7 Ways To Protect Your Back

7 ways to protect your back as you age with time

Our lower back is always susceptible to a lot of problems, as it is the trunk of major nerves passing through the spinal cord to the lower limbs and other parts of the body. The lower back holds the weight of the upper body parts. It is this flexibility that enables our movement. It is highly engineered, and thus any problem or injury to this portion can lead to a variety of issues in your hip, leg or other body parts.

Lower back is highly prone to injuries

Our lower back is highly prone to injury when we lift any heavy objects, like water-filled buckets, or weights in the gym. Even a sudden movement can injure the lower back, as the ligaments running down the legs from the lower back via the hip get twisted. There are high chances of a microscopic tear in the ligaments and the muscles, as well from the injury of the lower back, as the spinal cord endings in the lower back extend the nerves from there towards the lower portions of the body.

An improper posture of our body while walking, sitting or even sleeping can lead to various injuries in the lower back, as well as in the ligaments and muscles. It is important to improve posture to take care of your lower back, as exercises alone won’t help much.

Another reason why you need to protect your back is that muscle strain in your back or lower back if neglected, can become a severe health issue in no time.

Thus, as you can see, it is very important to take care of your posture, and perform suitable exercises, in order to reduce lower back pain. Read on for seven tips that you can follow in order to protect your back:

Core muscle exercises: The core muscles of your body are there to support the lower back, and thus you need to work on them. These strong muscles are there to support the lower back and protect it from injuries. You can opt for cardiovascular workouts which are low impact and help strengthen your core muscles. You can start with a brisk walk and slow jogging, which will increase the flow of blood in the spinal cord and in turn will fulfill the nutrients and the hydration requirement of your lower back. If you find it difficult to exercise, then start with casual walks in the park with friends or your dog, try sitting on a gym ball for 20 minutes, or use the stairs.

Posture improvement is necessary: There is a risk of developing degenerated disks owing to your poor posture. If you have a lower back problem, try using the ergonomic chair, which helps in supporting the natural shape and curve of the lower back while you are sitting. You can work throughout the day sitting on it without injuring your lower back or ligaments and muscles. If you are working for long hours, put a few alarms/alerts on your phone, so that you are reminded to keep a check on your posture. Then take a walk in between your work schedule just to relax your muscles.

Heavy objects need to be handled with care: If you are handling heavy objects, you should not only care for the object but your lower back as well. Most of the time, while lifting a heavy object, people get their ligaments torn. You should lift every heavy object with the correct posture and technique so that no injury is caused to your body.

Don’t be overconfident in the field: Even if you are a fit and experienced player or athlete, a single wrong move can tear your ligaments apart and injure your lower back, which can lead to various issues. Always understand the different postures required for the game, and the ways to avoid injury to your back while playing.

Concentrate on yourself and your health: To effectively protect your back, you need to take care of your overall health as well. Firstly, you need to maintain a healthy weight for your body, as it has been observed that people who are overweight are more prone to lower back problems. You should also restrict consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. Drink a lot of water, as that will help in blood circulation and improve your overall health.
For the Regular Travelers: Travelers who love driving to new locations are more prone to having issues in the lower back. If you are one of them, try learning different driving skills, so that you can drive without applying the brakes much. Also avoid driving on bad roads, as that can be detrimental to your back as well.
Hamstring Stretching: A rigid hamstring muscle can cause pain in the lower back. If you perform exercises to reduce lower back pain, then try stretching your hamstring a little every day, in order to reduce the pressure on the pelvic region. This will reduce pain in the lower back.