Is Your Lifestyle Going to Lead to Chronic Back Pain in the Future?

It’s a subject you hear discussed on an almost weekly basis: the rising number of adults who suffer from back pain. According to studies, around eight out of ten American adults will experience some form of back pain during their lives. The sad thing is, is that much of this pain and discomfort can be avoided. Certain lifestyle trends can cause back pain, or give you a higher predisposition to suffering from it at some point in your adult life. From sitting at a desk all day hunched over a screen, to barely doing any exercise, these causes are common – but they’re so easy to avoid. It takes a bit of effort on your part, but to avoid chronic back pain, anything is worth it.

Be careful about how you sit

54 percent of Americans who suffer from back pain spend most of their day sat at a desk. Slumping over and staring at a computer screen is one of the fastest ways to end up with back problems later in life. Not only are you sitting with poor posture, but you’ll be sat in the wrong way, straining certain parts of your body. If you’re going to be sat down for a long time, you need to have a chair that helps your back out. Ergonomic designs are getting more and more advanced now, so you don’t have any excuses for low quality equipment causing you pain.

However, it’s not enough to only be conscientious at work. You need to keep these practices up at home too. Start by investing in good quality modern dining chairs, and couches with extra firm support. Plus, if you can use stools – even better. They make you sit with much better posture, benefiting you greatly in the long run.

Avoid a sedentary lifestyle

If you spend a large amount of time sitting down, you’re at high risk of developing back pain. A sedentary lifestyle can cause you pain in three different ways: muscular back pain, herniated disks, and pinched nerves. These common complaints could easily be avoided by sitting with the correct posture; making sure you stand up at least once or twice every hour (going for a walk for five minutes is even better); and doing simple stretches. Joining a yoga or Pilates class will help you out immensely.

Build up those core muscles

Having a six pack isn’t just good for superficial reasons: a strong core massively reduces your chance of suffering from back pain. By sitting down all day, not engaging your core, and slouching or sitting with poor posture is a fast way to getting rid of any core muscle – and you need that core muscle to stay pain-free. So, start with the above suggestions on how to eradicate a sedentary lifestyle. Then, move onto more physical challenges, like going to the gym work on your core. Think about holding and engaging your core when you’re sat down, and feel it support your spine. If your core is strong enough to do this, you can say goodbye to lower back pain for good.