Lower back pain has become a chronic disease in India these days. This disorder is now spreading among the youth as well as the elderly. Our spinal discs and back muscles are under a lot of stress due to extended working hours and sedentary lifestyle, which has underlined the need for us to take action and avoid any long-term problems. Children and adolescents who have persistent back pain can do so for a variety of reasons, including sports-related accidents, overuse injuries to flexible joints, and congenital spine problems.
Back pain can also be a sign of other, unrelated health problems, such as kidney problems, which can lead to lower back pain problems on either side of the spine. Back pain can sometimes be caused by tumors.
4 tips to help maintain spinal health and prevent back pain
1. Maintain good posture
People who work at their computer for long periods of time usually bend their knees too much which puts pressure on their back muscles, spine and neck and causes pain. Likewise, people who are on their mobile phones often sleep on their stomach with their neck arched upwards which can cause spinal cord injury. Hence, maintaining an upright posture in alignment with the neck and lower back and following a proper desktop monitor or laptop level can prevent damage to their spine.
2. Take a short break
Taking short and frequent breaks can help reduce work-related mental stress as well as the physical strain on our spine. Sitting in one position for long hours is uncomfortable and can aggravate back pain. Thus, movement is recommended when working for long periods of time as it can strengthen muscles and nerves.
3. Exercise
Our sedentary jobs weaken our trunk, core and lumbar muscles and spine and cause back pain. Exercises like partial crunches, bridges, hamstring stretches, knee to chest, cat stretches and shoulder and neck rolls can help restore fluidity to our muscles, joints and spinal discs and relieve pain.
Regular brisk walking is an easy and effective way to relieve back and spine pain. Walking and exercise can also help with weight loss, increase blood flow to the muscles of the spine, and increase the level of oxygen and nutrients in the blood that rejuvenate muscles and relieve pain.
4. Adopt a balanced diet
Avoiding fatty foods and drinking plenty of water can also help you avoid back and spine problems. Eating a low-fat, calcium- and protein-rich diet rich in essential minerals can help keep your weight under control and reduce overall stress on your spine.
Living in constant pain for long periods of time can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life for many patients. Even simple daily tasks can seem like a huge task when the pain becomes persistent even after months of conventional treatment.
(With IANS inputs)
