Back Pain: Common Causes and Simple Remedies
Back pain can be a huge hindrance to your life, especially if it’s chronic. Chances are, you want to find remedies for your pain or get rid of it altogether. However, finding the cause of your back pain can be a bit difficult, since everyone’s body is different.
So what does cause back pain? Well, there are many reasons why you may experience back pain. However, there are a few common reasons why most people experience back pain.
#1: Poor Lifting Techniques
Let’s be honest, many of us have improper lifting techniques. However, improper bending and lifting cause back injury; plain and simple. So if you have a job that requires you to lift heavy things, then you definitely want to learn proper lifting techniques. Here are some overall tips when it comes to lifting:
- Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Don’t bend at your waist.
- Keep the object close to you. The farther away you hold it from your body, the more it stresses your back.
- Never hold an item higher than your armpit or lower than your knees.
- Don’t move something that weighs more than 20% of your body weight.
- Don’t pivot, twist, or turn while lifting. Point your feet at the item you’re lifting and face it as you pick it up. Change direction with your feet, not your waist.
#2: You Ignore Your Core
Your core is much more than just your abs. Your core is composed of much more: back, side, pelvic, and buttock muscles all work together, along with your abs, to allow you to bend, twist, rotate, and
stand upright. Your core supports all your movements, so it’s important that it’s strong.
With a strong core you will also be less likely to strain your back muscles and will have improved posture; both of which will help you to feel better if you have back pain and if you are not already in that category- hopefully you will be able to avoid it altogether!
#3: You Sit Too Much
You sit, and you sit, and you sit some more — at work while driving, and in front of the TV. Most of us are probably guilty of this, but our backs definitely don’t appreciate it. Spending so much time behind the wheel of a car or sitting in front of a computer adds mileage to our discs, which leads to stress in our back.
The discs in your spine are nourished by motion. So sitting still is hard on your back and neck, and can do long-term damage. Studies have also shown that sitting puts more pressure on your spine than lying down or standing up. So what’s the solution? Well, the best thing you can do is to get up and move around whenever you can. Whether that means simply stretching or standing at your desk, try your best to move!
#4: You Sleep On Your Stomach
The bedtime belly flop places pressure on joints and muscles, but sleeping on your side or back keeps your spine elongated and neutral. If you must snooze on your tummy, slide a thin pillow under your hips to alleviate pressure on discs, ligaments, and muscles. Regardless of your sleeping position, go with a medium/firm mattress and a pillow that keeps your head in line with your spine.
Researchers have found that people with chronic low-back pain who slept on medium/firm mattresses had fewer aches after three months than those who slept on firm beds. So basically, your bed should be not too hard (this wreaks havoc on hips and shoulders) and not too soft (this puts your back and joints out of whack).
The Takeaway: Back Pain Common Causes and Simple Remedies
Of course, these aren’t the only causes of back pain, but they are some of the most common ones. In most cases, you can make little changes in your daily life to help prevent back pain, like getting up and being active.
If you are interested in finding more remedies for back pain, I encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our trusted practitioners at SHIN Wellness. We offer many other holistic treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and spinal decompression. If you need some help figuring out what service is right for you, try our personalized consultation. Our Chiropractor office in Miami Florida specializes in restoring your health!
