4 Things To Stop Doing For the Health of Your Back
According to a recent article published by the NIH (July 2022), back pain remains one of the top reasons for doctor's visits.
The article lists various back pain causes, including congenital to non-spine related and risk factors from age to psychological.
The article's recommendations for helping with back include medication, strengthening, stretching, and surgery.
One thing the article did not cover:
what you should stop doing for the health of your back and spine.
The picture below shows four everyday activities you may do throughout your day to move or for posture.
Each of these will put pressure on your spine and change the soft tissue (muscles, tendon, ligaments and fascia) in your lower back area. Eventually, the alignment of your spine will change and put pressure on your discs, spinal cord, and spinal nerves.
So the number #1 thing you can do is stop or modify the following activities:
- Stop bending through your low back. When you bend, bend at your hip joint, not your low back. Think of an old-fashioned waiter's bow.
- Stop squeezing your glutes or butt. Rather stand with your weight over your whole foot and think of space between your glutes or cheeks. Your glutes or butt is meant to be round, not flat. This also includes when working out. Your glutes do not need an extra squeeze.
- Stop sitting on your low back. Sit on your SITS bones as this is the broadest area to sit on and best support your weight while sitting. Your SITS bones are located at the very bottom of your butt.
- Stop pulling your abdominals in when sitting, standing, sleeping, working out, etc. Let them relax unless you are picking up or moving something very heavy. They will work when you need them to work.
Below we included a graph that shows the force on your spine during various positions and postures.
If you are one of the millions of people that struggle with low back pain, tightness, and discomfort and have not found answers to help you move beyond the discomfort and have questions about what you learned in this newsletter, reach out. We can help.
Sincerely,
The Team at Chicago Integrative Movement Specialists
Your body. Your move.™
