3 Bad Habits That May Cause Back Pain
Back pain is something most people will have to deal with at some point during their lives. While for most, these issues may be temporary, for others, they can become chronic and recurrent and have an impact on their professional and personal life.
However, most of the times, these issues are self-inflicted and are caused by some mistakes we make or by poor lifestyle choices. Here are some bad habits that may be the cause behind most of your back pain issues.
Not Exercising Enough
One of the main reasons why many people end up suffering from back issues is their lethargic lifestyle. Neglecting abdominal strength training can have a devastating effect on your posture and affect your back health in the process. Pilates and core strengthening exercises as well as exercises that work the lower back can also have a beneficial effect on your back health. Being lethargic can lead your lower back muscles to atrophy, which will greatly increase your chances of suffering from back issues.
However, you also have to be careful with which type of exercise you’re doing. Squats for instance can put pressure on your spinal disks and lead to a hernia. High impact exercises like sprint running and jogging should also be avoided if you have an history of back pain. You should stick to low impact exercises such as cycling, brisk walking or swimming. Swimming in particular is one of the best cardio exercises for people with back pain.
Being Overweight
Being overweight is also a contributing factor to back pain, especially if your weight excess is around the belly area. This can put excess strain on your back by shifting your whole center of gravity, and when combined with a lethargic lifestyle, can be a clear recipe for disaster. Make sure that you keep your weight within ten pounds of your personal ideal weight. If you don’t know what your ideal weight is, you can use this ideal weight calculator.
Smoking
Many people are completely unaware of the havoc smoking can have on the entire body. Smoking can have a devastating effect on more than just your lungs, it can also affect back health as well. One of the effects of nicotine is to reduce the blood flow to various parts of the body, including your spinal disks, which can increase the rate of degeneration. This can then lead to chronic back issues later on.
Cigarettes also affect calcium absorption and stunts new bone growth. This can not only make the bones more brittle, but increases the chance of injuries and lengthens the recovery period. People who smoke are also at a higher risk of suffering from bone degenerative diseases like osteoporosis for instance.
If you’ve been smoking for a while and have started feeling the signs of bone degeneration, you should visit Echiro Practor and see which treatment options are available.
Just keeping an eye on these few bad habits can make a world of difference on the severity and frequency of your back pain episodes. If all else fails, consider consulting a chiropractor who will be able to give you a clear plan of action to reduce back pain.
