Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Back

While there are some back problems that can't be prevented, such as degenerative disk disease, there are also others that can be caused by bad posture, as well as doing things that put more stress on your back. Learn about ways you can prevent yourself from suffering avoidable back issues in this article.

Remove as much mental stress as possible

You want to begin by removing all the stressful situations you can. If you have taken on too much, then delegate some things out. If you have vacation time available from work, take a week off to recoup. Getting rid of the stress that you feel may have a surprising effect on how your back feels since many people experience tensing back muscles when they are under stress.

Drink a lot of water

Dehydration can affect many areas of your health, including your back. If you aren't properly hydrated, it can cause you to experience back pain and increase your chances of suffering a back injury, such as a herniated disk. This is why it's important for you to consume plenty of water throughout the day.

Don't bend with your back

When you bend to do something such as tying your shoes, picking something off the floor or even taking the dishes out of the dishwasher, you want to make sure you bend at the knees instead of bending over with your back. This will help to prevent back injuries and prevent you from misusing your back muscles in a way that puts added stress on them.

Sit and stand with correct posture

You should try to keep your spine straight to avoid the development of bad posture. Invest in a chair that makes it comfortable to sit straight without thinking about it. When you are standing, pay attention to your head and shoulders. Your head should be in a position that has you looking straight ahead instead of at the ground and your shoulders should be behind your ears, instead of rounded forward.

 Don't lift heavy items yourself

Always get someone to help you move heavy items or use a moving dolly. Otherwise, you can easily injure your back if you lose your footing and take on all the weight of the object in the wrong manner. Sometimes, even lifting something heavy can permanently injure your back even if you don't do anything wrong. If you are ever lifting anything and you feel a pop in your back that's followed by pain, you should see your doctor immediately to rule out a disc bulge.

See a chiropractor

A chiropractor can help you feel better by making sure your spine is properly aligned. They do this by physically manipulating your spine with their hands, as well as by using a special hand-held tool called an activator. This device is moved along your spine and makes a gentle clicking motion that helps realign the spine. You can go for chiropractic care both as a preventative measure and for relief when your back is hurting.

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