Thursday, 28 June 2012

STEPS FOR A PAIN - FREE BACK

1. Stay fit

Stretching and strengthening both your back and abdominal muscles is important. A stretching and strengthening regimen should target the back, abdominal, and buttock muscles.

Bicycling ( either stationary or regular ), swimming, and walking lead the list of low-risk, high-benefit activities for most people's backs. All are low- or minimal- impact exercises that strengthen muscles which support the back. None involve awkward or stressful actions that are detrimental to back muscles.

Sports and activities such as football, tennis, gymnastic, wrestling, weight lifting rowing ( crew ), running, aerobic dance, and ballet involve a relatively high risk for back injury because of the extension, lifting, or impacts involved. Other unnatural motions that could induce pain include back arching ( doing gymnastics and diving ),twisting ( while hitting a golf ball, swinging at a baseball, or bowling), and stretching your legs strenuously ( when niking or when balancing a sailboat during a race).

2. Maintain a healthy weight


The heavier you are, the greater the load your spine must cay. To make matters worse, if the bulk of your weight comes in the from of abdominal fat, rather then muscle, your center of gravity can shift forward - a condition that puts added pressure on your back.

3. Kick the habit

Nicotine in cigarettes contributes to low back pain in two ways. Fist, nicotine hampers the flow of blood to the vertebrae and disk. This impairs their function and may trigger a bout of back pain. Second, smokers tend to lose bone faster than nonsmokers, putting them at greater risk for osteoporosis, another common cause of back pain.

4. Lighten your load

A survey by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found  that nearly 60% of the doctors responding of back and shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks.

1. Use both of the pack 's straps instead of slinging one strap over a shoulder.

2. Carry only the essentials

3. Lighten your load whenever possible.

4. Opt for backpacks that have different-sized compartments to help distribute weight evenly.

5. Look for wide, padded straps and a padded back.

6. When carrying a heavy load, put the heaviest items as close as possible to the center of the back

7. Use the hip strap for support.

8. For very heavy loads, use a backpack with wheels.

9. Bend from your knees when picking  up your pack.

5. Develop back-healthy habits

1. While standing to perform ordinary tasks like ironing or folding laundry, keep one foot on a small step stool.

2. Don 't remain sitting o standing in the same position for too long. Stretch, shift your position, or take a shot walk when you can,

3. When bending from the waist, always use your hands to support yourself.

4. When sitting, keep your knees a bit higher than  you hips and bend them at a 90- degree angle. Sit with your feet comfortably on the floor. If your feet don't reach the floor. put a book or a small stool under them.

5. Because vacuuming can take a toll on your back, tackle rooms in chunks, spending no more then five to 10 minutes at a time doing this task.

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