One of the most common reasons for a doctor visit is low back pain. The majority of people experience pain in their lower back at some point in their lifetime. If you’re experiencing pain, you are not alone. Here are three tips to get you back into action.
1. Be careful how you lift objects and pay attention to your posture. Limit your bending and twisting through the spine. Lift with your legs, not with your back. Bend your knees and hips and squat down to pick objects off the floor. Pull in your stomach muscles and hold the object close to your body as you stand up. Push if you can, it is safer than attempting to pull a large object.
2. Maintain a healthy weight and diet. Extra pounds will mean your joints will need to support greater weight and more strain on your lower back.
3. Finally, exercise more. You can take a few days off if your back is aching, but limiting exercise for a longer period may be detrimental to your health. Change your exercise routine up. Try swimming instead of the gym for a few days. Limit the exercises that strain your lower back. Change up your routine and don’t do the same exercises over and over.
Dr. Nima Salari is a fellowship trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon with specialized training in the operative and non-operative treatment of pathologic conditions affecting the spine, including degenerative disk disease, scoliosis and other deformities, infections, and tumors. He has an interest in minimally invasive, tissue sparing approaches and image guided technologies in the management of spinal disorders.
