When we think of back pain, we usually picture it as a result of significant trauma. Your back may hurt after a car accident, because you fell off a ladder or due to a downhill skiing collision, but back pain oftentimes develops for much more innocuous reasons. A few bad habits can slowly start to stress or weaken the spine, and eventually this can lead to new or worsening spine pain. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some bad habits that can contribute to back and neck pain so that you can work to kick these habits.
Daily Bad Habits That Cause Back Pain
If you’re guilty of doing one or more of the following items on this list, don’t be ashamed. We all have some habits that aren’t great for our spine, but the important part is that we are aware of how these actions can impact our back so that we can make some adjustments to prevent spine pain from developing. Here are some common habits that can put added stress on our spine.
- Cell Phone Use – The majority of adults in the US have a smartphone, and while we’re not saying that you need to ditch your device in order to protect your spine, you will want to be aware of your head and neck positioning when using your phone. If you’re leaning your head forward to stare at your phone while it’s in your lap, your cervical spine is going to be handling an immense amount of stress, oftentimes for an extended period of time. As we explained in this blog, regular cell phone use can lead to a number of different neck and spine conditions, so try not to scroll for too long, and keep your phone out in front of you so that you don’t have to lean forward and strain your neck to view your screen.
- Seated Posture/Sedentary Life – Excessive sitting can also cause problems for your spine, especially in the lumbar region. This area tends to have to handle a fair amount of stress when you’re seated, and that only gets worse if you’re slouched in your chair. If you live a sedentary lifestyle with lots of sitting, your spinal structures can weaken, and this can lead to pain if you are overweight, which causes your body to have to work to disperse more stress. Have a healthy posture when seated, and strive to be more active so that you aren’t sitting for extended periods.
- Bad Food Choices – We’re not saying that you always need to eat vegetables and lean proteins, but you want to be mindful of your diet. Your spine relies on a number of essential vitamins and nutrients that it gets from your diet, like calcium, Vitamin D and iron. If you aren’t getting enough of these nutrients, your bones can weaken, increasing your risk of osteoporosis or spinal fractures. You can protect your long-term spine health by making more healthy choices when it comes to your diet.
- Smoking/Alcohol Use – Smoking can be incredibly harmful for your spine, and regular alcohol consumption isn’t much better. Alcohol and tobacco can damage blood vessels, decrease circulation and speed up natural degeneration in your spinal column. Work to reduce your reliance on these products, or eliminate them from your regular routine and your spine will be much healthier for it.
- Not Lifting Correctly – You also need to be mindful of how you’re protecting your back when you’re bending, twisting or lifting an object. Bend at the knees, not at the spine, and perform a tandem lift for especially heavy objects. Whether you regularly lift products at your job or you’re simply bending over to pick your child out of their crib, you need to try to protect your spine during these lifts, otherwise you’re at risk for strains, sprains and muscle tears.
If you’re dealing with a back injury as a result of any of these actions, or you just want to talk to a professional about spine pain that you’re dealing with, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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