Mia
Unfortunately, a lot of people from all over the world are suffering from back pain at some point in their lives. Even though this is something that can be a bit uncomfortable and at times debilitating, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are dealing with a serious injury or disease.
Frequently, the most common cause is the risk factor that most of us deal with on a regular basis. Remember when you were little how either your parents or grandparents told you to keep your back straight?!
It’s because they knew how important it is for your back to have a good posture. Unfortunately, a lot of things have changed in the meantime, and since most of us are too busy with various tasks, we often forget about this rule. Today, we will provide you with some awesome suggestions that will help you keep your back healthy.
Things You Can Do To Maintain Back Health
Focus On Your Working Environment
This segment especially refers to those who are working from home. It comes with numerous benefits. You feel much more comfortable since you are working in a cozy atmosphere where you can relax and simply focus on your obligations.
Although that’s great, people often forget about their posture. Namely, they seem to forget that if they do not maintain the right posture, they are not going to be able to do all those household chores, such as cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, etc.
That’s why you should focus on adjusting to your surrounding environment. For example, the height of your desk must suit your height. This is extremely important if you want to make sure your back muscles are not stiff and your spine is straight.
Obtain A Good Mattress
A majority of people perceive the mattress as something irrelevant and simply do not give too much thought. The truth is, this type of attitude is extremely wrong. Namely, if you do not acquire a high-quality mattress, or you have one that is already worn out, it is going to impact your back.
Therefore, you should consider purchasing a new, better one. Mattress wizards at www.puffy.com/blogs/best-sleep/mattress-size-and-dimensions-guide suggest to first determine what size is most suitable for you. If you don’t get that right, you will make a wrong choice.
For the time being, probably the most popular size is the queen mattress, however, if you are still in college, maybe you should opt for a twin, or maybe twin XL. No matter what you choose, just make sure it’s of good quality, especially if you’re dealing with back pain.
Adding Other Habits That Can Improve Your Back
Exercise
It is widely known that exercising is beneficial in many ways and for various conditions. Sometimes people are not aware of how it can do a lot for our bodies, including our back. That’s precisely why you should incorporate some form of exercising into your daily routine.
It is going to help you maintain a good weight, enhance your flexibility and prevent all sorts of pain. Even if your schedule is too hectic, you can still take a few minutes of your time to exercise every day.
If that’s not an option, then at least three to four times per week should be dedicated to it. Besides your spine, your heart, muscles, lungs, and many other parts of your body are going to be thankful for it.
Lift Properly
Even those who are experienced when it comes to weightlifting can make a mistake and twist some parts of their body and hurt their back. This frequently happens if you do not employ the right form when lifting something.
If you want to do it properly, you should stand very close to that object and utilize your knees and legs, instead of your upper body or back. Another thing you can do is to bend your knees so that your arms are at the same height as the object you are lifting.
While you are exercising, you need to make sure to keep your back straight and your head down. Now, if the item you are lifting is very heavy, then you shouldn’t be lifting it all by yourself. Instead, seek help if you want your back to stay healthy.
Consume Calcium And Vitamin D
Generally speaking, all vitamins are healthy and beneficial in many ways. Now, if you want to focus on developing strong bones, then you should increase your doses of vitamin D and calcium.
Many people do not know that as we age, our supply of calcium drops a lot, hence, many health gurus suggest an increased intake of calcium, as well as foods that are packed with vitamins. If you are wondering how you can increase the amount of vitamin D, you can do it by either basking early in the morning or in the afternoon.
Furthermore, foods that are rich in calcium, such as leafy veggies, milk, and yogurt should also be consumed as frequently as possible. On the other hand, if vitamins are your priority, then increase the number of egg yolks, beef liver, fatty fish, and cheese.
Quit Smoking
No matter how much you want to deny it, smoking is almost never recommendable even if you’re the healthiest person in the universe. According to some reports, people who smoke are more prone to back pain than those who don’t.
Why is that? It’s because nicotine constrains blood flow to the disks of your spine. This leads to drying out, rupturing or cracking. Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that smoking also decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood.
What happens then? If this occurs, both, your muscles and tendons in the back are not going to receive enough nutritious things. All of this leads to unhealthy and very sensitive back which then becomes susceptible to various pulls and strains that cause back pain. That’s why if you’re currently smoking, you should consider decreasing the amounts of cigarettes you’re using or simply stop doing it.
It is easy to see based on the things written in this article that even small lifestyle changes can positively affect your back. It doesn’t mean that you should incorporate all of them, but one or two will make all the difference.
