How to Strengthen Your Back and Prevent Injury

If you struggle with back pain or injuries, you know how quickly it can take you out of the game. If you are lucky enough to have avoided this so far, you definitely want to keep it that way. While everyone is unique, there are a few things that everyone will benefit from when it comes to preventing injury.

Include a Back Exercise Routine

According to AdventHealth Medical Group, the best way to strengthen your back is to actively put work into it. Just like you have arm days and leg days at the gym, you need to work on your back muscles. It doesn’t have to be anything super fancy, but you need to work it into your routine. You can put together a pretty good routine using a resistance band and dumbbells. Make sure you also properly stretch your back and roll out the muscles after working out. Tight muscles can easily lead to injuries that could have been easily avoided.

Pay Attention to Posture

If you work in an office job, you probably spend a lot of time sitting at a desk. Not using proper posture while sitting at work may not seem like a big deal, but it is. According to Bruscato Law, back injuries are quite common in the workplace. You should make sure your desk, chair, and computer are positioned in such a way that you can sit up straight, with your monitor slightly below eye level. Using an ergonomic chair makes sitting properly easier as well. If you find that you are regularly getting back pain from your chair, talk to your office manager about getting a better chair or transitioning to a standing desk. Having the option to use a standing desk can be very helpful for fixing posture issues.

Be Careful Lifting Heavy Objects

Improper lifting is one of the easiest and most common ways to hurt your back. According to ErgoPlus, whether you are lifting heavy items for work or at home or lifting heavy weights at the gym, it is important to use proper technique. This helps to prevent putting too much strain on your back and possibly injuring yourself. Proper lifting position also strengthens your back muscles. If you are lifting at the gym, make sure you are following the proper form for the lift and that you have a spotter or enough space to drop the weights if needed. If you are lifting objects at home or at work, make sure you set up with a good base and bend at the knee to lift. Try to keep the object in the power zone, which is close to your body and near your center of gravity, to prevent undue strain.

Check Your Sleep Position

The way you sleep can have a big impact on your back and how it feels. Improper sleep positioning can put extra stress on your spine. Pressure on your back doesn’t just cause pain and stiffness when you wake up in the morning. It has also been linked to things like insomnia and sleep apnea. Whatever your preferred sleeping position is, make sure your mattress is properly supporting your spine. You should also pay attention to your pillow and the positioning, as that affects your neck, which influences your spine.

Don’t Ignore Pain

According to Keith Clinic, pain is your body trying to tell you something, so ignoring back pain is never a good idea. There are plenty of things that can cause back pain. Infrequent pain isn’t a big deal if you are gentle with your back, but if your back is regularly in pain or sore, you shouldn’t just pop some pain medicine and keep going about your daily routine. Doing this will just lead to more problems and could cause some serious issues down the road. Consider talking with your doctor or a chiropractor about the pain and figuring out what is at the root of it. Fixing the issues may take some adjustments to your everyday life, but it is better to adjust than to be limited later on down the road.

Use these tips and tricks to keep your back happy and healthy. Not only will you feel better now, it will prevent damage in the long run and keep you mobile as you grow older.

Alongside (or in spite of) all this advice you can also decide to try joint and back pain supplements, such as glucosamine chondroitin complex, which can help to relieve pain and discomfort as well as maintaining the health of your back.

Read this next: Effective Stretches You Can Do to Relieve Back Pain