By:Soey Park for Body1.
As the fifth most common reason for hospitalization and third most common cause of surgery, back pain is one of the most cited reasons for doctor visits in the US. Patients with lower-back pain have said that symptoms are often uncomfortable enough to disrupt daily routines such as sleep and sex.
According to Todd Sinett, a chiropractor and co-author of The Truth about Back Pain, “Back pain is rarely one catastrophic event, but several situations combining to create pain.” There are many possible causes of back pain, which means there are also many noninvasive solutions. It turns out that some seemingly insignificant daily habits can take a big toll on your back over time.
Here are 14 bad habits and solutions outlined in The Truth about Back Pain:
1. Spending most of the day in front of a desk at work or the TV at home.
Why it’s bad: Sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing. Although moving around and stretching may sound like a waste of time when under pressure, not taking regular stretching breaks may cause your back to suffer. When not being used, back muscles tend to weaken and inactive joints tend to lose lubrication and age more quickly.
How to Fix it: Leaning back occasionally and sitting at a 135-degree angle can reduce compression of the discs in the spine. Sinett recommends doing this when taking a phone call or talking to a co-worker. The design of your chair can also affect the back. Make sure that your chair supports the curve of your spine, where your lower back is supported and your head should be straight when looking at a computer screen. When watching TV, try to limit it to the shows you actually want to watch rather than mere channel surfing, and instead of fast-forwarding through the commercials, take this time to do some stretching or strength moves to give stiff muscles a break from just sitting there.
2. Having to take daily, long commutes
Why it’s bad: Just like sitting at a desk all day, hunching over a steering wheel can tighten chest muscles and cause shoulders to round. The slumping posture not only makes you look heavier, but it can also zap your energy, and not to mention, cause neck and back problems.
How to Fix it: Sit at a 90-degree angle, close enough to the wheel so you don’t have to stretch. Though it may be more comfortable, having your legs extended can put your back in a compromised position.
3. Having an aversion to exercise
Why it’s bad: Moving around actually alleviates minor aches and pains, speeding up the healing process for back pain. New research shows that 40% of people become less active after back pain strikes, which may delay healing or make the condition worse.
How to Fix it: For instant relief, stretch your hamstrings and hips. Doing so will take some strain off your back.
4. Not really big on yoga either
Why it’s bad: Though just about any kind of exercise can help with recovering from back pain, yoga does it best by helping improve circulation and lowering stress. By promoting deep breathing, relaxation, stretching and strength, yoga has been found to help with the emotional and structural triggers of back pain.
How to Fix it: There are yoga classes being offered everywhere, as well as free videos available online. Before you join the class however, make sure to inform you instructor about your pain so that s/he can help modify certain poses for you.
5. Addiction to crunches/sit-ups
Why it’s bad: Sit-ups and crunches may actually cause more back pain than they prevent. Though it is true that a strong core can protect your back, the muscles that are being worked during crunches and sit-ups are not the same muscles that help stabilize your back. In fact, doing these exercises can actually contribute to back pain by causing what Sinett calls a core imbalance, or a “condition of excessive compression, which results in the spine curving forward in a C-like shape.”
How to Fix it: There is no need to stop doing crunches completely. You will be fine as long as they are done slowly, with proper form, and included as part of a broader core workout that also strengthens your transverse abdominus (the muscle responsible for developing a strong, steady core to support the back).
6. Lack of a healthy diet
Why it’s bad: Healthy eating habits good for the heart, weight, and blood sugar are also good for the back. Inflammation caused by poor/unhealthy blood circulation can also cause inflammatory chemicals to trigger the nerves to send pain signals to the brain. Research conducted in Finland has found that people who suffered from back pain were more likely to have clogged arteries in the spine than healthy control subjects. A healthy circulation brings nutrients to the spine, removing waste as it exits.
How to Fix it: A back-healthy diet consists of a diet that aims to reduce inflammation. This includes avoiding excess caffeine and processed foods (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, enriched wheat flour, words ending in –ose, and additives that end in –ates or –ites), eating more whole grains, soy, nuts and seeds, protein, vegetables, and fruit.
7. Carrying everything around in one big bag
Why it’s bad: Carrying a heavy purse/messenger bag can cause back damage that is comparable to a sports injury. When carrying a heavy bag, your shoulders may become imbalanced as your body elevates the shoulder carrying the bag, throwing your spine off. Doing this every day can cause the back muscles to ache over time.
How to Fix it: Carry the lightest bag possible (the American Chiropractic Association recommends your fully-loaded bag weigh no more than 10 percent of your body weight). Consider switching shoulders daily or splitting your stuff into two separate bags (one for each arm) to better distribute the weight.
8. Sleeping on a really old mattress.
Why it’s bad: According to the National Sleep Foundation, a good mattress lasts between 9 and 10 years, but you should consider replacing it every 5 to 7 years if you don’t sleep well or have a history of back aches.
How to Fix it: When replacing your mattress, make sure to pick one that isn’t too soft or too hard. Mattresses that are too firm can increase pressure on the spine and worsen pain while one that is too soft might not provide enough support. Other suggestions for easing nighttime pain include tucking a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back, between your knees if you sleep on your side, or beneath your stomach and hips if you prefer to sleep on your stomach.
9. Your bike isn’t adjusted quite right
Why it’s bad: If you routinely experience a sore back after taking a leisurely bike ride you may need to adjust something. According to Jennifer Chu, M.D., an associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, anywhere between 30 to 70 percent of bike riders experience some form of back pain, and though you do not need to give up riding as a form of exercise, it is important to make sure the bike is properly fitted for you.
How to Fix it: A quick test to see if your bike is a good fit: when you straddle a road bike or a hybrid, the bar should be about 1 to 2 inches from your crotch, whereas on a mountain bike, it should be about 3 to 6 inches. For seat height, your down leg should be fully extended when the pedal is at its lowest point with your heel on the pedal. With the ball of your foot on the pedal, there should be a slight bend on your knee. You should also be able to keep a slight bend in your elbows and not feel stretched out when holding the handlebars. Check with a local bike shop or bike club if you need to get your bike properly fitted. Tilting the front tip of your saddle down about 10-15 degrees will also take pressure off your lower spine and pelvis.
10. Regularly wearing high heels or flip-flops
Why it’s bad: Foot instability caused by high heels and backless shoes can significantly affect your back. High heels force you to arch your back, making your spinal muscles work harder. Wearing backless shoes (i.e. flip-flops or sandals) can cause your feet to move from side to side, distributing your weight unevenly, which can then cause back pain.
How to Fix it: Moderation is key. Though it is ok to wear high heels or strapless shoes daily, walking long distances in them can cause pain. Consider commuting in comfortable shoes and bringing the high heels/backless sandals to change into. Also consider adding cushioning inserts into uncomfortable shoes.
11. Ignoring the pain
Why it’s bad: According to research conducted at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, trying to simply ignore the pain could potentially make it worse. In a standard pain test, psychologists found that when volunteers were instructed to suppress the shock on plunging their hands/feet into icy water, a key muscle in the back clenched. When volunteers were instructed to consciously experience the shock however, the muscle didn’t tense up. Lead researcher John W. Burns, Ph.D. explains that over time, an increase in muscle tension intensifies pain.
How to Fix it: Accept the pain. Consciously experience it, thinking about the sensory details rather than the emotive ones. Reminding yourself that it will pass can be helpful as well.
12. Holding a grudge
Why it’s bad: Researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied 58 men and women with chronic lower-back pain and found that those who practiced forgiveness experienced not only less anger, resentment and depression, but less aches as well. Researcher James W. Carson, Ph.D says that our “emotions, muscle tension, and thoughts can directly influence the strength of our pain signals.”
How to Fix it: To err is human, to forgive divine.
13. Being constantly stressed out or trying to juggle too many things at once.
Why it’s bad: Chronic or acute stress can directly trigger back pain. When under stress, the whole body tends to tense up (including the muscles in the neck and back) and if those muscles stay tight, it can eventually lead to major back pain. The results of a past Austrian study of 65 people with herniated disks found that a combination of music and relaxation imagery significantly reduced lower-back pain.
How to Fix it: It has been suggested that merely realizing that stress could be the cause of pain can help. By doing this, you can then begin to prioritize relaxation techniques everyday to combat the stress. Relaxation techniques can range from exercising to merely laughing and joking around with some friends.
