Blog for Roger Smith
Protecting your back
You might be your back’s worst enemy.
You know how important it is to protect your health, and your spine is no exception. There are five bad habits people have that cause more harm than good to the lumbar region.
1. Don’t twist when you lift.
It’s a common mistake. Most people aren’t necessarily thinking about their body mechanics when they lift a heavy object. After all, you’ve got a box to move or a two-year old to pick up. What most people don’t realize is that this type of movement can be very damaging to your back. Here are some tips to lift correctly:
-Get as close to what you’re picking up as you can
-Bend your knees and grasp object firmly
-Lift straight up without twisting in one fluid motion
-Hold the object as close to your body as possible
-Bend your knees when lowering
Not so perfect posture.
Slouched shoulders, head down, knees locked. All of these behaviors can put an enormous amount of stress on the spine. Keeping your body aligned and in balance helps avoid pain and stress associated with bad posture. Be sure to check your posture throughout the day and pull those shoulders back. Before you know it you’ll have less pain, and you’ll be sitting pretty in no time.
Shed the weight, and you’ll most likely shed the pain.
Our hearts and lungs don’t just pay the price when you’re overweight. Our spines do, too. It’s important to exercise regularly and lose any excess weight so as not to put unnecessary strain on your backbone. Research shows that those who live a sedentary lifestyle suffer more back injuries and pain. So get out and get moving for a healthy spine and a healthy life.
Ignoring the pain won’t make it go away.
When you have a nagging pain in your lower back you can spend weeks and months hoping it will just go away. But if your pain is persistent, it’s imperative to see a spine specialist to rule out any disabling injuries. If left untreated, you might not be able to ignore the consequences later on.
Break a habit, lessen the pain.
Smoking is known to cause a host of health problems. One problem that might not be as apparent or receive as much press is how smoking affects the spine. Nicotine blocks the transport of oxygen, an important nutrient in spinal column health. Without an adequate supply of oxygen, discs are less able to repair themselves leading to disc collapse at a much earlier age. If surgery is required, smokers heal much slower and sometimes fail to heal at all.
The information on this site is purely informational and may not pertain to your specific ailment. It should not be taken in lieu of a doctor's advice!
