Back pain is an incredibly common condition for people of virtually all ages. Whether it’s due to a lot of time on your feet, a lot of time sitting, physical strain on the job, or the aches and pains that everyday life can give you, back pain can be a nuisance at best and debilitating at worst.
If you have back pain that doesn’t subside, we’d recommend that you stop by Fremont’s pain management clinic of choice, The Spine & Pain Center of California, to get advanced treatment. But until then, here are a few tips to alleviate pain and find comfort in the meantime.
Give your spine a rest
Your spine works just as hard as you do, handling the impact of walking, running, standing, sitting, and all of life’s other common motions. With all that hard work being performed on a daily basis, it’s important to give your spine a rest so it can feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
Lying down to go to sleep takes some pressure off of your spine, but it’s how you sleep that makes all the difference. Choose a mattress and a pillow that provide you with proper neck and back support, and match your natural sleeping position. There are plenty of guides on how to sleep with certain back or neck ailments, so do some research or talk to your doctor about the best sleeping positions for you and your condition.
Work your core
If you have neck and back pain or a serious spinal condition of some sort, exercise might be difficult—you’ll need to learn specific exercises that can build your strength without exacerbating your current problems. However, if you’re looking to prevent spinal problems, building core strength is of the utmost importance. Strong core muscles—which are your lower back and ab muscles—will improve your posture and balance, and will support your spine while easing pressure on your lower back.
Crunches, planks, pull-ups, and leg lifts are all excellent ways to improve core strength and stability. Pick a few exercises that work for you, and spend 20 to 30 minutes a day keeping your core (and your spine) healthy and dependable!
Wear supportive shoes
It doesn’t matter if you jog five miles a day or just hoof it to get where you need to go—your feet and shoes play a huge role when it comes to health and wellness of your lower back and spine. The best shoes provide comfort and stability for your feet, and well as a supportive base that encourages proper alignment of the spine. Good shoes also provide a snug fit around your heels and a reasonably snug fit around your soles and toes, preventing pronation or supination for excellent balance and lower likelihood for spinal issues.
Comfortable yet supportive running shoes are always a great choice for your spinal health—they provide excellent cushion and support no matter what activities you’re performing. Keep high heel and flip-flop use to a minimum—these shoes provide little to no support, and can actually make spinal ailments worse over time.
Improve your sitting posture
Some people spend a lot of time sitting—it’s often “a part of the job.” But sitting too much can have negative consequences for your spine (and basically every other part of your body). When you sit down, the pressure that mounts on the discs in your lower spine is tripled compared to if you were standing. Add in the fact that most people like to lean forward and slouch when they’re sitting in front of computer screens, and that disc pressure becomes even more intense.
If you’re stuck in a sitting desk job all day, be sure to practice solid posture, keep your shoulders back, and sit in a chair that provides proper lumbar support and forms to the curves of your back.
But the best thing you can do at a sitting desk job is to sit less—go for occasional walks, buy a standing desk attachment, or do some stretching through the day. Whatever the case, the less sitting, the better—so find ways to get out of your office chair and be more active during the workday.
Visit your Fremont pain management clinic of choice!
The Spine & Pain Center of California is your choice for spine treatment and pain management, helping you get back to healthier and happier state with fewer aches and pains. Stop by our clinic for a wide variety of treatment options. Schedule an appointment today!
