DAILY BACK CARE

Routines can be as simple as a walk and a few easy exercises!

Common Sources of Irritation for Backs:

Prolonged Sitting is the single most irritating posture for the back. Sitting triples the amount of force going through the discs in the low back. The forces of gravity accumulate at the base of the spine in the sitting posture, which is coincidentally the most common level for disc bulges and leads to symptoms of sciatic nerve pressures. How many hours per day do you sit?

Lifting or twisting motions including moving heavy objects, snow shoveling, vacuuming or raking are all among the activities that are very hard on your back.

Sit ups or crunches on a flat surface can actually increase the pressure on the discs by up to 7 times more than in a lying position.

Over prolonged periods, this can have a detrimental effect, especially if combined with a job where you sit for prolonged periods. As a healthy alternative, do sit ups while lying backward over a ball or use a plank exercise as a good alternative to sit ups.

How do I keep my back healthy?

Take a walk before starting your day at your desk or computer. These days many of us have home offices. We wake up, shower, and arrive at our desk without moving more than 100 feet. Movement helps to mobilize and lubricate our joints; it helps to keep us pliable. Movement doesn’t have to be aggressive exercise; a walk is one of the best general mobilizing exercises we can do.

Take a 20 minute walk before sitting down at your desk. Take breaks and a lunch to get up and walk or do a few stretches.

Stand up frequently and arch your back to reverse the constant flexion curve we create in a sitting posture which is unhealthy for our discs. Try sitting on a ball at your desk for periods of time.

Sitting on a ball with your feet close together forces our postural core muscles to engage in order to keep us sitting upright.

Sit up tall in your chair. Maintaining the natural curve in your back is important in order to reduce the pressures on the discs and nerve roots.

What to do if your back becomes painful:

If you find your back is painful at the end of a day try doing the following exercises followed by 20 minutes of ice. Ice is a very effective muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Repeat these exercises 5-10 times with a 5-10 second hold. You can do them several times per day.

 

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Daily Back Care