Yes, there are still seven more mistakes we can make in our daily routines that can contribute to back pain. They are listed below with a suggestion for fixing them as well. Even if you would only make one of them part of your lifestyle it would make life much more easily lived. Since this is a continuation of another article numbered one through seven, I have continued with 8-14. Tally ho!
8–Your mattress is a dinosaur. A good mattress lasts 9-10 years (according to the National Sleep Foundation). THE FIX–Pick one that’s not too squishy or too hard. Tuck a pillow under your knees when lying on your back or between your knees when lying on your side.
9. Your bike isn’t adjusted quite right. Anywhere from 30 -70% of bike riders experience some form of back pain. THE FIX— when you straddle a road bike the bar should be about 1-2” from your crotch; on mountain bikes allow3-6”. Seat height should allow your down leg to fully extend when the heel of that foot is on the pedal in the 6 0’clock position. A slight bend in the elbows when holding the handle bar s is a must. Tilt the front tip of the seat down about 10-15 degrees.
10. You have a thing for high heels or flip flops. Both lead to instability which in turn affects your back. High heels force you to arch your back making your spine muscles work harder. Backless shoes like flip flops and some sandals cause your feet to move form side to side according to Dr. Sinett and me which distribute your body weight evenly, thus causing low back and leg pain. THE FIX— you don’t have to fore-go trendy footwear –just don’t walk long distances in them. Flexible shoes with simple cushions reduce back pain by 80% within a year’s time.
11. You hold a grudge. Our emotions, muscle tension and thoughts can directly influence the strength of our pain signals. Many chronic low back pain sufferers can reduce their aches by practicing forgiveness which in turn reduces anger, resentment and depression. THE FIX— Forgiveness isn’t a one time act. It is an ongoing process needed to replace anger and resentment towards someone who has done you wrong.
12. Ignore the pain. Trying to block out pain can make it worse over the long run. Masking the pain with drugs or just trying to “grin and bear it” can cause a degenerative state and misalignment of bones to set up in the spine. Chiropractic care is designed to locate, stabilize and correct misalignment and in turn, pain, inflammation and degeneration can be reduced significantly. The Fix—NEVER ignore pain. It is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong. If you can’t figure it out and want to do so naturally, safely and cost effectively, call my office for a consultation to see if chiropractic care can help you.
13. You don’t veg out enough. Chronic or acute stress can trigger low back pain. When you’re pressured, your whole body seizes up including the muscles of your back and neck. If you’re stressed all the time with tight muscles, they can move bones out of place trapping nerves which can cause pain, tingling, and numbness along with other symptoms. THE FIX– Prioritize ways to calm down each day using exercise, chiropractic care, laughing, reading or listening to music.
14. You watch too much TV and use computer too much.
Parking yourself in front of a TV or computer monitor/screen for hours and hours a day doesn’t make your back happy. Those who do so for 15 hrs or more a week can be 3 times more likely to have lower back pain than those who are more active. THE FIX–Use commercials as a break to walk around, stretch or do strength training. With a computer, set a time to remind you to move.
