How to Maintain Your Back Health Through the Years
If you’re a human with a backbone, you’re familiar with back pain. It doesn’t matter if you work a construction job or you sit in front of a computer all day, your back probably hurts a little by the time you crawl into bed at night. Over time, bad back habits can make back pain worse and even lead to spinal issues. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to combat back pain and maintain good back health through the years!
Sit With Good Posture
This is one of the hardest things for people to do, as modern life often puts you in front of your computer, phone, or a similar device. However, practicing good posture is the number one way to maintain good back health. If you continue to have bad posture, you’ll likely experience lower back pain and spinal issues with age. In severe cases, you might even require surgery. Thankfully, there are a few viable alternatives to spinal fusion surgery if you need them.
Use Back-Straightening Devices
Considering how important posture is for back health, it’s no wonder that there are products designed to help straighten your back and combat bad posture. While some devices are medically necessary for spinal issues, others simply exist to help you stand up straight! For example, cloth posture correctors are comfortable and can be put on or taken off at any time.
Spend Less Time On Your Phone
A lot of people suffer from “phone neck,” a modern phenomenon in which your neck is positioned forward, giving you a look of being hunched over at all times. This often comes from spending too much time looking down at a mobile device. As you can imagine, there’s a simple solution — don’t look at your phone so much! While it may be hard at first, you’ll likely find that you don’t need to look at your phone as much as you thought you did. This can also be a boost for your mental health if you spend a lot of time on social media.
Stretch Every Day
You may stretch your back and limbs when you first wake up, but after that, you probably don’t think much about stretching. Unfortunately, this can cause a lot of harm to your back over time. Your back muscles need regular stretching to stay in peak condition. Strong back muscles will help you maintain your mobility as you reach your golden years. Yoga offers a great way to stretch and get in a low-impact workout at the same time!
Lift With Your Legs
You’ve probably heard this advice before: “lift with your legs, not with your back!” However, many people still don’t heed this advice. Lifting heavy objects with your lower back can cause muscle aches and even tears. If you try to lift something really heavy, you could end up doing permanent damage. So, instead of trying to throw out your back, work your leg muscles the next time you need to lift something heavy!
