A stiff or sore back can really affect the quality of your life. Read on for some tips on how to avoid a backache. Your back is responsible for supporting the weight of your upper body. However, there are times when it is unable to perform its job properly and you are left with a weak back. This can result in moderate to intense pain and can greatly interfere with your normal life and your ability to perform routine household tasks. A bad back need not be a permanent problem though. There are ways to cope with backache, as well as minimise the chances of suffering from it. In this articleWhat is a backache?Correct postureStrong musclesFlexibilitySleep What is a backache? In scientific terms, a backache is referred to as Lumbago. It is used to define the discomfort experienced by a person in the middle, and lower regions of the back. Thispain may range from a mild twinge to a severe, sharp shooting pain that may require medical aid. Generally, the pain begins in the centre of the back from where it radiates outwards towards the hips. In most cases, the cause of a backache cannot be adequately determined and it is assumed to be the result of external factors. In extreme cases though, the causes of a backache are usually an internal factor. Internal factors include vertebral discs that have slipped out of position, vertebral bones that have become brittle, a spine that is undergoing curvature, and in rare cases, tumours or cancers that affect the vertebral column. How can you lessen your chances of developing a backache? You may not be able to prevent a backache caused by internal factors but you can decrease the influence of certain external factors that commonly cause backaches. These include: Correct posture Maintaining a good posture is the first step to avoiding a backache. When you slouch, you are putting extra strain on your back muscles and forcing them to work overtime. If you do this often, your muscles are going to complain to you in the form ofpain. A good posture means that you sit or stand with your back straight and your shoulders stretched out. Avoid hunching or bending forwards. Aside from giving your back the proper support, standing straight also makes you appear slimmer. In addition, you will appear more confident, as a good posture involves keeping your neck straight and head held up. Strong muscles Many times, you experience backache because your back muscles are simply not strong enough to take the weight of your body. This can also be aggravated by weight gain as your back muscles have to work extra to deal with the additional weight. To avoid the weakening of your back muscles, it is advisable to perform exercises to enable them to function normally. You could start with simple exercises, a few times a week. To make the exercises more effective, you can graduate to light weights. The goal of these exercises is not to make you a bodybuilder. It is merely to build the strength in your back muscles and help them to cope with the weight of your body. If you are already suffering from backache though, it is best that you consult your doctor before you attempt any exercises, especially if you are planning to use weights. Flexibility Strong muscles are important for your back, but they also need to be flexible to enable you to perform various tasks like standing, sitting, bending down, etc. The best way to keep your back muscles supple is by performing basic stretching exercises throughout the day. Begin by stretching immediately after you wake up from your sleep and continue to do these exercises at various intervals throughout the day. Consider joining a yoga class since yoga is an excellent way to improve flexibility of the entire body. Sleep Aside from looking after your back while you are awake, you also need to make sure you rest properly. While you are asleep, your back needs adequate support, which depends on your sleeping surface as well as your sleeping posture. A mattress that is extremely soft does not give your back any support and is prone to becoming lumpy over time. As far as sleeping posture goes,avoid sleeping on your stomach. Aim to sleep on your back or on your side. If your back muscles get more rest at night, they will be better able to give your body the support it needs during the day. Your back plays an important role in your general well-being. If you treat it properly, it will also do its bit to make your life a more comfortable one.
A stiff or sore back can really affect the quality of your life. Read on for some tips on how to avoid a backache. Your back is responsible for supporting the
weight of your upper body. However, there are times when it is unable to perform its job properly and you are left with a weak back. This can result in moderate to intense pain and can greatly interfere with your normal life and your ability to perform routine household tasks. A bad back need not be a permanent problem though. There are ways to cope with backache, as well as minimise the chances of suffering from it.
What is a backache?
In scientific terms, a backache is referred to as Lumbago. It is used to define the discomfort experienced by a person in the middle, and lower regions of the back. Thispain may range from a mild twinge to a severe, sharp shooting pain that may require medical aid. Generally, the pain begins in the centre of the back from where it radiates outwards towards the hips.
In most cases, the cause of a backache cannot be adequately determined and it is assumed to be the result of external factors. In extreme cases though, the causes of a backache are usually an internal factor. Internal factors include vertebral discs that have 'slipped' out of position, vertebral bones that have become brittle, a spine that is undergoing curvature, and in rare cases, tumours or
cancers that affect the vertebral column.
How can you lessen your chances of developing a backache?
You may not be able to prevent a backache caused by internal factors but you can decrease the influence of certain external factors that commonly cause backaches. These include:
Correct posture
Maintaining a good
posture is the first step to avoiding a backache. When you slouch, you are putting extra strain on your back muscles and forcing them to work overtime. If you do this often, your muscles are going to complain to you in the form ofpain.
A good posture means that you sit or stand with your back straight and your shoulders stretched out. Avoid hunching or bending forwards. Aside from giving your back the proper support, standing straight also makes you appear slimmer. In addition, you will appear more confident, as a good posture involves keeping your neck straight and head held up.
Strong muscles
Many times, you experience backache because your back muscles are simply not strong enough to take the weight of your body. This can also be aggravated by weight gain as your back muscles have to work extra to deal with the additional weight.
To avoid the weakening of your back muscles, it is advisable to perform
exercises to enable them to function normally. You could start with simple exercises, a few times a week. To make the exercises more effective, you can graduate to light weights. The goal of these exercises is not to make you a bodybuilder. It is merely to build the strength in your back muscles and help them to cope with the weight of your body. If you are already suffering from backache though, it is best that you consult your doctor before you attempt any exercises, especially if you are planning to use weights.
Flexibility
Strong muscles are important for your back, but they also need to be flexible to enable you to perform various tasks like standing, sitting, bending down, etc. The best way to keep your back muscles supple is by performing basic stretching exercises throughout the day. Begin by stretching immediately after you wake up from your sleep and continue to do these exercises at various intervals throughout the day. Consider joining a
yoga class since yoga is an excellent way to improve flexibility of the entire body.
Sleep
Aside from looking after your back while you are awake, you also need to make sure you rest properly. While you are asleep, your back needs adequate support, which depends on your sleeping surface as well as your sleeping posture. A mattress that is extremely soft does not give your back any support and is prone to becoming lumpy over time. As far as sleeping posture goes,avoid sleeping on your stomach. Aim to
sleep on your back or on your side. If your back muscles get more rest at night, they will be better able to give your body the support it needs during the day.
Your back plays an important role in your general well-being. If you treat it properly, it will also do its bit to make your life a more comfortable one.
