Knowing the risks of any situation can help you make informed choices, and that’s one of the things we strive to do with our blog about spine pain and injuries. If we can help you understand what stresses your spine and how to protect it, we can greatly help to reduce the risk of spine injury. Because as much as we like seeing you in our office, we’d prefer that you never injure your spine in the first place. To help you understand the risks to your spine, we wanted to take a look at the nine most common risk factors for developing back pain.
9 Factors That Increase Your Spine Pain Risk
Here’s a look at nine factors that play a role in your spine pain risk. Some of these risk factors can be controlled, while others cannot. It’s important that you recognize where you may be at risk and what you can do to help protect your spine.
- Age – Age is one of the driving factors of spine pain, and there’s not much you can do about it. Microtrauma and stress over the years can slowly wear down your spinal discs and contribute to back pain. Strive for a healthy spine when you’re younger, because it will be easier to maintain your spine health as you get older and time has its effects on your body.
- Genetics – Whether you won the genetic lottery or you attribute your bad back to your Dad, your genetics can play a role in your spine health. If you know you’re at risk for certain spinal issues due to a family history, bring these to the attention of your doctor.
- Weight – The more weight you carry, the more stress your spine is going to have to distribute, and oftentimes this extra weight falls back on the spine. Losing just a few pounds can take a lot of stress off your spine, so strive for a healthy weight throughout your life.
- Exercise – Exercise and your fitness level also can be a predictor of your spine health risk. While physical activity can lead to the onset of spine injuries, regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for prolonged spine health.
- Your Job – If you work on an assembly line or you’re constantly bending over to perform tasks throughout the day, that’s going to have a long-term impact on your spine. Construction workers, roofers and other manual laborers all have a higher-than-average likelihood of back pain development as they get older because of the hazards of their job.
- Tobacco Use – Arguably the easiest of these nine factors to control is your smoking habit. That’s not to say that quitting is easy, but ditching tobacco can greatly reduce your risk of spine problems. Smoking limits healthy blood flow to the spine and can speed up degenerative disc disease.
- Mental Health – Your mental health also plays a big role in the physical health of your body. Stress, anxiety and depression can all have physical repercussions for your health, so be mindful of your total body wellness – the physical, mental and emotional aspects of your health.
- Accessories – Heavy backpacks are one of the most common reasons that kids develop spine issues, and heavy purses or bags can do the same for adults. Make sure you don’t overload things you plan to carry, and try to evenly distribute weight across your body.
- Sports – Sports are a big factor in spine health risk, but these injuries can be tough to prevent. Taking the time to stretch and wearing the right safety gear can help lower your risk, but with intense physical activity will come injuries. Do what you can with technique and training to lower your risk.
If you’re aware of the risks to your spine, we’re confident that you can work to lower your risk of injury. But if something occurs and your back starts hurting, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and his team today.
