Self-Care Tips That Can Help You Prevent the Lower Back Pain

Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in your lower back? Lower back pain is a common condition holding individuals’ quality of life hostage. This condition occurs when you have muscle strain along your back or herniated discs. Although mild back pain may improve after a few days, chronic back pain usually lasts for more than three months, which blows the victims’ productivity in the workplace. Fortunately, some lifestyle changes can help lower the risk of lower back pain. Below are self-care tips that the physical therapists from NYPT Health & Rehab recommend to prevent this condition.

Get Moving

Joints and muscles in your body are destined to move. However, you expose those organs to stiffness when you violate that golden rule. Stiffness in your back muscles usually causes pain when you start moving together after a long period of inactivity. Therefore, you should create a strict schedule for regular physical activities such as biking and walking. You can engage your friend for motivation when training.

Manage Stress

Individuals encounter stressful situations in different environments, such as the workplace. However, few people know the link between stressful thoughts and back health. When you are depressed, your body releases hormones that increase muscle tension, which ignites discomfort along the lower back. Stress management measures such as biofeedback and deep breathing can help you minimize the susceptibility to back pain.

Sleep Right

Have you ever woken up one day with discomfort in your back? Perhaps you slept flat on your back. Sleeping on your back for a long time usually stresses the back muscles and ligaments, which triggers discomfort. Embrace the right sleeping positions, like sleeping sideways, to alleviate the excessive stress on your back. Replacing the less dense mattress with the high-density mattress would also help you maintain back health.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Your eating habits say a lot when it comes to back health. You risk straining your nervous system when you constantly eat spicy meals, which ignites complications. In addition, highly processed meals can expose you to weight gain, which causes excessive stress on your back muscles. Make a dietary plan rich in nutritious meals such as whole grains and lean meat to keep your back in good condition.

Stop Smoking

You may think that smoking will only harm your respiratory system, but it does more than that. The nicotine components usually constrict the blood vessels, reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the spine. Consequently, your spine will be subject to injuries with slowed recovery heightening the back pain. The same applies to passive smokers. Quitting smoking would be best to stay in tune with your back health. Keep a distance from individuals who smoke to avoid secondhand smoke.

Sharp pain along your back can affect different aspects of your life, especially if it is chronic. Fortunately, changing your lifestyle habits today can help minimize the risk of lower back pain. Engage in regular physical exercises to boost the flexibility of your back muscles. Changing your eating habits to healthy ones will also help keep back pain at bay. However, if, despite those lifestyle changes, you experience back pain, you should never ignore it. Seek the necessary diagnosis and treatment since you could have underlying conditions.