4 Ways To Prevent Pain & Injury To Your Lower Back
Your lower back is divided into five different motion segments, and is responsible for supporting your body when you do things such as twist, bend and even lift, which is why pain in the lower back can be so debilitating. If you have suffered from lower back pain before, there are steps you can take to prevent lower back pain from reoccurring.
#1 Visit Your Chiropractor & Establish A Care Plan
One of the best things you can do if you have suffered from lower back pain in the past is find a chiropractor that you like working with. Your chiropractor can help adjust your spine and make sure that your lower back is aligned correctly. They can work with you to make sure that your back can keep up with your current level of activity. Your chiropractor can help monitor your back, adjust it as needed, and provide you with guidance on how to strength and protect your back.
#2 Work On Your Posture
Having poor posture can really do a lot of damage to your back. It can put unnecessary pressure on your back and can cause any damaged discs you have in your back to generate even more pain.
Working on changing your posture can improve the health of your lower back and prevent further injury to your back. If you work at a desk, purchase an ergonomic chair that supports your entire body and work on setting up your work area in ergonomic fashion. Start by focusing on changing your posture at work, then slowly work on making sure that you are using correct posture when you drive, when you are sitting on your couch at home, when you are walking around and when you are exercising.
As you improve your posture throughout the day, you should see improvements in the health of your lower back.
#3 Stretch Your Hamstrings
Having tight hamstrings can actually put additional pressure on your pelvis and lower back. You can relieve that pressure by doing a few simple hamstring stretches throughout the day. Check with your doctor and make sure that these hamstring stretches you choose will work well for you; you don't want to injure yourself, you just want to prevent injuries to your lower back.
#4 Work On Your Overall Health
Finally, in order to prevent pain and injury to your lower back, you should work on your overall physical fitness and health. Being at a healthy body weight and engaging in healthy habits can help lower the pressure in your lower back and increase the health of your lower back. Work with your doctor (like those at Back To Health Chiropractic & Wellness) to develop a plan to get you at a healthy weight and to kick any unhealthy habits you have such as smoking or excessive drinking.