It’s estimated that approximately 540 million people throughout the world experience back pain at any given time. With it being such a common problem, it’s possible it could affect you at some time in your life. While chiropractic care from our Bessemer chiropractor at Premier Chiropractic is an effective treatment approach, the best treatment is prevention. We have some tips to help.
Practice Good Posture
Poor posture places excess pressure on your lower back. As a result, you may experience back pain. It’s possible that poor posture, when you sit or stand, can cause problems. While poor posture occasionally will cause pain, over time, prolonged poor posture will cause structural changes in the spine, causing long-term pain as the spine presses on the nearby nerves and soft tissue.
Ultimately, you can improve your posture by thinking about it. Force yourself to sit and stand up straight. For a prolonged period, focus on keeping your shoulders back and head up. If you’re unsure of how to achieve better posture, reach out to our chiropractor today for assistance. Our practitioner can guide you through exercises to improve your posture.
Manage Your Weight
Although you may know the many health implications of being overweight or obese, such as heart disease, did you know it’s harmful to your spine as well? When you have excess weight, it’s placing pressure on your lower back, which will ultimately cause pain and discomfort for your lower back.
You can reduce your risk of obesity-related back pain or decrease the possibility of exasperating current back pain by regulating your weight. Maintain your current weight if you’re at a healthy one. If you aren’t at a healthy weight, work on losing weight through diet and exercise.
Get Enough Sleep
A lack of sleep can contribute to your back pain or worsen it. If you’re experiencing back pain when you wake up, it can help to better position yourself when you sleep. For instance, if you’re typically a side sleeper, lay with your knees slightly up toward your chest. On the other hand, if you’re a stomach sleeper, try a pillow underneath your hips.
A poor-quality mattress can lead to back pain, and so can an old, worn one. Ideally, change your mattress every six to eight years and choose firmness based on your back problems and size. For instance, if you’re heavier, it might be in your best interest to get a medium to firm mattress to better support your spine.
Choose an Ergonomic Chair
You can relieve some back pain if you have an ergonomic chair when you do any type of computer work, especially if you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk for prolonged periods. These chairs provide adequate support for your back.
Learn to Take Breaks
If you’re a person who likes to push your limits or is constantly on the move, you could be overstressing your back. Ultimately, you should learn to take breaks whenever you’re completing lengthy projects, whether they require you to do physical labor or sit. Putting yourself in a position where you’re even overstressing or placing pressure on your back can lead to you having pain.
Get Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care isn’t just for pain relief once you have a problem; you can also use it to prevent back pain in the future. It helps to keep your soft tissue flexible and your spine in alignment. As a result, you’re less likely to have problems in the future.
At Premier Chiropractic, serving Bessemer, AL, and the nearby region, we can help you prevent back pain. You can also take steps to prevent it from occurring in the future
Schedule an appointment today for corrective or preventive care by calling 205-519-4024 or using our form.
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