When your back hurts the last thing you want to do is aggravate it further. Here are five daily lifestyle habits not to do when you have back pain.
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As a person living with scoliosis, I can attest to having back pain of multiple varieties. I work a desk job 40+ hours a week and I’ve realized the toll it’s taken on my back. The following recommendations are particularly geared for those with desk jobs, the typical 9-5, or even those that travel by car or plane often.
Leaning Forward
Considering that bulging discs are often spinal flexion based, chances are, leaning forward too much, more than likely got you into this painful situation in the first place. Pay attention to which daily habits create situations where you end up leaning forward. When you are at work, when you cook, doing housework, tending the garden, at the dinner table, etc. If it’s an activity like gardening where you can’t avoid leaning forward, skip that chore for the day and take care of your back. For seated activities, find a lumbar pillow to support your back and lean back!
Sitting All Day
Sitting puts your body in a constant state of flexion. Flexion refers to the direction your spine is bending – forward. Extension is when your spine is bending backward.
The majority of our daily activity consists of forward bending, putting our spine in a state of flexion. Too much flexion is a common culprit of back pain due to bulging or slipped discs. There are many forms and factors to what could be causing the pain. Even still, avoiding those activities, which might have caused the pain in the first place, is a great first step to finding relief.
Performing The Same Daily Movements
Wake up, stand, sit, walk, stand, sit, sit, workout, sit, walk, sleep. Okay so that’s an exaggeration. But you get my point. If you’re in pain, that’s way too much forward bending! Where’s the counterbalance to all that flexion?
As I type this I’m literally alternating between warrior two and triangle standing poses to change things up. See below.
I know it looks silly, but it keeps my back in good health and feeling great. Not too mention burning a calorie or two vs. sitting.
Pro tip: You can do warrior 2 with a chair supporting underneath your front leg as a variation. This will help to build strength for the full standing version.
Normally when I type, I’m seated at my table, leaning forward slightly in a flexion posture and that often leads to a tense back. Same when I’m at work, or cooking, or sitting on the couch. The same spinal flexion over and over, even if slight, will add up over time.
Related: At Home Yoga For Back Pain
This brings me to the case for the stand-up desk. I have this one at work and it has changed my life! The key is to get one that fits you – tall people beware. Do not even consider buying it if it’s not tall enough – very very important!!! I used to have a stand-up desk that was too short for me and I never wanted to use it. Once I got a doctor’s note for the [tall enough] full-fledged fancy version… What a game changer. I use it all the time. I can certainly tell a difference in how much better my back and hips feel each day.
If all of this seems too vague for you, as a guiding principle, just think: How can I vary my posture and movement throughout the day to create more balance in the typical postures I’m in?
Poor Posture
Yes your mother was right all along. Sit up straight. Sitting is part of life, but sitting with poor posture doesn’t have to be. A lumbar support for all the places you sit most is your best bet to maintain proper posture without having to think about it.
Here are some of my favorites to use in the most common places of our daily lives.
Resorting To Medication
Masking the pain might feel good in the moment but what about long-term? Over the counter meds (or stronger) might help you for a few hours at a time but isn’t the goal to rectify the issue? Seeking treatment from a doctor or physical therapist, will more than likely give you some exercises to help with resolving the bigger issue at hand. Alongside that, I am a personal fan of acupuncture for dealing with pain of this nature. I’ve had great success with acupuncture as a form of natural pain relief for my back specifically. In fact, it was better than any other pain reliever I tried. With initial results providing relief, along with subsequent appointments together paired with yoga, fixed my back.
Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. This post is intended for educational, inspirational, or entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor, the content on this blog is not intended to be substituted for medical advice.
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