If your belly enters a room seconds before you do? Chances are you are going to be suffering with an aching back.
In recent years, the incidence of obesity has tripled and complaints about back pain have doubled so trimming off a few extra pounds from your bulging middle or backside will help that aching back.
Carrying those extra pounds means the spine has to compensate. It does this by becoming tilted and stressed unevenly. So, over time, the back may lose its proper support and an unnatural curvature of the spine may develop.
This will throw off your spine’s natural alignment and could trigger chronic pain. The more overweight you are, the more pain and damage you do to your back. More weight equals more damage. Piling on the pounds can increase the risk for degenerative disc disease.
Degenerative disc disease can lead to a slipped or ruptured disc. This will put pressure on the nerves and they there may be a numbness and weakness in your legs and lots of back pain.
So in order to keep those extra pounds off and help avoid back pain try and follow these tips:
Move more – Walk, swim, bike or dance. Physical activity will help control your weight. Take up resistance training such as the Pilates reformer– building strong muscles keeps your core strong to better support your spine.
Learn to lift – Lifting the wrong way is a leading cause of sudden back injuries. The right way is to bend your knees, hold the object close to your body, then tighten your stomach muscles and lift with the legs. Do not twist or lift heavy stuff higher than your waist.
Sit with good posture – Don’t slouch – keep shoulders back, in line with your hips and with feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be bent by about 90 degrees. Tuck a small pillow or special lumbar support behind your lower back to provide additional support.
Stand up – If you are sitting down, stand up every 20 minutes or so. Walk around your office or living room. Move your arms. Any movement draws fresh fluid into your spine’s discs keeping your back happier and healthier.