You may not realize it, but these everyday activities are causing back pain. Here’s what they are and how to avoid them.
Ever bend down to pick up a dust bunny or whatever and then — agh! — something gets tweaked on the way up? “Back pain is one of the most common reasons women see their doctors, and a full 80 percent of people will suffer from an episode in their lifetime,” says Martin Leland, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Chicago Medical Center. But you can outsmart these surprising triggers:
YOUR RUNNING SHOES
Its the ‘jogging’ actually..which can cause you more trouble than you think. Most shoes on the market have a thick heel leading to people hitting it ground first when they run. Imagine tapping your car brakes every 5 seconds as you speed down the highway. It is not going to be a smooth ride and doing so is going to destroy your car. “The discs in your lower back are filled with cushiony fluid, the jarring motion of poor running mechanics will wear them out like a sponge!”. Talk to me about your running technique and shoes next time you see me.
KIDS!
If you have little ones, chances are you schlep them around more than they use their own two feet. That extra 10, 15, 20 kgs can overload back muscles, which tighten up to keep you standing straight. The best way to tote any size tot? “On one hip, switching sides periodically to help keep things balanced. Make sure you keep them CLOSE to you too as you pick them up.”
YOUR CELL PHONE
Yammer all you want, just don’t pin the phone between your ear and your shoulder. “You’re forcing your spine to stretch to its limits, and that can make your upper back sore,”. If you typically need your hands to be free, switch to a headset.
SITTING STILL
Staying in the same basic position for eight hours (say, if you’re desk-bound) can stress your back. The fix: Move! As the day goes on, stand up for a bit, hit the loo, do the homework I have given you. Move yourself periodically to allow alternate muscles to take over, so the same ones don’t contract all day. Prop a phone book or a big dictionary under your computer monitor (it shouldn’t be above eye level) and one under your bottom (use a towel), be sure to keep your lunch break and take as we call it in Australia, regular smokos. And most importantly, keep your appointments and make sure your spine is checked on a regular basis. All the massaging and drugs in the world are not going to correct a misalignment and a pinched nerve.
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