Are You Damaging Your Back?

The spine serves as a pillar to support our body’s weight and protect the highly important spinal cord. The spine has three natural curves, that together form an ‘S’ shape when viewed from the side. This special shape allows the spine to tolerate great amounts of pressure by providing an even distribution of weight.

This great strength is accompanied by high flexibility allowing us to move freely, but this also makes the spine vulnerable to injury and problems. Lifting heavy objects, twisting, or even just a sudden movement can cause muscles or ligaments to stretch or develop microscopic tears. Similarly, poor posture or repetitive movements can cause muscle strain.

Damage to your back can be very painful and can seriously affect your quality of life if it prevents you from doing normal activities, such as sitting at a desk, cooking and taking care of yourself. There are a number of ways that you can protect yourself from back pain or damage, many of which focus on your posture. Maintaining the correct position when standing, sitting and lying down is the most effective way of preventing injury.

Exercise is also a fundamental activity to take care of your spine. Strong core muscles provide support for your lower back, while cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or cycling, increases the flow of blood to the spine delivering nutrients and hydration.

There are also many other things you can do. Check our visual guide to see how you can improve your posture or lifting technique.

Use Good Posture to Protect Your Back