Preventing Back Injury

Back injury is very common. Not so much in children because their backs are still flexible and they get lots of exercise running around and playing, but as we become older most of give up running about and playing. Add that with the natural stiffening of joints that comes with age and back injury becomes more prevalent.

When you comprehend those easy facts, the way to prevent injury seems clearer – keep running about and playing or if you do not fancy that, take other exercises frequently. Back injury occurs most frequently in the workplace, so people say, but what is not a workshop. Is cooking and cleaning at home not work?

Do not think that you are at far less risk at home than in the office, on the shop floor or on a construction site. Back injury is usually the result of doing something in an incorrect manner over a long period of time – bad posture or bad technique – but it can also be caused by lifting a box onto or down from a shelf one time.

The best approach is to prevent back injury ever occurring because when you have it, you will sorely regret it and have a difficult time getting shot of it. So, how do you go about avoiding back injury?

Firstly, you should minimize the stress that you place on your back by normalizing your weight and by learning how to manoeuvre weighty objects properly and adopting correct postures.

Secondly, you ought to try to strengthen the muscles in your back so that they are more readily equipped to handle the unavoidable stresses of daily life. Rather than merely talking about back muscles we should include stomach muscles as well.

So, beginning with posture: walk tall, adopt a military bearing and do not slouch. Likewise whilst sitting. Do not merely fall into a chair like a sack of potatoes; keep your back straight and attempt not to lean to one side or the other all the time. Sit near to your desk so that you do not have to lean over to reach which may encourage slouching and rounded shoulders and back.

Learn how to sit at your desk. Your feet ought to be flat on the floor (or a foot stool); your thighs should be parallel with the floor. The desk or seat ought to be of such a height that you can rest your arms on it with the forearms parallel to the floor without reaching up or slouching over. Stand up and walk about for a minute or two each hour.

Your car seat should be adjusted to be right for you too, particularly if you drive a lot. Be wary of weights and bulky or awkward items. Even the shopping. Learn how to manhandle them with the minimum amount of danger. Get help if you think you might require it.take it from me, in the case of backache, prevention is far better that cure, if you can find one.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a range of subjects, but is now involved with sciatica pain management. If you would like to know more, please go to our web site at Sore Back Remedies