Preventing Back Pain

“Why does my lower back hurt? I don’t have any apparent injuries.”

There are many possible triggers for experiencing lower backache. Following are five frequent reasons:

Reason #1: If your pelvis is tilted just slightly forward or backward.

This causes the natural curve in the spine to flatten or bend too much. When the spine is slightly out of its natural position, the muscles surrounding the spine respond with pain or tightness. The natural curve of the spine does allow us to stand upright but needs to be in the intended position for the muscles to be contented.

Reason #2: The muscles on one side of the body might be tighter.

Even a small amount of tightness on one side can cause a shift in the balance of the muscles. When one side tightens, the muscles on the other side of the body must be more flexible. Stretching out the tighter side may help re-balance the muscles.

Reason #3: Using technology draws us to look downward for significant parts of our day.

When our shoulders round forward the head also comes forward. For every inch the head is forward, the weight of the head increases by 10 lbs. putting more strain on the spine and the muscles in the back. Try taking a break from technology every hour by rolling your shoulders back, re-centering your head over your spine and do a few spinal twists. (CONSULT WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN if you have any spinal issues, BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY TWISTING)

Reason #4: Holding the belly in can cause flatting of the spine.

Many people believe that holding the belly in helps strengthen the ab/core muscles. There’s a difference between strengthening the core muscles through targeted exercises and holding it in. Yes, one wants the muscles to be strong but for many people, holding the belly in results in tilting the pelvis, thus moving the spine slightly out of alignment – – the wrong result.

Reason #5: Do you sit with wallets or cellphones in your back pocket?

Sitting with one hip higher than the other may cause one side of the body to be slightly shorter with the back muscles tighter on that side.  If one must use a back pocket, be sure to place an item of similar size in the opposite back pocket.  Better yet, avoid using the back pocket.

In General: Be more mindful about how you move and stand.  Small imbalances can have a negative impact when repeated with high frequency over long periods of time.

Common Examples:

• Do you always carry packages on one side causing you to walk with one hip out to that side more than the other side?
• Do you favor carrying a purse on one side of the body?

Options:

• Consider lightening the overall load.
• Using a properly centered backpack is another good option.
• Work on strengthening the back muscles.  One way is by not using the back of the chair when sitting. This forces the back muscles to do more of the work.

I will be writing more about how to do this and other related topics in future articles.

If you would like help with your back pain, click here to schedule a session with me for private assessment.

Here are 4 Photo Representations of Common Postures – Showing which one is Best for Good Alignment

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