Pain

5 Bad Habits That Cause Back Pain

Back pain is becoming more common but it is an issue that can be preventable. Over 80-percent of Americans suffer back pain due to bad habits. Here are five of the top five bad habits that cause people to suffer from back pain.

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Table of Contents

Bad Posture

The worst thing you can do for your body is to not practice good posture. You spine is kept in place by muscles and when those muscles are strained, there will be stress on the spine. In addition to the temporary stress that is put onto the spine, constant poor posture will change the shape of the vertebrae. To correct poor posture, make sure you are sitting with your shoulders back and your knees slightly lower than your hips. When walking, you want to make sure you stand with your feet slightly apart and refrain from slouching.

Incorrect Lifting

Another reason people suffer back injuries is by lifting heavy objects incorrectly. If the object is too heavy, make sure you ask for assistance. If you are lifting something by yourself, you need to make sure you rely on your legs to do the lifting. This is done by bending the knees, keeping the weight of the object close to you, and lift straight up without turning your torso.

Poor Health

Being overweight and smoking are two things that will lead to back pain and increased chance of injury to the spine. When you carry extra weight around your midsection, you create a shift in gravity on your body. This will cause the muscles in your back to be strained. To prevent back pain, you want to be no more than ten pounds overweight.

When you smoke, you are allowing nicotine into your body. Nicotine prevents blood from flowing properly and your vertebrae is depleted of necessary nutrients. Finally, the smoking prevents your body from being able to absorb calcium, allowing for increased degeneration of the discs.

Living a Sedentary Life

Even if you are in pain, if you live a sedentary life, you will prevent proper blood flow from healing your back. The best thing you can do for your spine is to keep moving and practice yoga or Pilates. Both of these exercise programs help build core muscles that will protect the back, as well as keep the spine flexible.

Poor Diet

Finally, poor diet choices will prevent your body from getting the necessary nutrients for optimal health. It is vital that you consume enough calcium to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D is another important nutrient for bone health. Finally, eating a healthy diet will give you the energy necessary to stay active and makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight.

If you are already suffering from back pain, it is best to help treat the pain while you change your habits. Things like inversion tables will help make it easier to heal your back and get you back to normal life. You can find some of the top benefits from an inversion table at http://www.bestinversiontablereviewss.com/top-12-inversion-table-benefits/, and then follow the tips above to prevent pain in the future.