Did you know that about 16 million adults experience chronic back pain? Back pain is the 6th most expensive health condition in the United States. So, why are so many Americans suffering from all this pain in their back? One of the main causes of back pain is living a sedentary lifestyle and having poor posture. Some other common causes of back pain can include lifting heavy objects or otherwise straining the back muscles.

Try Physiotherapy Treatment

If your back pain is caused by an illness or injury, physiotherapy services are an excellent option. They can help manage pain, improve balance, mobility, and motor function, and in general, improve health and wellness. A physiotherapist will develop a treatment program tailor-made to fit your needs and help to regain more freedom and range of movement back. They’re perfect no matter what age-; they can support anywhere from infants to older people.

How Bad Posture Hurts the Spine and Back

Everyday activities involve a wide range of movements like sitting, bending, walking, etc. However, after years of doing these activities, many people subconsciously form habits, like slouching when typing on the computer or even walking hunched over. This unconscious slouching or hunching causes the back muscles and core abdominal muscles to clench and strain, effectively reducing the blood supply to those muscles. Here are some day-to-day activities to avoid because of the stress it puts on the spine and back:

•         Lying on your front putting pressure on the back and belly
•         Lifting very heavy objects with the back instead of the legs
•         Curved arms and rounded shoulders when walking
•         Slumped over in a chair or on the couch

In fact, it takes less effort and muscle work to sit up properly than it does to slump over; most people are just so used to it that when they finally sit up straight, it feels like work.

Different Ways to Correct Lousy Posture

Whether you’re doing activities like walking, lifting, or sitting, it’s essential to maintain good posture to avoid straining the back muscles and causing pain. When you walk, walk tall. This may sound strange, but try walking with a book balanced on your head. When it’s easy to walk around without the book falling, you’ve achieved excellent balance and a good posture, too. Try keeping your spine as straight as possible while relaxing the shoulders and keeping the chin high.

If you’re somebody who works in an office or home at a desk, the way in which you sit in the desk chair is critical. Move your spine so it’s flush and tight against the chair back. Roll your shoulders back, stick your chest out, and keep your shoulder blades down. Sit with feet flat on the floor, about hip-distance apart. Try using a small pillow for some extra lower back or lumbar support. The best way to relieve pressure on overstrained back muscles is to get up every hour, on the hour. Walk around for a minute or two, which can help spinal discs from the sustained pressure of sitting for an extended period.

Bad Posture Equals Back Pain

A sedentary lifestyle definitely contributes to sore, strained, stiff, and overworked back muscles. That’s why having bad posture and sitting at a desk or in front of a computer all day can contribute to chronic back pain. However, by taking those bad slouching habits and focusing on holding your head high and spine straight, it’s easy to form new habits that won’t strain the spine or back muscles. Make sure to get up every hour from the computer desk, walk around, and give your legs a good stretch. Another option is to try physiotherapy to help combat back pain issues and strained stiff muscles. Hopefully, one of these methods or all of them combined will be effective at relieving your chronic back pain. 

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