Intervertebral disc
Sure-Fire Ways to Cause Back Pain
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trucomfort
Most people abuse their backs and don’t even realize what they’re doing.

Would you be willing to walk around with your head turned to one side for eight hours or more? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

However, stomach sleepers remain hours with their heads turned to the side, putting unnecessary strain on their necks and spines. If you suffer from back pain, watch how you sleep, how you sit, and how you stand.

Here are some other common sure-fire ways to cause back pain:
• Bending forward while doing housework. Women, especially, tend to bend forward when performing everyday tasks such as ironing, cleaning, washing or vacuuming. Men tend to do the same while gardening and fixing engines.

• Sitting too far from the wheel while driving. The seat must be adjusted for every driver. When you get in the car, adjust it so your arms stay slightly bent. A seat placed farther away than arm’s length forces your back to curve forward; a too-near placement forces your knees well above the hip level and you lose support.

• Sitting straight or leaning over the desk. Ergonometric studies suggest disk displacements are more frequent among people who adopt an upright sitting posture (a 90-degree angle between the spine and the floor). No matter what you’ve been told, an upright posture is not healthy. Likewise, people who work hunched forward are at risk of significant wear and tear of the low back disks.

• Spending too much time on soft couches. Although a soft surface may feel comfy, it will make the muscles of your lower back work harder than necessary. Sooner or later, muscles tire and the back loses its normal curvature.


And Sure-fire Ways to Prevent It
If you are guilty of some of the common bad posture habits mentioned above, the following tips will prove helpful.

Fasten your belt… and towel. Before driving, if don’t have a car seat support, try rolling a towel and placing it behind your back at the level of the lumbar zone. A rolled up towel provides good support in bed as well. Try it before going to sleep and you’ll feel the difference the next morning.

When seated, keep your lower legs vertical. Stretch the legs every now and then; but don’t sit with the legs straight forward for a long time.

Learn how to lift things. This is the right way: stand in front of the object with a wide stance and kneel until one knee almost touches the floor. Firmly grasp the load and stretch the legs while keeping your back straight. Don’t bend. Always, always keep your back vertical when lifting heavy objects.

Twist and shout, baby; but… never while lifting things. If you want to turn to the side while carrying a heavy box, shift your feet instead of twisting the back.

Minimize the time spent sitting. Whether you are at home or office, sit for as short intervals as possible. Whenever feasible, choose an ergonomic seat with adequate back support.

Rachel Clarkson
Rachel Clarkson is the founder of the Back Pain Blog: http://www.trucomfort.com/blog
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