Preventing Back Pain: 6 Simple Tips for a Healthy Spine

Back pain is one of the most common health issues globally, affecting millions of people across all age groups. The good news is that back pain is rarely serious but can significantly affect your quality of life. Fortunately, you can take several proactive steps to help prevent it. Adopting healthy habits can keep your back strong, flexible, and pain-free.

1. Staying active: One of the best ways to prevent lower back pain is to stay active with regular exercise, such as walking, swimming, yoga, or Pilates. Activities such as these help strengthen the muscles that support the back, maintain good mobility, and improve overall health, which is important for maintaining a healthy spine.

2. Maintain a healthy weight: If you are overweight, your chances of experiencing back pain increase. Through a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise you can take a preventative steps to reducing the likelihood of back pain. Additionally, a balance diet that ensures enough Vitamin D and calcium will keep you bones strong, helping to prevent osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease which can cause back pain in older populations.

3. Cease smoking: Numerous studies show a link between cigarette smoking and back pain. Smoking also increases your risk for osteoporosis and impacts overall health, including the experience of musculoskeletal conditions, such as back pain. Speak with your GP or health care professional if you want support in stopping smoking.

4. Ensure you have a great work setup: Many of us have desk-based jobs and spend large amounts of the day sitting. Such activity patterns can increase joint stiffness, reduced blood flow, and muscle deconditioning; if activity levels are generally reduced, this can also contribute to the development of back pain. Aim to take regular breaks every 30 minutes to move or stretch and ensure you have had a DSE assessment of your workplace, as these are positive steps in caring for your back.

5. Care for your mental health: It might seem strange that how we feel influences our physical symptoms, but research demonstrates that our mental state can directly impact our aches and pains and that anxiety and stress can intensify those symptoms. While good mental health is not a one-size-fits-all approach, we can certainly form habits that can help us build resilience. Seeking support if you are struggling is paramount. Take time in the day to have a quiet moment, perhaps to practice mindfulness. As we’ve mentioned, activity is not only great for us physically, but it can also be a powerful tool in supporting good mental health, helping to release ‘feel good’ hormones, and alleviating stress.

6. Get a good night’s sleep: Sleep is important for many human functions. Sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and overall health. Research has shown that poor quality or lack of sleep is associated with an increased risk of many diseases and disorders. Consistently poor sleep can also be attributed to increased pain and back pain risk. Developing a good routine can help you get the sleep your body needs. Limiting devices before bed can help you drift off sooner, along with keeping a consistent bedtime and morning alarm. Try to stop caffeine intake 6-8 hours before you go to bed. Alcohol is also shown to disrupt your natural sleep cycle, reducing the quality and restorative nature of sleep. The benefits of exercise extend beyond helping prevent back pain; it can also improve our sleep quality, which is important in helping prevent back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions.