Back pain is extremely common and is a huge cause for a sick day when severe. It can really turn your day upside down in a matter of seconds when you get that sharp shooting pain down your back. Some days, you may just have a back that aches if you have sat or stood for too long. The lower back supports your upper body weight which means this is of course going to take its toll.
Some may find they have upper back pain if a woman has large breasts which promotes bad posture. There are many causes of back pain, such as ageing, arthritis or even a pulled muscle or slipped disk. Although it can be difficult to determine the cause of your back pain, there are many actions you can do to help to diminish the pain and prevent it from worsening. The trick to alleviating back pain is to relieve pressure and reduce strain. In this article, we will run through some top tips to lessen back pain.
Stop Slouching, Stand Up Straight
Good posture isn’t only a great way of making yourself look proper, but it actually has a purpose. Did you know that slouching does more damage to your back? You need to have a good posture because it protects all of the delicate pieces of your spine to keep them healthy and functioning as normal. Bad posture actually does more damage because it puts a lot of strain on your back which can in turn change the architecture of your back. This will also ensure that when you are old, you will also be facing the floor, so stand up straight and keep a good posture! When standing, to prevent you from slouching, avoid rounding your shoulders or bending sideways, your posture will improve over time.
Sleep With A Pillow Under Your Knees
It’s a little-known fact that when we sleep, we’re not actually sleeping with a neutral posture, your spine is not aligned so it puts pressure on certain parts. Sleeping on your back lays pressure on your spine, so a top tip to alleviate this pressure is to place a pillow under your knees. This elevates your legs to relieve some slight pressure on your back when sleeping. So by placing a pillow under your knees, it halves that pressure. If you sleep on your side, the same sort of thing, so instead of under your knees, place it between them. This helps to alleviate that same pressure.
Work That Core!
Exercise is great for the body in multiple ways and that’s no secret. Your core is what gives you that beautiful posture, if engaged. Regular strength training for your core muscles can improve your posture and reduce the risk of injuries such as strains. By incorporating back and abdominal workouts into your routine, your posture will gradually begin to straighten up and improve. You will also find that you become more flexible.
Stretch Those Muscles
Stretching also has a great way of relieving back pain and can also prevent back problems in the future. Due to your back extending in a rotary of different ways, it is essential that you do a multitude of stretches in a range of motions. Here are some stretches to relieve pain.
- Lay flat on the ground and pull your knees to your chest.
- Gently bend the head forward, and bring the chin toward the chest until a stretch is felt in the back of the neck.
- Lay on your stomach with your arm stretched straight ahead. Lift your chest and legs off the floor.
Improve Your Nutrition
You may have a varied diet, but you may not. But eating healthy has more than one benefit, paired with exercise it’s a one-way ticket to a better back. Strong bones can help prevent osteoporosis which is one of the main causes of back pain for older people, particularly for women. One way you can improve the strength of your bone is through calcium and vitamin D. Here are some rich sources of each.
Calcium: Milk, leafy greens, yoghurt
Vitamin D: Egg yolks, fatty fish, fortified cereals
Don’t Slump Over Your Desk
If you work in the office, chances are you’re not sitting up straight, in reality, you’re probably slouched over your desk. Now you have learned good posture standing up, now start to use the same posture techniques for sitting down, especially when you’re sitting at your desk. It’s essential to keep good posture and support throughout your day both sitting and standing, especially when you’re in the office most of the day. It helps to get a quality chair that actually looks after your posture and provides support for your lower back. When sitting, ensure your knees are slightly higher than the hips.
Quit Smoking
It’s no secret that smoking is harmful to your health, but did you know that smokers are also more prone to back pain than nonsmokers? The reason for this is that nicotine restricts blood flow to the spinal disks. Because there is a restriction of blood, this causes them to become dry and crack or rupture. It’s also no secret that smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood which in turn reduces the amount of nutrition in your muscles and tendons. When you lack nourishment, you become weak which makes your back more prone to back pain.
Lighten Your Lifting
Whether it be that manual job, exercise or just the odd lifting things out of the way, improper or heavy lifting is a common cause of back pain. This doesn’t have to be anything heavy, it could be as simple as a bulky laptop bag, a camera or even your food shopping can even strain your back causing pain. When possible, if the thing you are lifting has some weight, lighten the load on your shoulders by carrying less or distributing it to your hands or holding things on either side of you so the weight is balanced. If this isn’t possible, shift from each shoulder at intervals to give rest.
Consider A Breast Reduction
Often, if a woman has large breasts, this can cause back, neck and shoulder pain. This is because the weight puts pressure on your back muscles and disks which in turn alters the structure of your spine. This increases the risk of poor posture and back pain, especially if it encourages you to hunch forward. A breast reduction can help to relieve that pressure and reduce the risk of more severe back pain. Having a breast reduction Manchester based ensures that you have some of the best surgeons in the country.
Back pain can be a misery, but there are options out there, try these out and see how you get on. If your back pain persists, maybe it’s time to go to the doctor or for physiotherapy.