For all of my Physical Therapy patients that I’m treating for their back problems, this question comes up 100% of the time. “How should I take care of my back?” For such a general question, which could possibly have a million different answers, I actually find myself coming back to the same solutions time and time again.
Here are my top ways that you can take care of your back and keep back pain away from your life!
Keep a Good Posture
When you are standing, imagine a string through the top of your head lifting you straight up. This puts your neck, shoulders, spine and hips in natural alignment. With sitting, make sure you sit back in the chair with your feet on the floor and your lower back supported. Your shoulders should not slouch when sitting. Avoid soft couches when you can.
Lift Properly
Picking things up is a normal part of our day. Even if you pick up something light, your back
muscles have to lift the weight of your upper torso and control that movement. Make sure you always face what you need to pick up, squat keeping your spine straight and push with your leg muscles. This helps reduce the excessive pressure on your spine.
Stay Flexible
Flexibility is key to maintaining a healthy back. By keeping your body flexible, the normal forces of movement and lifting can be distributed across the spine, rather than focused onto a
few segments, which can then fail. An easy stretching routine everyday can keep you feeling great and put a spring in your step.
Stay Strong
You have hundreds of muscles, which control the movement of your spine. Major muscles that support the spine are called your core muscles and include your abdominal, pelvis, spinal and hip muscles. By keeping your core muscles strong, you support your spine and have the ability to easily control lifting, quick movements, bending and a lot more.
Physical Therapy
Our Physical Therapists are medical experts in evaluating spine and body movement. By having a regular check up, you can make sure your body is in good condition to tackle the activities you love. If you have a history of back pain, injury or are currently experiencing aches and pains, we can analyze your problem and construct a treatment program that will work best for your individual problem. With soothing hands-on therapy and targeted easy exercises we can help you return quickly to feeling your best.
Dr. Asha Koshy is a Physical Therapist and co-owner of Complete Physical Rehabilitation in Jersey City and Elizabeth, NJ.
She is a McKenzie certified back pain Physical Therapist specialist, an LSVT BIG certified specialist for Parkinson’s Disease, and also specializes in treating Vestibular conditions relating to vertigo, dizziness, and other balance disorders.