For years, people with chronic back pain in Brampton were just told to “suck it up.” They could have been prescribed some painkillers or told to take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil. Besides the patient’s extreme discomfort, chronic back pain doesn’t have any outward symptoms. In addition, back pain is extremely subjective. Patient A might claim to have chronic back pain, while Patient B may consider the same level of pain to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Before you experience any back pain at all, try to practice some of the following preventative techniques.
How can I prevent back pain?
If you’re young, it’s more important than ever to work on preventing back pain that could greatly affect your everyday life as you age. Some causes of back pain are unavoidable. Among the inescapable causes of back pain are bad genes, sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents or even simply lifting something that’s too heavy. Hopefully none of those happen to you, but here are some of the ways you can work to better ensure you have a healthy back:
- Live a healthy lifestyle: Excessive weight gain is one of the leading causes of chronic back pain in Brampton. Our bodies are not meant to support enormous amounts of weight. If your spine has to work “overtime” to keep your big body moving, it’s bound to break down at some point. Eat healthy and exercise a few times a week to keep your body slim and pain-free. If you smoke, stop! It’s not only damaging to your lungs and heart—it’s also been proven to rapidly age your spine.
- Practice certain exercises: There are exercises that are great for your back for a few reasons. First, they keep you fit. Second, they can help strengthen your spine. Third, they keep you limber. Some of these exercises include tai chi and yoga, but there are many more out there that your doctor or personal trainer can recommend.
- Improve your posture: If you’re walking around all day bent over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, your spine is going to feel it after a while and begin to hurt really badly. You can analyze your posture by standing against a wall and making sure your rear end and shoulders are flush against the wall. Take a step forward and notice if your posture changes at all. If it does, you’re standing crooked and need to straighten up. Standing straight will not only help your spine—it will also improve the way you breathe and present yourself to the world. While at work, make sure you’re practicing good posture while sitting at your desk. It’s easy to hunch over while working on a computer.
- Sleep on a good mattress: Scientists have said that, on average, we spend about 33 percent of our lives asleep. If you’re sleeping on an old, uncomfortable mattress, your back is going to begin to hurt sooner rather than later. There’s no denying that high-quality mattresses are expensive, but if it helps your spine, it’s worth it!
For more information about preventing chronic back pain in Brampton, or if you need our help getting your spine back on track, contact Paramount Physiotherapy & Sports Injuries Clinic today.