When most people say, “I hurt my back”, what do you think? Do you imagine that they must’ve pushed themselves too hard in the gym or were trying to move heavy furniture? Maybe you think it’s an old sports injury come back to haunt them. The truth is that most of us could probably say “I hurt my back” several times a day and be perfectly accurate. Here are some of the everyday ways we put our backs through the ringer.
Sitting Still
If your job entails sitting at a desk all day, your back would probably like a word with you. Sitting hunched over or slouching is terrible for your spine. Research has shown that those who sit all day for work suffer greater amounts of back pain than people who do manual labor for a living, where lifting is a requirement.
Even with perfect posture, inactivity is an issue. It weakens your joints and spine which makes them more susceptible to problems later.
Certain Shoes
Most women know that their favorite high heels may look great, but they don’t always feel that way. While high heels definitely put a lot of pressure on your back, the wrong flats can be just as guilty.
Any type of heel on your shoe (this includes you, gentlemen) forces your foot forward, which changes the angle of your entire body. That, in turn, makes your weight unevenly distributed over your spine, triggering pain that can begin in your knees and travel all the way to the top of your spine.
Even flip-flops can cause instability when you walk. Allowing your feet to slip around also puts undue pressure on your spine.
Your Gut
It’s not uncommon to have a gut, nor is it uncommon to want to get rid of it. If you need another reason to change your diet and hit the gym, think about what it’s doing to your back. Even a few extra pounds around your midsection tilts your pelvis forward and throws it out of alignment. Forcing your body to constantly rebalance itself doesn’t make life easy for your spine. Without your spine doing its part, your lower back is forced to excessively strain to keep things together.
Stress
There seems to be no end to the problems caused by stress. When your mind begins feeling the weight of anxiety, it turns out your back does too. By tensing up and not relaxing like they should, your back muscles can actually spasm.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Stress is great about sending your cortisol levels skyrocketing too. When that happens, inflammation increases throughout your body, which only makes matters much worse.
While there are plenty of ways you can improve the above (work to lose weight, ditch the taller heels, get more sleep, etc.), don’t forget to see a chiropractor. The experts at Advanced Chiropractic and Holistic Wellness Center can recommend a number of other ways to take better care of your all-important spine. Call 702-597-1181 today to schedule your appointment.