We oftentimes assume that injuries that send someone to the doctor are caused by acute trauma, and don’t get us wrong, plenty of injuries occur this way. However, a large portion of back problems develop slowly over time, and oftentimes the root cause of these problems are poor daily habits that eventually lead to pain or injury. If you’re not aware of how some of these mundane habits could be affecting your spine, you may be at risk for future back pain and not even know it. With that in mind, we wanted to use today’s blog to share five mindless habits that you may be doing that could be jeopardizing the health of your spine.
Subconscious Habits That Could Be Hurting Your Spine
Here’s a look at five habits that you may be doing subconsciously that could be hurting your spine.
- Checking Your Phone In Your Lap – A lot of us are guilty of repeatedly checking our phones throughout the day, and if you’re holding your phone in your lap and bending your neck forward in order to look at it, you’re putting a lot of repetitive strain on your cervical spine. It may only feel a little sore in the moment, but over time it can lead to cervical disc degeneration, which can contribute to herniated spinal discs or pinched nerves. Be mindful of how you position your head and neck when checking your phone.
- How You Sit In The Car – Another posture-related issue is how you sit when you’re in the car. If your seatback and the seat itself are not positioned properly, you may be leaning forward to see out the windshield or reclined so far back that you have to extend your neck out of a natural alignment to see where you’re going. You want to be sitting up straight with your head directly positioned above your shoulders in a comfortable position to help avoid prolonged stress on your spinal column when driving.
- Unsupportive Pillow – When was the last time you really evaluated the support that your pillow provides your head? If you haven’t replaced your pillow in years, or it’s lumpy and making it harder to find a comfortable position for your head, it’s time to get a new pillow. A pillow that is too thick may end up pushing your neck up too high, whereas too thin of a pillow may not provide enough support. Try out a few different pillows and find a firm but supportive option so that your neck remains in alignment while you sleep.
- Too Much Sitting/Not Enough Walking – It can be easy to want to sit on the couch after a long day at work, but if you were working a desk job and now you’re sitting at home, your body and spine isn’t getting the activity that it needs to thrive. Activity, even if it’s just little things like walking or standing, helps to get blood circulating and shifts how stress is dispersed across our spine. If you are living a sedentary life, you’re putting your back at risk of an injury because it isn’t strong or stable enough to support itself over the long-haul. Become more active, and your spine will be healthier for it.
- Ignoring Your Core – Finally, if you are an active individual, that’s great! However, if you’re only walking, running, cycling or lifting weights, you may be ignoring the one area that will do the most for your spine, and that’s your core. Your core muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing your spine. If you ignore your core, your back will get sore. It’s wonderful that you’re actively seeking exercise, but don’t just focus on your arms, your legs and your cardio. Sprinkle in some core work each week too.
If you’re dealing with back pain or similar symptoms, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute for help with a diagnosis and treatment plan. For more information, contact our office today at (651) 430-3800.
