5 Tips to Protect Your Back This Year

5 Tips to Protect Your Back This Year

As the foundation of your entire body, good back health is essential to living a life that’s fully mobile and free from pain. 

If that sounds like something you’d like to achieve, Sachida Manocha, MD, and the team here at Interventional Pain Center want to help. To navigate this next year and beyond with a healthy and strong back, here are a few tips that can go a long way toward protecting this all-important structure.

1. Get to the core of the matter

While your spine may be the foundation of your back, it needs a lot of support, especially from your core muscles. When we refer to core muscles, we’re referring to these muscle groups:

  • Your erector spinae: A back muscle that helps with movement
  • Rectus abdominis: The muscle that’s commonly referred to as the six-pack
  • External and internal obliques: The muscles on either side of your abdomen
  • Transverse abdominis: The muscle that stabilizes your trunk and pelvis
  • Multifidus: The muscle that provides support for your spine

It’s important to understand these muscle groups so that you strengthen them through targeted exercises. By beefing up the support muscles in your back, you can avoid a host of painful back problems, such as back strains, arthritis, and herniated discs. For some exercises you can try to work out these muscles, click this link

2. Get up and move

Human bodies aren’t built to be as sedentary as we’ve become, and the excessive amount of time that you may be in a sitting position can be very bad for the health of your back. In fact, sitting places more pressure on your spine than standing.

If you’re in a situation in which sitting for long periods is unavoidable, set your timer to remind you every hour that you should get up and move and stretch. Touch your toes, walk around the block — whatever you do, just make sure you allow your back to stretch out, flex, and move.

3. Sit correctly

Since we’re on the subject of sitting, when you’re in your chair, you should pay attention to posture. When you’re sitting, you should:

  • Place both feet flat on the floor
  • Place your lower back up against the back of the chair
  • Roll your shoulders back a little
  • Keep your head up

A great way to figure out good sitting posture is to sit in your chair and arch your back. Now release that arch by about 10-15%, which will bring you to the best position for your spine.

4. Use your legs

You’ve probably heard this one before, but we want to reiterate it here: Don’t bend over from the waist to pick up heavy objects. The pressure this places on your back can quickly lead to a muscle strain or back spasm. Instead, bend at your knees and get your leg muscles in on the effort.

5. Mind your back in the morning

As you sleep, the pressure in your intervertebral discs rises by up to 240%, because your discs become fully hydrated. This means that, when you get up, your discs are more vulnerable to rupture or herniation. To avoid this painful problem, try to keep your back straight for at least an hour in the morning and avoid any activity that may be too strenuous for your back. For example, if you lift weights, try to put it off until the afternoon or evening.

There are many other steps you can take to protect your back, and we’re happy to share them with you. We also want to note that if, despite your best efforts, you do develop back pain, we offer a wide range of solutions that can help you move again without discomfort.

For more information about back pain and prevention techniques, book an appointment online or over the phone with Interventional Pain Center today. We have locations in Worthington and Newark, Ohio.

Ready to Improve Your Quality of Life?

To learn more about pain treatment at Interventional Pain Center, and find your own customized treatment plan, book a visit with Dr. Manocha online or by phone.