6 Habits You Need To Give Up To Keep Your Back Healthy
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The way we stand, the way we walk, the way we sleep, the way we sit, and the way we sway are all body postures. And, it is extremely crucial to maintain a good posture. Often times, without realizing, we adopt positions that could distort our alignment in the long run. From the ankle to the spine, it’s all inter-related and even the slightest disfigurement can lead to serious problems. And our daily habits go a long way in affecting our posture.
So, how do you know you have a crooked posture? A bad posture of the back is visible at three points in the spine —the neck, the lower back, and the upper back. If you’re experiencing back pain that has resulted in an inward arching of your lower back and a forward curvature of your upper back, you have got back issues. A poor posture will only increase the strain on your back as it has to work extra to balance out the muscles and distribute the weight equally.
But worry not! We have curated a list of habits that we need to part ways with to ensure a healthy back. Read on:
1. Bid Adieu To Daily Chores That Take A Toll On Your Back
Simple tasks like washing utensils can actually strain your back beyond measure. Unconsciously, we tend to slouch and bend, thereby assuming a posture that isn’t natural to our body. This creates an imbalance in the pressure experienced by the muscles (1). So, even if you’re mopping the floor, and your spine isn’t ready, you are hurting your lower back. Care should be taken not to cause any discomfort to the natural alignment of the body for a prolonged duration. If you are already suffering from back pain that intensifies when you’re washing utensils, sweeping, mopping or cleaning the car, you should quit doing them. (Yes, it’s a good reason to give the household chores a miss, isn’t it?)
2. Be Conscious Of Your Posture At Work
Working in an environment that requires us to be on our toes can be backbreaking, quite literally. Beauticians, air hostesses, doctors, and athletes – they all have jobs that give negligible rest to the back. Other laid-back desk jobs are equally strenuous to our posture. We get so consumed by work that we ignore our posture while leaning forward to reach the laptop, or hunching our back while working, tilting our neck (2). These are all red flags that you need to look out for.
3. Beware Of What You Wear
Our choice of clothes and footwear can actually make or break the deal in the gamble of maintaining the right posture. Wearing the wrong shoes can lead to foot positioning problems like foot supination, sciatica, disc pain, bulging of the foot, and other degenerative spine disorders. And those 6-inch high heels are not the only culprit here! Even flat shoes can affect our gait. Look for shoes that provide you with complete cushioning and arch support.
Furthermore, the combination of high heels and oversized bags is a recipe for disaster. Heels make you tilt your pelvis forward and strain the back, while heavy bags throw off your posture because of the asymmetric load.
4. Slouching While Sleeping
The correct positioning of the spine is the last thing we think about when we curl ourselves into bed. But, our sleep posture is akin to a litmus test that determines if we are inviting back pain or not. The thumb rule is to ensure that the pressure on the joints and muscles in the body is evenly distributed (3). Mattresses that are semi-rigid are your safest bet. Additionally, make sure that the pillow you use eliminates the space between the neck and the mattress.
Never sleep on your stomach as it strains your neck and eventually hurts the back. Always lie down on your back. If you are a side-sleeper, place a pillow between your legs to align your pelvis and the spine.
5. Incorrect Posture While Lifting Heavy Objects
Incorrect bending and lifting technique are the primary reason for back injuries. When you bend to carry or pick up heavy objects, slightly bend your knees too and straighten your spine. Reduce the stress on your back by holding the object closer to you. And ensure not to move anything that weighs more than 20% of your own weight.
6. Give The Stress A Break
Stressing about things that matter keeps us on the right track, but stressing too much about anything overburdens our mind and muscles (4). As a result, you end up straining the muscles that are actively used every day. So, before you get lost in the world of slouchers, straighten your spine, wear a smile, and take a walk around the de-stressing zone.
We are all habitual offenders of maintaining a bad posture, but keeping in mind the aforementioned piece of advice can help us keep our back safe. The way you carry yourself, i.e. your posture, has a dramatic effect on your body. So, exercise regularly, tighten your core muscles, loosen your hip flexors, and build strength and improve your flexibility to maintain a good posture. Don’t bend it like Beckham!
