Back pain is far too common, and because your spine is a large and complex system, spine pain can develop when your body is in a number of different positions. Sometimes back pain develops while you’re active, other times it gets sore when you’re seated, and for some, back pain is at its worst when they are lying down. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how you can prevent back pain from settling in during those three common positions, when you’re seated, running and sleeping.
Sitting
A seated position is a spot we likely find ourselves in more often than we should, especially if we work a desk job or do a lot of driving for a living. Sitting can be extremely hard on your spine if you have bad posture, like if you’re hunched forward or reclined too far back. This will put excess pressure on your lumbar or cervical spine. To help prevent spine pain when seated, make sure you are seated in a supportive chair and that you have good posture with your head positioned over your shoulders. However, the best way to avoid back pain while sitting is to limit the time you spend in a seated position. Stand up and move around for a couple minutes every half hour, consider investing in a sit-to-stand workstation, or do some exercise routines while you’re watching television instead of just sitting for an extended period.
Running
Running is a great way to improve your overall health, but like any physical activity, it will be hard on your body. This can be particularly true when it comes to running and your spine. With every step you take, stress from the impact of landing is channeled into your spine. Over time, this microtrauma can lead to structure damage or tissue breakdown. To help prevent this, you’ll want to:
- Stretch before and after exercise.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Stay hydrated.
- Land lightly on your feet.
- Invest in a supportive shoe that helps to displace stress.
- Slowly increase your running duration or distance.
- Consider other exercises instead of just running so that you’re not overstressing your body by not giving it enough time to heal from stress and microtrauma.
Sleeping
Finally, while sleeping is not all that stressful of an activity for your spine, you still need to be mindful about your sleeping habits, otherwise they can contribute to back pain. For starters, make sure you invest in a quality and supportive mattress. If you can’t remember the last time you replaced your mattress, odds are it’s no longer the most supportive for your spine. Also, strive to make your sleeping environment as conducive to restful sleep as possible. Go to bed around the same time every night, make the room as dark as possible and get rid of distractions like your cell phone or a television that could keep you from falling asleep and staying asleep. Finally, avoid things like caffeine or alcohol later in the evening, as these can make it harder to achieve restful sleep. Sleep needs to be a time when your spine recovers from the stress of the day, and if you don’t recharge your batteries while sleeping, either will your spine, and that can lead to pain.
For more information, or for help with your back pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today.
