10 Tips for a Healthy Back

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy. Nearly 80% of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their life. However, there are numerous ways to support spinal health and prevent back pain, such as regular exercise, an ergonomic workspace, and proper lifting techniques. Check out our latest blog for our 10 Tips for a Healthy Back!

Spine Health & Back Pain

The spine is the pillar and foundation of the body, supporting all daily movements and activities. The spine plays three key roles: protecting the spinal cord and nerve roots, providing support and balance to keep your body upright, and allowing for flexible motion. The spine is comprised of 24 vertebrae, which are separated by intervertebral discs that cushion the bone, act as shock absorbers during impact, and protect the nerves of the spine. The muscles and ligaments of the back are critical to keeping the vertebrae stable.

Back pain is often mechanical in nature, related to muscular weaknesses or imbalances. Common causes of back pain include lack of mobility in the back, weak core or trunk muscles, improper body mechanics and form when exercising, incorrect lifting technique, poor posture, muscle imbalances, and immobility/sedentary lifestyle. Lack of mobility in the hips, hamstrings, and thoracic spine can also cause the lower back to overcompensate and contribute to back pain. Back pain can be related to age-related degenerative issues or health conditions, such as arthritis. 

Physical Therapy for Back Pain

Physical therapy provides a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment for back pain, helping to restore mobility, reduce pain, and help patients stay active. Physical therapists craft a graded exercise program to help the patient gradually increase their aerobic tolerance without aggravating their back pain. The therapist targets the back, trunk, and abdominal muscles with strengthening exercises to stabilize the back. Physical therapy treatment includes stretching exercises, dynamic stabilization and core strengthening exercises, low-impact aerobic conditioning, posture and lifting technique training, body mechanic instruction, lumbar traction, manual therapy, and aquatic therapy.  

10 Tips for a Healthy Back

Maintaining a healthy spine and back is critical for your overall health and mobility. Below are 10 tips to maintain and support a healthy back: 

1.  Maintain good posture and spinal alignment. Whether sitting or standing, keep your body in alignment with the head, shoulders, and hips in a vertical line. Your trunk should be perpendicular to the floor whether sitting or standing. Keep your back straight and supported. Avoid slouching as slouching places excessive pressure on the discs of the lower back.

2.  Use proper lifting technique. When lifting a heavy object, lift using your leg muscles, bending at the knees and hips. Stand close to the object. Pivot with feet and hips, instead of twisting the back.

3.  Engage in regular exercise. Regular exercise helps prevent back pain and is a critical component of addressing and reducing back pain. Build a workout regimen that includes low-impact aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility. Exercise increases blood and nutrient flow to the spine and strengthens the back and trunk muscles to support and stabilize the spine.

4.  Target your core and trunk muscles with strengthening exercises. Strengthen your core and trunk muscles to provide stability to the spine. A weak core can lead to too much spinal flexion (bending forward) or extension (bending backward) that can contribute to back pain.

5.   Invest in an ergonomic workstation and office chair. Most Americans spend up to 9 hours seated in the workplace. Investing in an ergonomic office chair that provides proper back support can limit the stress on your back from long workdays at the office. Be sure to take breaks and move regularly throughout the workday. When seated, align your head, shoulders, and hips in a vertical line and sit up straight with your low back and shoulders against the back of the chair. Avoid crossing your legs, leaning to one side, tilting your head, or hunching your shoulders forward.

6.   Reduce daily stressors on the back. Small daily stressors on the intricate structures of the back can add up and contribute to pain, such as the way you open a door, vacuum, or shovel snow. When opening a door, stand straight and pull the handle perpendicular to your body rather than standing to the side and twisting your trunk to open. When you vacuum, hold it in front of the body and use smaller arm movements, instead of standing to the side using one hand and twisting.

7.   Rest your back after prolonged bending. If you have had a prolonged period of bending forward, such as weeding the garden, the spine’s stability can be reduced and the joints of the back can temporarily stiffen. In this scenario, the back is at greater risk of a sudden injury if stress is exerted on the back right after the prolonged bending. After an episode of extended bending, stand upright for a period of time to allow the spinal tissues and joints to recover before placing any stress on the back through lifting or sudden movement.

8.   Quit smoking. Smoking accelerates the breakdown of the spine’s discs and destroys the connective tissues that keep the spinal joints moving properly. Smoking reduces the blood supply to the discs, which can contribute to disc degeneration. Nicotine also increases the inflammatory response in the body, disrupting the body’s ability to repair itself. 

9.   Maintain a healthy diet. A balanced nutritious diet is key to support spinal health and muscle, ligament, and tendon health and recovery. Eat whole foods, lean protein, and fruits and vegetables and stay sufficiently hydrated.

10. Rest and sleep in a back supportive position. If you are prone to back pain, maintaining a proper sleeping position can alleviate or minimize back pain. Sleep on your side with your knees pulled up slightly to the chest. Avoid sleeping on your stomach and if sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees and under the low back. Adequate rest is crucial for spine recovery.