Back pain is among the most annoying and inconvenient things that you have to deal with in life. While people often peddle miracle cures for back pain, other than learning to foam roll, none of them really work all that well.
Here are 6 healthy lifestyle tips that can help you manage your back pain and live a normal life:
How To Ease Back Pain With 5 Simple Steps
1. Foam Rollers
I suffered for years, helped doctors and chiropractors pay for their office, and continued on with back pain. And then I discovered foam rollers for muscle pain! Foam rolling is now my #1 go to relief method. If you haven’t tried one these inexpensive devices yet, foam rollers are my recommendation. Of course they aren’t going to mend what only physicians can do, but when it comes to muscle pain, they are the ticket.
2. Lose Weight
Being overweight can make the pain 10 times worse. It makes sense when you think about it, the extra weight causes more pressure on your bones and joints, which in turn causes more discomfort. It can be hard to lose weight with a bad back, but you need to do it. It may hurt at first, but it will pay off in the long run.
3. Maintain Good Posture
Did you know that things, like slouching or sitting at awkward angles, can seriously exacerbate your pain? Sitting at certain angles curves the spine, which puts more pressure on it, which in turn leads to more problems. So, get into the habit of sitting up straight at all times. It can help straighten out the spine and ease the pressure on your back. The benefits of good posture are more far reaching than most people realize.
4. Become More Flexible
Being more flexible can actually really help out with back pain issues. When you aren’t flexible, you put more tension on your muscles and bones. As you have seen in this article, more tension in your body leads to more pain. How can you go about becoming more flexible? Well, things like yoga and Pilates, and this foam roller guide are not only great for becoming more flexible, but they can also be done by people who are suffering from limited mobility.
5. Go for Walks
Believe it or not, walking is one of the best back pain exercises you can do for relief. There are a few reasons for this. First off, walking helps to stretch out your muscles and ease any latent tension that might be causing discomfort. Secondly, walking forces you to stand up straight. As was mentioned earlier, standing up straight helps to ease pressure on your muscles and skeletal system.
6. Learn to Lift Properly
So many people still do not understand how to lift things properly, which causes a host of issues. Get into the habit of lifting with your knees to put as little pressure on your back as possible.
These simple tips and techniques will help you with fast relief as well as preventative measures. Think about them often and put them into practice to keep the muscles in your back strong and healthy.
Summary
It may not seem like it when you’re suffering from back pain, but there are tons of techniques that work for relief. Of course, some are quick fixes, some work fast, some not so much, and some are more permanent.
One thing is for sure though, any pain is frustrating because it limits your flexibility, mobility and what you can do. That’s why it’s important to look for techniques that work more long term. If you haven’t tried foam rolling, I can tell you they really work and they work for the long term.