Back pain is a common complaint from almost everyone at some point. Practising bad habits in day to day life that we often ignore can lead to soreness and pain in the back. It can range from a steady ache to a sudden sharp pain in the lower or upper back area. Working long hours, staring at computer screens, lack of exercise, irregular eating habits, inactive regimen, poor posture and sleeplessness are some habits that lead to back pain.
According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), lower back pain is the top cause of job disability worldwide. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major grounds of back pain today.
Regular exercise like doing household work, yoga or even some light gymming can be greatly helpful in preventing and reducing back pain. "Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles. Maintaining and building muscle strength is particularly important for persons with skeletal irregularities," the NINDS mentioned on its website.
Identify the long ignored bad habits in your lifestyle and fix them to rid yourself of any back pain. Watch out for these simple routine things that are damaging your back.
- Cell Phone
Keeping the head hanging in a downward position while using your smartphone or laptop for hours on end can severely strain the neck muscles. It can gradually result in lower back pain. Regularly using these gadgets in the same sliding position will make your body used to it and it will eventually accept this hunched posture. It is important that you take frequent breaks from the screen by lifting your head and moving the neck muscles. - High Heels
For most women, high heels are irresistible. They often ignore the long term damage that heels come with. Barring the appearance, heels can cause serious long term damage to the feet and legs. When you wear heels, the body weight is not distributed evenly. Heels push the foot forward, out of the body's natural angle. Wearing the wrong kind of flat footwear too can cause damage. If your shoes are not stable, they will make the feet shift around creating pressure on the spine. Pick shoes that balance your feet and hold them steadily. Wear a variation of footwear throughout the day ranging from heels to flats to medium heels. This will effectively cut down chances of any harsh damage from wearing one type of footwear. - Sedentary Lifestyle
People with a sedentary job are more likely to suffer from back ailments as compared to others. Sitting arched in front of a computer screen all day in a chair without changing positions or regular breaks can weaken the spine. Lack of regular physical activity can eventually make your joints grow weaker by the day. Get out of the sitting posture and move around, take walks and stretch when at work. Stretching is crucial to keep the body flexible. Keep your body in a neutral position without straining the back too much. - Sneezing
A common but unknown cause of back pain is sneezing. Yes, sneezing can cause back pain because of the force it carries. When we are about to sneeze, naturally, we cover our mouth and turn away. "Spontaneously twisting to the side, combined with the force used by the chest muscles to sneeze, can wrench back muscles in a second," according to Janet Wakley, author of The Smart Guide to Back Care. To make it right, turn yourself just when you're about to sneeze so that you don't have to suddenly twist your back at the time of sneezing.
