Preventing back pain is something that we do not usually attend to and that should change, since it has a powerful influence on our health in general. We offer you some simple tricks to minimize poor back posture and also low back pain. Indeed, with these tips that we propose, you will be able to acquire a correct posture and strengthen the muscles of your back.
Good postural hygiene
This means that your back must maintain an upright posture at almost all times of the day. It is very likely that, in your case, this is not happening and in the future, certain discomforts in your back have to do with it. You should know that back pain is extremely common. In a 2018 report from the Generalitat on back pain, a representative figure is indicated: in that year prescriptions for back pain have reached 109 million.
So here we compile some interesting and easy-to-apply tricks that aim to maintain a healthy posture, that is, the key to preventing back pain:
Diaphragmatic breathing
It is a simple breathing technique to learn and positive in many ways: you will keep the core area of your body activated and you will strengthen those muscles, among other benefits. Diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing is also excellent for promoting a state of emotional relaxation and releasing stress. It consists of inhaling and exhaling by displacing the diaphragm and pushing the internal organs towards the abdomen.
Stretch to prevent back pain
During the day it is very important to relax your back muscles by doing some stretching. Whether you work in an office, in a store, or if you study, you should spend a few minutes stretching your muscles. It is highly recommended that you take breaks trying to raise your back and neck. Also, expand the chest area by pulling back the neck and arms and staying like this for a few seconds. These stretches can be done in an office chair or standing up.
The importance of sitting well
From the chair at work to the sofa at home, sitting correctly is essential to prevent back pain. You should know that the spine has a natural curvature that you must maintain. It is important that you always sit with your back against the back of the chair and that you do not cross your legs. If your workplace is an office, you can get an idea of how many hours a day you spend with an unhealthy posture. In the same way, we spend long periods on the sofa, and here it is more difficult to maintain correct postural hygiene; the trick is to limit that time.
Control overweight to prevent back pain
Another basic trick is to avoid a deviation of your spine due to being overweight. When belly fat grows, your spine is forcing an unnatural forward position. It is the same posture that pregnant women adopt, happily and for obvious reasons. But a voluminous abdomen for a long time increases the risk of lumbar injuries since this forced posture crushes the intervertebral discs. If this is your case, this is one more reason to switch to a healthy diet.
Prevent back pain thanks to yoga
With yoga, you will learn to maintain that correct position without having to make any effort. Surely now you are imagining the iconic position of this oriental discipline… Well, you will easily practice this in class. There are also specific routines to take care of the cervical, dorsal, and lumbar area. Among others, it is the perfect activity to prevent back pain.
Perform exercises to strengthen the lower back
When a person doesn’t exercise their back muscles, they force their spine to overwork. This is why there is so much risk of injury to this part of your body. So now you know: to prevent back pain or injury you must strengthen those muscles. It is very safe that you are already doing some physical activity, fitness or other sports. We encourage you to incorporate exercise routines into this training to strengthen your back.