It’s important to maintain good back health by doing things that help strengthen you than cause harm. What are the “things” we need to avoid? What are some basic activities we can do to prevent back problems from occurring?

Most people are aware of the saying “lift with the legs,” which means bending your knees when lifting something. There are some other tips you need to know to avoid a back injury.

First, the back disks are full of water first thing in the morning. This makes your back stiffer and less flexible when you first wake up. It also makes the stress on the disk more substantial when you lift earlier in the day. Avoid lifting heavy things or lifting from an awkward position first thing in the morning. If you have a choice of doing laundry in the morning or afternoon/evening, do it during the afternoon/evening hours.

Things to Avoid

When lifting something awkward or heavy, get some help. There’s no point in trying to be Superman/Superwoman by testing the limits of your back strength. A second person helping lift could save you from a lot of pain and disability.

Also, avoid sitting as much as possible. While some jobs make this difficult, there’s no reason to follow 8 hours of sitting at work with 4 hours of sitting at home in the evenings. The back thrives on motion, especially walking. Why not go for a thirty-minute walk after dinner, instead of sitting on the couch/chair? Sitting in a chair is an unnatural position for the spine. Best of all, walking can also pay dividends for your heart health and longevity.

Another important thing to do for low back pain is stretching. Stretching the calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps for 30 seconds each can help keep the back flexible. Remember how you should lift with your legs? If the legs muscles are tight and/or weak, the low back will take up much more of the weight and stress increasing injury.