Back pain affects up to 1 in 4 of the Australian population on any one day and is one of our most common health conditions.¹
It can happen at any age and last days or years.
Here are our top ten tips to keep your back as healthy as possible:
Exercise regularly
While walking, swimming, pilates and yoga are all excellent ways to strengthen your back and improve flexibility, any activity is good for you. Choose something that you enjoy to help you maintain your physical activity long term.
Keep active and avoid long periods of bed rest
Even when you have pain, gentle movement will help settle your back and strengthen your muscles. Your physiotherapist can tailor an exercise program to suit our fitness level and give you advise on where to start.
Learn correct lifting technique
Correct listing can help prevent injury and avoid back pain.
When lifting a heavy object, position your body directly in front of it to life and turn with our feet, not your back
Carry the object close to your body
Bend your knees, using your legs - not your back - to bear the weight.
Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle
Carrying excess body weight can put additional pressure on your muscles and joints, which can lead to pain. Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle will help you achieve a healthy weight.
Enjoy a wide variety of foods from the main dietary food groups every day
Limit saturated fat, added salt and sugars, and alcohol intake.
Don't slouch
Slouching doesn't necessarily cause discomfort, but over time it can place strain on muscles and soft tissue.
Posture pointers:
Don't let your head slump forward
Keep your shoulders relaxed, not hunched
Don't cross your legs.
When standing, distribute your weight evenly on both legs
Quit smoking
Smoking can reduce the blood supply to discs between the vertebrae, which can lead to disc-degeneration. You can find information about ways to quit smoking at icanquit.com.au
Take breaks when driving
Take regular breaks when driving long distances. A firm seat provides better support and a rolled-up towel behind your back at waist level can provide extra lumbar support.
Adapt your work environment
Tips for sitting at the computer:
Use an upright chair that has good back or lumbar support
Position your monitor so your head and shoulders are relaxed
Keep your mouse close to your body
Don't cradle your phone between your head and shoulder
If your work is more manual and requires the use of tools:
Avoid working where the floor is cluttered, uneven, wet or slippery
Use long handled tools where possible
Perform a variety of tasks, changing position frequently
Learn techniques to help manage stress
Relaxation is a crucial part of easing the pain caused by muscle tension. While you cannot always avoid stress, you can learn to reduce and manage it. Learn to identify the signs of stress, identify its source, connect with friends and family who care, and make time for relaxation.
Simple breathing exercises can also help. Try breathing in through your nose while counting slowly to five, then breathing out to five. Keep doing this for three to five minutes.
Seek a medical opinion
Most back pain disappears within days or weeks. If your pain persists, gets worse or you experience any other symptoms (like feeling unwell), see your GP or other qualified healthcare provider.
MYTH BUSTERS
Myth #1 - Moving will make my back pain worse
Fact: It is essential to keep moving. Muscles that are in spasm, due to pain, relax when gently moved and stretched. Gradually increase how much you are doing, and stay on the move.
Myth #2 - A scan will show me exactly what's wrong
Fact: There is a growing body of research that shows that not only do results of scans correlate poorly with symptoms in people with back pain, but also that most people without back pain have changes on scans that do not cause any symptoms at all.
Myth #3 - Pain equals damage
Fact: Recent research has changed our thinking of pain. Level of pain has little relationship with damage to the spine and more to do with your unconscious and conscious interpretation of the level of threat the pain represents.