Movement
Experts Reveal Top Habits to Keep Your Back Pain-Free
Back pain is a prevalent issue affecting a significant portion of the population. According to the CDC, 39% of Americans experienced back pain in 2019, ranging from mild to severe discomfort over a three-month period. While many people may attribute their back pain to a single cause, Sheila Dugan, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, explains that “it’s usually the buildup of a number of factors that is responsible.” So, what can you do to prevent back pain? Here are the top habits experts recommend.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Managing your weight is crucial for a strong, pain-free back. Jaspal Ricky Singh, MD, a Board Certified Sports and Pain Specialist, emphasizes, “Maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight can help ease or prevent back issues and reduces stress on other joints as well.”
Carrying extra weight forces your muscles to work harder during everyday activities, increasing the strain on your back. Over time, this can lead to an unnatural curvature of the spine, as UC Davis Health notes, “Extra weight puts a strain on your back. In order to deal with extra weight, your spine can become tilted and stressed unevenly.”
Adopt a Nutritious Diet
A healthy diet plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy weight and reducing inflammation, which is essential for spine health. “The most important component of spine health is prevention, which starts with treating our bodies well,” says orthopedic surgeon Robert Berkowitz, MD.
The average American diet is often high in carbohydrates and unhealthy fats, leading to inflammation. Dr. Berkowitz warns, “Essentially, sugar and processed foods are destroying our bodies by causing inflammation.”
Stay Within Your Ideal Weight Range
Finding and maintaining your ideal weight can significantly benefit your back health. Dr. Singh advises, “I recommend staying within 10 pounds of your ideal weight to keep your back healthy and pain-free.”
Physical activity is also beneficial for managing back pain. Exercise not only helps with weight management but is also a key component in preventing chronic low back pain.
Engage in Regular Physical Activity
Regular movement is crucial for back health. Dr. Berkowitz suggests activities like walking, jogging, or stretching. He notes, “High-intensity interval training is real trendy now and that certainly has been shown to have some benefit.”
However, if high-intensity workouts aren’t your preference, simply finding an activity you enjoy can keep you moving and prevent you from being stationary all day long.
Commit to Long-Term Lifestyle Changes
Taking care of your spine requires consistent effort and lifestyle adjustments. Andrew Chung, DO, a spine surgeon, likens spine health to heart health, stating, “It takes daily commitment. It doesn’t happen overnight or with temporary efforts.”
He advises thinking of your first episode of back pain as a “back attack” and asks, “Do you want to keep living in pain?” If not, it’s time to commit to healthier habits.
Adopting these expert-recommended habits can make a significant difference in preventing back pain. By maintaining a healthy weight, eating a nutritious diet, staying active, and committing to long-term lifestyle changes, you can support your spine health and reduce the likelihood of experiencing back pain.
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