Low back pain might not be a stranger to you.
Sadly, it can prevent us from enjoying the little things in life.
Does that mean you should succumb to the back pain monster?
Not at all.
You are unstoppable.
How to deal with lower back pain?
First, let’s discuss what causes lower back pain.
And then we will talk about some simple, effective ways to address back pain.
Ready?
Let’s begin.
Low Back Pain Causes and Solutions
Posture
This is perhaps one of the biggest causes of back pain.
We can define posture as the way you hold your body while standing, sitting, or performing different tasks.
Good posture equates to correct alignment of the vertebrae, aka, the spine.
Bad posture?
Just the opposite!
For most of us working a sedentary job (desk job), hunching forward has almost become a routine.
Solution
Start with being conscious of your posture.
The next time you bend forward working on your computer, make a conscious attempt to correct it.
Shoulder blade squeeze, upper-body stretch, and arm-across-chest stretch are some effective exercises to remedy incorrect posture.
Performing core exercises every day will strengthen your back and prevent lower back pain.
You can also invest in lower back pain relief products such as an Old Bones Therapy Back Brace.
A study by the UCLA School of Public Health aimed at understanding the effectiveness of back support devices in reducing low-back injuries.
They observed 36,000 employees at Home Depot stores in California who logged 101 million work hours from 1989 through 1994.
Home Depot made it mandatory for workers to wear belts in the early 1990s.
As a result, the rate of acute low back injuries fell from 30.6 per million hours before implementation to 20.2 per million hours.
Old Bones Therapy Back Therapy System
Prolonged sitting
A lot of us love watching Netflix or playing video games.
I get that.
However, these also require prolonged sitting.
The result?
Stress on the spine.
Solution
Every 20-30 minutes, get off the couch and walk a little.
Stretch your arms and back.
This will help improve blood circulation and thus avoid pressure on the low back.
Using ice or heat can also ease the pain, and reduce swelling.
Do not use it for more than 20 minutes at a time.
This will help prevent skin damage.
Smoking
Research shows that smoking interferes with our brain circuit associated with pain.
As a result, smokers are more prone to chronic back pain.
As per a study published in the journal Human Brain Mapping,
quitting smoking can reduce the risk of developing chronic back pain.
Solution
Duh! Quit smoking.
Health is the Greatest Wealth
We all have heard of this saying.
Right?
Recent research (meta-analysis) shows that overweight and obesity are risk factors for low back pain in both men and women.
In 2015, the American Journal of Epidemiology talked about data from 95 high-quality studies, suggesting that high BMI was directly related to lower back pain.
Old Bones Therapy Joint Care Formula
Solution
Try maintaining healthy body weight.
I know, easier said than done.
Start with controlling your diet, and exercising a few times a week.
Supplementation can help as well.
However, not all supplements are created equal.
Stay away from those that have a bunch of chemicals.
I understand, lower back pain could be annoying.
Don’t let it stop from enjoying your life.
I sincerely hope that understanding lower back pain causes will help you address it better.