3 Tips on How to Avoid Back Tweaks
By Donna Stark
"I tweaked my back." How many times have you caught yourself saying this over the years? Once? A couple of times? Well, your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic want you to know that even if it has only been once, that's one too many times in their book. Back pain can be debilitating and long-lasting. It can affect your daily life and your future health. So even with just one bad "back tweak," you could be looking at significant issues down the road, which is why it is so important to reduce the risk of back injuries as much as you can.
Avoiding Back Injuries
The bad thing about back pain is that a catastrophic event isn't required for your back to start hurting. You can hurt it simply by sneezing or bending over to tie your shoes. Fortunately, no matter how easy it can be for pain to appear, it can be just as easy to keep it away. Take a look at a few suggestions below.
Chiropractic Care
Routine chiropractic care is one of the best ways to keep your body prepared and ready for any type of movement. The adjustments that your chiropractor provides can help reduce your risk of back injuries and pain by correcting alignment issues, removing joint restrictions, encouraging proper posture and mechanics, and increasing the body's range of motion and flexibility. And on the off chance that you are already struggling with back pain, chiropractic care can help with that too!
Proper Lifting
Using proper form while lifting is critical, no matter how big, small, heavy, or light the object is. Here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Bend at your knees, not your waist
- Grab the object and pull it as close to your body as possible
- Engage the muscles in your legs as you lift
- Avoid any sudden twists or turns of your back
Daily Exercise
The more active you are the more fit you will be, and the more fit you are the less likely a back injury will occur. Staying physically active with daily exercise and maintaining your strength can significantly reduce the risk of both joint and muscle pain. Your local chiropractors recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day and at least two sessions of strength training a week.
Doing What You Can
Back pain is a killer to live with, but by following the tips above and establishing regular visits with your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic, you can significantly reduce your risk of injury and hopefully, you will never have to explain to anyone how your back was tweaked!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Vancouver, Wash.