6 Everyday Habits That Cause Back Pain
Back pain is one of the biggest causes of mobility impairments. Too much stress, which is so common today, is often reflected, among other things, in the lack of attention paid to back health. In addition to stress, other causes of back pain are quite commonplace.
Back pain affects human health in the first place, but possibly also efficiency and productivity in all areas of life. If the problem worsens, it can affect the family’s internal as well as the person’s social relationships.
Everyday causes of back pain
So now we will tell you what are the most common causes of back pain. Keep reading and make the necessary changes to your lifestyle.
1. Too much weight on your back
Heavy bags, backpacks, briefcases and electrical appliances (such as laptops) are one of the biggest causes of back pain. Also, if your posture is bad when wearing these, your spine will suffer even more.
To avoid back pain, follow these steps:
- Bring only the items you need from home and be realistic about your carrying capacity.
- Instead of carrying the bag on your other shoulder, try a backpack to distribute the weight on both shoulders.
- If there is too much stuff, divide the weight into two or three bags so you can prevent too much weight on one side.
- If you are overweight, use a suitcase with wheels.
2. Lifting heavy objects without bending the knees
Often we lift something off the floor without bending our knees, and this can result in painful back pain.
To avoid this, bend your knees while keeping your back straight – like in a squat motion. If your knees are not fit, bend carefully and never lift more than you can handle.
If your knee problems are severe, ask for help with carrying.
3. A sedentary lifestyle
Whether this is work or study related, if you spend a lot of time sitting and without breaks, sooner or later you will suffer from this on your back.
Take a ten-minute break at least every 1.5 hours. If you focus hard on your task and often lose awareness of the passage of time, set yourself pause alerts.
During these breaks, try to stand up, stretch, and do small exercises to get the blood to flow. You can go for a walk or exercise even in the yard.
No hard sport is needed for this – just a little movement.
4. Poor posture when sitting
Do you spend most of your time sitting long and without breaks? Is your free time the same type? In this case, take breaks, but also do the following:
- Keep your back straight and fully supported against the back of the chair.
- Avoid cross-legging and make sure you sit firmly on the floor.
- The shoulders should be at the back, with the chin up and the neck straight.
If you have to bend over, check your posture so you don’t bend over too much.
In addition, we recommend an ergonomic seat with a good back support that would keep your posture better. You should also invest in ergonomic computer equipment so that everything is at the right height – including your hands.
5. Hook walking
Walking is healthy, of course, but if you’re short-forwarded, it produces problems. Does your head hang and your shoulders turned forward?
The posture should be natural, meaning it should have a balance between the different parts of the body: the head, neck, back and legs should be in line with each other. If you are not used to good posture, this can be uncomfortable and painful at first.
Despite the difficulty of getting used to it, you should try to make this change little by little. In a few weeks, you’ll find that keeping your posture good is already easier.
6. Spending too much time in the car
How much time do you spend sitting in your car every day? Whether you travel by public or private car, you may even spend hours weekly traveling in uncomfortable positions.
To prevent back pain due to this, we recommend the following:
- Keep the seats as straight as possible while driving. Remember the advice we gave earlier on the correct sitting position (back against the back of the chair).
- Use a pillow for your neck if necessary. Some cars have a headrest very low, and in this case, get a separate support that can be adjusted. If this is not possible, buy a pillow that fits your neck.
- Walk as much as you can. Instead of using a car, take small distances on foot.
Everyday worries and chores can be really stressful and distracting, and so it’s no surprise that back pain isn’t always properly noticed. When you feel your back hurt, you may want to try to identify what habits are causing it and then make changes to it.
These were the most common causes of back pain. There are, of course, many more reasons, but most of us follow these harmful lifestyles, and even with small changes, you can make a big difference in your life.
