5 Ways to Break Your Bad Back Habits
Nearly 65 million Americans report a recent experience of back pain. Be it low, mid, or upper back pain, this type of discomfort is one of the most common complaints we hear about from our patients.
If you’ve ever experienced back pain, you know that it is absolutely no fun—no matter how severe. At All About Chiropractic, our comprehensive care plans, adjustments, and diverse therapies are highly effective at helping to manage or even eliminate back pain. We recommend regular adjustments to promote healthy spinal maintenance. But what about when you’re not in our office? Is there anything you can do to enhance the effectiveness of your adjustments and support your back in remaining free from pain?
The answer is a resounding yes! To keep your back strong and healthy, here are 5 ways to break your bad back habits for good and cultivate better habits that will keep you pain-free in the long run.
Move regularly. Prolonged sitting can be a big contributor to lower back pain. It can also compound upper back/shoulder tightness, especially if you’re sitting in front of a computer screen. Schedule regular breaks to move around, stretch, and lengthen out your spine. Aim to sit for no longer than 30 minutes before taking a 5-10 minute break.
Lift with your legs! Whether you’re lifting a bag of groceries out of your car, or something heavier like carrying a sofa from your living room to your basement, we cannot emphasize enough the value of lifting with your legs, NOT your back. To do this, always begin lifting from a squat position, drawing strength from your glutes and hamstrings rather than your lower back.
Hold your phone at eye level. “Text neck” can cause tightness in your neck that has a domino effect down your spine, causing pain in your mid and lower back as well. Transform your “text neck” with this easy hack: hold your phone at eye level when texting or scrolling social media. If you’re sitting in a chair, consider propping your phone up on a few pillows on your lap to keep it elevated at eye level. Positioning your phone this way will eliminate the need to tilt your head down, which will in turn help preserve the healthy natural curve in your neck!
Stand with weight evenly distributed between your feet. Lower back or hip pain can be caused by a sacro-iliac joint that is out of alignment. To maintain proper alignment of your hips and pelvis, avoid putting your weight primarily on one foot when standing. Instead, distribute your weight evenly between your feet and stand as “squared up” as possible.
Sleep on your side or your back. Sleeping on your stomach can pull your spine out of alignment and reduce stability in your lower back. To promote maintenance of healthy posture, sleep on your side or on your back instead. Wondering what pillow is best for your neck’s curve? Ask us about it at your next adjustment! We’re happy to provide recommendations based on your needs.
Implement these 5 simple strategies to break bad habits and form new, healthy ones that support your back health for a pain-free life!
