Modern living can be rough on your back. We push it to its limits in the gym, sit for eight hours, fight our way through traffic, then fall asleep watching TV. It’s a busy lifestyle that often requires us to do too little or over extend our backs. To keep your back healthy, incorporate some lifestyle modifications listed below:
1-Stand if you can: Forget expensive ergonomic chairs. And don’t sit on an exercise ball for long periods — it may make back problems worse. Replace your desk with a standing version as it increases physical activity and reduces pain.
2-Sit better: If you must sit, place a lumbar pad or a rolled-up towel horizontally behind your lower back to keep it in its naturally arched position. And even then, get up often — at least every 15 to 20 minutes, for at least a minute at a time.
3-Lift safely: When you’re lifting something heavy, lift with your legs and don’t round your back forward. Instead, bend your knees, flatten your back, and push your hips back behind you. You’ll protect your spine as your hip and thigh muscles do the work.
4-Mix it up: If you’ve been doing the same workout routine for three months or more, it’s time for a change. Repetitive movement, even the healthy kind you do in the gym, can cause overuse injuries. If you’re a runner, go for a swim. If you lift weights, go lighter or heavier, do more or less reps, and change up your exercises. Taking your workout outside where uneven terrain offers better stimuli for the feet, hips, and back and can have noticeable benefits.
5-Do Cat-Cow’s Daily: Check out this simple and quick yoga exercise below on Youtube to keep your spine flexible and supple. While in tabletop pose, the “cow” is an arch upward, and the “cat” is dropping your pelvic downward while raising your chest.
