spine, body mechanics while lifting are extremely important. A small error can cause an injury.
Some common lifting tips include – Never bend from the waist when lifting; instead, bend from the knees and use your legs to support the weight of the object being lifted. Make sure you’ve got a good grip on the object, and hold it close to your body. Most importantly, never twist while lifting. Always lift in a fluid, straight up-and-down movement.
Habit #3: Lack of Exercise.
Leading an active lifestyle is important for people of all ages. It is especially important for people who suffer from back conditions like bone spurs, arthritis of the spine, and bulging discs, because a lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, muscle stiffness, and other factors that contribute to back or neck pain.
An ideal exercise routine is about 30 minutes of activity, 3-5 times a week. Try to choose an activity you enjoy; if you like what you’re doing, chances are that it’ll be easier to stick to. Remember that exercising doesn’t have to mean slogging it out on the treadmill. If the gym bores you or makes you anxious, try yoga or Pilates, martial arts, dance classes, or other alternate forms of exercise.
Habit #4: Drinking and Smoking.
Although these are two separate habits, they both can contribute to back pain. It is not understood exactly why drinking and smoking seem to increase back pain, there does seem to be a strong the correlation.
It’s best to limit drinking, and to quit smoking altogether. Your doctor will be able to recommend resources to help you eliminate these bad habits from your life.
Habit #5: Avoiding the Doctor.
People have all sorts of reasons visits to the doctor. Some have trouble fitting a doctor’s visit into their busy schedules. Others are fearful of bad news, or of receiving a lecture about their poor habits.
Understandable as these reasons may be, there is no good reason to avoid regular check-ups or to refuse medical help for specific problems. Back pain in particular should never go ignored; if your back hurts, visit your doctor before the condition gets worse.
Source: .laserspineinstitute.com
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