Few things are more frustrating than dealing with a bad back. Unfortunately, I found myself in that situation a few months back after I sprained my back lifting my baby. It was absolutely debilitating, but I knew that I was going to have to live with it. I kept trying to clean my house, look after my kids, and handle my daily chores, but the pain just kept getting worse. Fortunately, a friend of mine recommended a great chiropractor that could help. He adjusted my back and things started to get better. This blog is all about the benefits of working with a professional.
Eight out of every 10 people will suffer from back pain at some point in life. If you already count yourself among this group, don't feel as though you need to suffer. An effective way to find relief for your discomfort is through the care of a chiropractor. With a series of adjustments and some suggestions of stretches you can perform at home, your local chiropractor can help you overcome your pain and restore your quality of life. To truly take a proactive approach to your back health, there are a series of ways you can change your daily routine to work toward a stress- and pain-free life. Here are three ideas.
Make Daily Exercise A Priority
Even if your typical daily routine is busy, finding time for some exercise can drastically help your back pain. Exercise is beneficial for several reasons. It improves your blood flow, which helps your injuries heal, strengthens weak muscles that are contributing to your pain, and even creates a release of endorphins that will elevate your mood, which is helpful if your back pain has been getting you down. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation is to get 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise per week, which breaks down to slightly more than 20 minutes per day. Light forms of cardio include walking and riding a bike.
Straighten Up Your Posture
Slouched posture, whether standing or seated, can worsen your back pain. Make a point of using perfect posture throughout the day. When you're seated at work, lengthen your back, hold your shoulders apart and avoid allowing your head to fall toward toward your computer screen. While standing, take the same approach with your upper body while also making sure to keep your weight distributed evenly between your feet; if your weight is to one side, you'll risk twisting your back into a position that worsens your pain.
Find Solutions To Stress
Stress can relate to back pain in several ways, including the tightening of the back muscles and the restricting of oxygen-rich blood flow that would otherwise help with the pain. If you're concerned about your level of stress, looking for solutions can also help lessen your back pain. Often, relaxing activities such as yoga and meditation can lessen stress, as can blocking off a period of time each day to do something enjoyable. If your stress is caused by the workplace, discussing it with your manager or someone in the human resources department can help find a solution.
Share24 November 2015
