BACK STRAINS AND INJURIES, THE WHAT WHEN AND WHY

As you may have learned from personal experience, back injuries can be extremely painful and long lasting. They can keep you in bed for extended periods of time, and occasionally, they may even require surgery.

Why So Many Injuries?

To understand why there are so many back injuries, it’s useful to understand what’s in your back to be injured.

Basically, the back holds up your entire body. The spinal column, which runs down your back, is an S-shaped stack of bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae are connected by ligaments and separated by soft disks that cushion and protect the bones. At the center of the spinal column is the spinal cord, and from there, nerves run out to other parts of the body.

The back does its job with the help of muscles attached to the vertebrae. These muscles work with the stomach muscles to keep the spinal column in place and keep the back strong.

When you experience back strain or pain, it’s usually related to the muscles or ligaments. The pain results from overusing or stretching those muscles or moving them in ways they’re not meant to move.

You can injure your back with just one wrong move—the kind of thing that can happen bending over or twisting—or by a buildup of stress on weak muscles.

How to help your back?

The best time to help back pain is before it begins.

1) Keep the muscles well conditioned by improving sitting, standing, stretching postures. Well-conditioned muscles are less susceptible to injury.

2) Never bend at the waist or stoop to pick up an object. Instead, lower the body to the level of the object by bending the knees. 3) Grasp the item, hold it close to the body, and raise yourself with your legs while keeping your back straight.

4) Do not lift very heavy objects.

5) Lean against a wall or pillar while waiting for a bus or standing in line at the bank.

6) Keep footstools around the house. Alternatively prop up one leg on stool while doing standing chores.

7) Sleep on a firm mattress and find a comfortable position. The best sleep positions for your back are on your side with your knees bent or on your back with your knees elevated.

8) Wear low-heeled shoes,comfortable too.

9) While sitting for long hours rest feet on a low stool so that knees are above hips.

10) Do not sit or stand in one position for a very long time. Get up periodically and walk for a while.

11) Avoid activities which hurt back.

12) Do not sit in same position for long hours. It may prove hazardous to back. Take break in between and move around.

13) Avoid becoming overweight. Overweight increases the risk of back pain.

14) When you are at work stand up, walk around, stretch forward, backward, and side to side once in 30 minutes.

15) Increased stress and strain enhances the chances of back pain. Hence remember to relax!

16) A consistent plan of regular stretching is your best bet to minimize future pain. Regular practice of certain yoga poses helps minimize the effects that stress, poor posture, tight hips and hamstrings can have on back pain.

AND DON’T FORGET

17)Eat healthy food which is rich in fiber. Avoid sweets, oil, soft drinks and overeating to reduce the chances of weight gain.

Yoga and Pranayam have always proved the best way to combat back pain

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