Back pain is one thing most likely to elicit a twinge of
sympathy from the hardest of hearts. It is estimated that every
person in the world will suffer from it in his/her lifetime -
mild to serious, chronic or temporary.
You could get an attack at any point along the spine, especially
the lower back area which takes on the maximum weight and
stress. Most common causes: strain or bruising of muscles;
sprain or injury to ligaments; and spasms when the injured
muscle knots up as part of the body's attempt to immobilize it
to prevent further injury. Other causes include osteoporosis,
arthritis, a slipped disc, or even excessive gas, besides more
serious causes like tumors, diabetes or kidney malfunctions that
emerge in a doctor's clinic.
Blame it on your Lifestyle
An important factor and one that is entirely in you hands, is
lifestyle. For instance, improper postures while sitting and
sleeping, and carelessness during walking, stretching or
playing, especially when you are overweight, are few common
causes. Grand illusions of being a Hercules incarnate and
lifting heavy weights or improperly hefting them around are
other frequent errors.
Bad posture is the biggest culprit. Desk jobs mean sitting for
hours before computers where we unconsciously slump into odd
positions. Or twist our backs frequently while trying to reach
for something behind or beside us, or stretch forward too far;
too fast. We also unconsciously slip into awkward positions
while reading or watching TV sprawled on the bed or sofa.
Sit up
Chairs with gaps at the lower back level are deadly - avoid
them. And if you think you are invulnerable because you have
that perfectly 'ergonomically' designed chair; know this - most
people unconsciously lean forward in such a way that their lower
back moves away from the chair base and thus remains unsupported.
Get up and Walk around
Sitting anywhere, anyhow, for long periods means that dangerous
pressure points develop along the back. The load on you back is
the highest when you are sitting, less while standing and least
when you are sleeping.
The golden rule is to get up and walk around every 15-20
minutes. When on a long drive, get out of the car, walk around,
stretch you limbs after every two hours. While driving, the back
of the car seat should not recline beyond 30 degrees and ideally
the seat bottom should be tilted up slightly in front.
It's not a high
Avoid regular use of high heels - they hamper good posture, ruin
you body's alignment and hurt the back, feet and neck. Our feet
are designed to bear the entire weight of the body evenly across
their surface. However, the feet and legs are placed in and
unnatural position when you wear heels. Most of the pressure is
transferred to the front of the foot.
Stressed Out
The modern-day stress epidemic is another factor since back pain
can be psychosomatic. Stress/emotional problems both cause back
pain and aggravate any existing pain. Yoga and meditation
sessions are effective in such cases.
Weak stomach muscles heighten back strain and cause you pelvis
to twist abnormally. Regular and proper exercise help
tremendously since it keeps joints mobile, muscles conditioned
and, more importantly, raises your pain threshold.
Don't over Exercise
Doctors receive many back-pain patients who are victims of
improperly-trained gym instructors or half-baked yoga teachers.
Suddenly launching into heavy, unaccustomed activity is a sure
recipe for disaster.
About the author:
Lucy Nicholas also writes on
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