7 Surprising Causes of Back Pain
Before jumping to more serious conclusions, screen yourself for these 7 surprising causes of back pain that may be less obvious, but just as significant for understanding and managing your pain.
Perfecting Your Posture During Your Daily Habits
January 21, 2020
Driving, texting, sitting at a desk or even walking a dog all have one thing in common—posture.
You may not actively think about it, but how your body is positioned throughout the day greatly contributes to your overall health. How you sit, stand or move your body can lead to chronic back pain, headaches, and possibly poor circulation in your legs and feet.
What Is Good Posture?
Good posture is your body putting the least amount of strain on supporting muscles, bones, joints and ligaments. Proper posture is just one element of good spinal health, encouraging the brain to communicate more effectively with the rest of the body.
How to Improve Your Posture During the Day
Adopting healthier posture habits and at-home ergonomics can improve your overall health. These practices can provide more efficiency in daily tasks and an improved quality of life. Good posture isn’t just limited to standing or sitting. Training your body when you sleep, watch TV, stand in line or even text is important.
Here are a few tips for improving posture during your daily routine:
Netflix and chill. Who doesn’t love a good movie in bed? However, binge watching can do a number on your spine. Add a pillow behind your back for added support, or underneath your knees to relieve any stress on your neck, legs and back.
Sleep tight. Sleep posture is important since you put so much pressure on your spine. Regardless of sleep position, always use a pillow with enough thickness so that your head maintains a neutral position.
Back – Only 8 percent of people sleep on their backs. Sleeping on your back is the best option, because it puts no extra pressure on your head, neck or spine. Use a pillow to keep your head slightly elevated and aligned.
Side – Sleeping on one’s side, especially with the knees drawn up in a fetal position, can help open up the joints in the spine and relieve pressure by reducing the curvature of the spine.
Stomach – Approximately 7 percent of people sleep on their stomachs. Unfortunately, this position can aggravate the spine and other medical conditions. Avoid it if possible.
Supermarket sweep. You can practice perfect posture anywhere! Standing in line while at a grocery store, or any store, is a great time to think about your posture, learn to notice how you regularly stand and make note to avoid slouching. Position your feet shoulder-length apart and let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. This will allow your body to naturally align and evenly distribute your body weight.
Texting. Text neck is real and a result of having bad postural habits. While texting or cruising through social media, position your phone at eye level. This will help reduce the amount of pressure being applied to your neck and spine. And remember, while a great starting point, changing your habits isn’t quite enough! That’s where chiropractic comes in. Incorporating routine adjustments can help improve posture, increase flexibility, and prevent backache and muscular pain.
