Avoiding Back Pain This Summer
It’s a disturbing estimate that somewhere between 60% and 90% of people will suffer some sort of back injury during their lifetime. It’s perhaps equally disturbing that many of these are somewhat preventable by simply making a few lifestyle changes and changes around the house. After all, it’s the summer time and you want to relax and enjoy the weather and the sun as much as possible; being trapped in bed because of pain is the last place you want to be (even if the A/C is your best friend at this point in the year!). So here I’ll being going over a couple of ways you can avoid back pain and keep your summer discomforts to sunburns.
1. Sleep Right!
It might sound silly, but getting the right sleeping position and making sure your bed offers enough support are important for proper spinal alignment and avoiding back pain. Essentially, what you need to know about a mattress is whether it is too soft to support you. Find yourself waking with a stiff back and some aches? Consider investing in a new one.
Another important thing to do is stretch when you wake. Moving blood back into the extremities and spine helps prevent injury. Stretching is always a good idea to prevent injury.
2. Good Desk Habits
You spend a good amount of your time at work, and if you sit at a desk all day, your lower back muscles can atrophy from the lack of use. That calls for a simple solution: ergonomics. If you sit properly, (knees at 90 degrees, feet on floor, spine supported, arms supported and monitor in normal field of vision) you can avoid stressing out your back.
It’s just as important to get up and move around occasionally - take a short break every hour or so to stretch and move your back a little. Lack of exercise and motion can be real problems, especially for an already vulnerable lower back.
3. Exercise & Stretch
It goes without saying that your back muscles need to be exercised for proper health. Undersized or underused muscles can only lead to problems. Moderate exercise 3-4 times a week can make a great difference to a happy back and spine. Be sure to add in some light weight training, too. Be sure and stretch, of course.
Between these three sections, we cover a good amount of the time you will spend each day. Take care of your body, and it will reward you with pain-free living. If you are in pain, give Living Well Medical in NYC a call today @ 212-645-8151.
- Dr. Shoshany, NYC Chiropractor
1. Sleep Right!
It might sound silly, but getting the right sleeping position and making sure your bed offers enough support are important for proper spinal alignment and avoiding back pain. Essentially, what you need to know about a mattress is whether it is too soft to support you. Find yourself waking with a stiff back and some aches? Consider investing in a new one.
Another important thing to do is stretch when you wake. Moving blood back into the extremities and spine helps prevent injury. Stretching is always a good idea to prevent injury.
2. Good Desk Habits
You spend a good amount of your time at work, and if you sit at a desk all day, your lower back muscles can atrophy from the lack of use. That calls for a simple solution: ergonomics. If you sit properly, (knees at 90 degrees, feet on floor, spine supported, arms supported and monitor in normal field of vision) you can avoid stressing out your back.
It’s just as important to get up and move around occasionally - take a short break every hour or so to stretch and move your back a little. Lack of exercise and motion can be real problems, especially for an already vulnerable lower back.
3. Exercise & Stretch
It goes without saying that your back muscles need to be exercised for proper health. Undersized or underused muscles can only lead to problems. Moderate exercise 3-4 times a week can make a great difference to a happy back and spine. Be sure to add in some light weight training, too. Be sure and stretch, of course.
Between these three sections, we cover a good amount of the time you will spend each day. Take care of your body, and it will reward you with pain-free living. If you are in pain, give Living Well Medical in NYC a call today @ 212-645-8151.
- Dr. Shoshany, NYC Chiropractor
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