Chiropractic Tip: Avoid Back Pain. Keep Your Spine Healthy
Lower back pain may not be an issue for years for many men and women as they move ahead with their lives, working long hours and spending leisure time with their family, friends and hobbies.
Sometimes they gain weight, smoke, and skip regular exercise, and try to cram too many things in to each day. The health of their spine never seems to be in question, until suddenly lower back pain sets in and demands attention.
Ways to Avoid Lower Back Pain
The American Chiropractic Association suggests ways that we can all keep our spines healthy, and hopefully avoid the whole lower back pain issue.
When standing keep one foot slightly in front of the other with knees slightly bent to take pressure off the back.
When lifting avoid twisting and squat rather than bend from the waist. Use the legs for power. If an item is too heavy to lift get help. When carrying heavy objects keep them close to the body and divide into two smaller loads, one for each hand.
Keep body weight within ten pounds of normal and check with your doctor before starting new exercises if there are health issues. When sleeping, place a pillow between the legs or under the knees to take pressure off the spine. If smoking, stop. Smokers heal more slowly and smoke chemicals restrict the flow of blood to tissues around the spine.
A Visit to Your Chiropractor
The first visit to the chiropractor includes a hands on spinal adjustment to evaluate spinal health. If there is lower back pain the chiropractor will seek to provide relief without medication or surgery. A review of medical history and the events leading up to the back pain follows.
Often a series of visits will follow with the chiropractor suggesting weight loss, relaxation exercises, and new ways to be active. Sometimes the doctor, chiropractor and patient form a team to help the person regain their life, and learn how to stay pain free.
I have seen the back pain story play out for a variety of men and women. Over time as changes are made, life becomes OK again. Daily schedules are adjusted, new exercises and new safety measures are used. The patient reshapes his or her daily schedule, loses weight, works a little less, and relaxes more. Through it all, most of them are very grateful to reclaim their lives and they all now understand the value of protecting the spine.
If you or someone you know is having pain, or look like they are headed toward lower back pain, make an appointment with the chiropractor now.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Pawel Maryanov
