Healthy Back Tips

  1. Exercise regularly - This does not have to be anything overly strenuous. Something as simple as a daily walk can make a huge difference. 
  2. Eat a healthy diet - Proper nutrients allow the body to repair itself easier. Eating foods that are not processed or chemically altered will help your body heal and maintain proper nutrition. 
  3. Maintain good posture - Are you sitting up straight as you read this? 
  4. Stretch your spine before and after sports - This will also help to loosen up the surrounding muscles. 
  5. Don't overload your backpack or purse - Remember to carry it over both shoulders to balance the load (if possible). 
  6. Stretch your legs and back after each hour of sitting - Whether in a car or at a desk, stretching regularly will help to keep you from tightening up or injuring yourself further. 
  7. Never cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder
  8. Sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach - This helps to keep your spine in line and reduces the risk of hurting your neck while you sleep. 
  9. Invest in a good chair, pillow and mattress - When you think about the amount of time you use these things each day, it's worth it. 
  10. Have regular spinal check-ups - It's much easier to prevent a problem than to correct one.

 

The Do's and Do Not's of Bending and Lifting

      Do Not

  • Don't lift things when your feet are too close together. If your feet are closer than shoulder width you'll have poor leverage, you'll be unstable, and you'll have a tendency to round your back. 
  • Don't lift with your knees and hips straight and your lower back rounded. This is the most common and stressful bad lifting move. Twisting the trunk during this bad move compounds the problem. 
  • Don't tense and arch the neck when lifting. This crams your neck joints together and causes pain especially if maintained for a long period of time. 
  • Don't lift and/or carry an unbalanced load. 
  • Don't lift and bend too much in a short period of time. 
  • Don't lift objects that are too heavy for you. 
  • Don't lift heavy objects directly following a sustained period of sitting, especially if you have been slouching. 
  • Don't lift things overhead with your neck and back arched, if possible.

      Do

  • Do place your feet and knees at least shoulder width apart or front to back in a wide-step position. This will help you bend at the hips, keeping your back relatively straight and stress free. 
  • Do lean over or squat with the chest and buttocks sticking out. If you do this correctly, your back will be flat and your neck will balance in a relaxed neutral position.  
  • Do take weight off one or both arms if possible. When you squat down or push back up, use your hand or elbow as support on your thigh or any available structure. This takes some of the compression and strain off of the lower back. 
  • Do balance your load on either side if possible, or switch sides so that both sides are equally stressed. 
  • Do level the pelvis or tuck in your buttocks and suck in your abdomen, when reaching or lifting overhead. Keep your chest up and use a step stool to keep the low back and neck in neutral alignment. 
  • Do walk around and use backward-bending and/or stomach-lying positions before or after bending or heavy lifting, especially if you've been sitting for a while.