Although certain spinal conditions are unavoidable — such as scoliosis, spinal fractures resulting from trauma, and spinal tumors — numerous conditions stem lifestyle choices. Back pain is one of them.
If you choose habits that support your back, literally and figuratively, you can ease or eliminate back pain — or even prevent it from starting in the first place.
Dr. Benjamin Cohen is not only a talented board-certified neurosurgeon who treats patients with many painful spinal conditions, but he’s also a compassionate provider invested in partnering with his patients.
Your spine is a workhorse. It keeps you upright and mobile. If you want to take great care of your spine and reduce your chances of encountering chronic back pain, be sure not to:
Extra pounds strain your spine, especially when they settle around your middle. Unfortunately, over 42% of American adults live with obesity, which puts them at risk for painful disc degeneration, sciatica, and lower back pain.
Excess weight also contributes to poor posture — another cause of back pain.
Losing weight through a sound diet and exercise plan, with assistance from your primary care provider if necessary, can go a long way toward reducing your risk for back pain.
This often goes hand in hand with being overweight because the less you move, the more likely the number on the scale is to climb.
Your body is designed to move, and staying sedentary weakens it. If your back and abdominal muscles are weak and rarely engaged, you're at greater risk for back pain.
Getting out and moving isn’t as hard as it may sound. Gardening, walking the dog, dancing, and even cleaning your house can all count as physical exercise.
Did you know there’s a right and a wrong way to lift heavy objects?
Remember these tips when lifting: Get close to what you’re lifting, keep your back straight rather than bending at the waist, don’t twist, tighten those stomach muscles, and take advantage of the strength of your legs.
Sometimes work or a sport you love playing requires that you make repetitive movements, which lead to everything from back strain to osteoarthritis in your back — and don’t think you’re immune to this problem if you're neither a jock nor a construction worker. Those who work in offices and sit hunched over a computer and keyboarding all day also suffer from back pain.
Look at how you can mitigate these problems, whether standing up and walking around periodically at the office or investing in an ergonomic office chair.
On the field or court, you can wear the right protective clothing and padding (especially important with high-contact sports) and rest after you work out to relieve back pain.
Another cause of back pain many people aren’t aware of is tight hamstrings. Make sure you properly stretch after working out to relieve this and prevent lower back pain and problems like sciatica.
You face multiple daily stressors, from family demands to work pressure and more. It may surprise you that back pain and stress are connected, but they indeed are. Taming stress is key to lowering your potential for back pain.
Stress can tense your back muscles, which in turn causes pain and stiffness. If you don’t manage your stress effectively and it becomes chronic, it can even cause systemic inflammation—the source of many health problems, including back pain.
When you’re particularly stressed, you may experience reduced blood flow to your muscles, which can be painful.
Research even shows that stress can make you more sensitive to pain.
To better manage stress, do some things we’ve already discussed in this post, like eating well and exercising, getting sufficient high-quality rest, and building connections with friends and family. Adopting a mindfulness technique like meditation and deep breathing are also stress busters.
Whether you need a lifestyle overhaul or just need to tweak a few things, doing so will also help you have a healthier back and better movement.
Make an appointment with Dr. Cohen by calling our Garden City office at 516-246-5008 to have your back pain treated and learn more, or contact us through our website.
