6 Common Causes of Back Pain
Some time or the other, all of us experience back pain in our lives. Though sometimes it might require medical or surgical intervention, most of the time it can be brought into our control by making lifestyle changes.
Listed below are the six causes of back pain, which can be avoided by giving it proper attention at an earlier stage itself.
1.Weight gain
Constantly carrying a lot of weight on your body puts pressure on your spinal cord and the muscles supporting them. Too much weight on the middle section of your spine causes your posture to shift, creating pain in your back. Losing the extra weight can get your posture back to normal and relieve the pain.
2.Lack of exercise
Irrespective of your height and weight being within a normal BMI, leading a sedentary lifestyle can become a major contributor to your back pain. The lack of regular usage can make your muscles sore and stiff. Regular exercise helps to keep the muscles on your back and abdomen, which support your spine strong. This makes it easier for your spine to bear the weight, improve your posture and reduce the pain. Talk to your doctor or your physiotherapist to find out what exercise would be right for you to maintain your posture.
3.Bad posture
Following the millennials’ lifestyle, which includes staring at the computer monitors, smartphones and laptops, we have come to the habit of slouching our shoulders and protruding our heads out most of the time. Our shoulders and our neck must be actually in perfect alignment with our hip for the right posture. This misalignment puts a lot of pressure on your spine. Start being aware of your posture and start correcting it whenever and wherever necessary. Once you start correcting your posture you will slowly get used to it and your back pain will start to reduce.
4.Your shoes
If you are wearing shoes which do not provide proper support and distribute pressure equally to your foot, it can result in pain on your feet as well as on your back. High heels can keep your feet in an unnatural position and creates an impact on your muscles and ligaments because they do not distribute weight properly through your feet. If you are already suffering from back pain, it is imperative that you start wearing shoes that have a good arch, proper heal support.
5.Smoking
This might be alarming, but smoking cigarettes can be an essential reason for back pain. Nicotine can have a negative effect on your blood flow and prevent the proper circulation of blood to your back. Nicotine can also inhibit your body’s ability to absorb calcium and make your bones weak. Quitting smoking when you have the chance can avoid complications later.
6.Stress Or Depression
Excess stress or depression releases cortisol in your body, which creates a lot of tension on your shoulder and back muscles. This leads to the build-up of excess fat around your belly, resulting in severe weight gain and making your spine compensate by arching forward. Of you are suffering from stress or depression and not sure if the right way to deal with it, it is better to contact a psychiatrist at the earliest.
