It is a patronizingly obvious statement, and one will have to forgive the pun, but the back is the spine of the human body. Of course, the very usage of the word spine to indicate the component that glues everything together derives from the role our backs play. The acknowledgement of the back’s importance has rendered great care to have been attributed to this yet to be fully discovered area of the body throughout human history. However, we have somewhat neglected paying the fullest attention to our backs and the demands of the day to day modern world have caused us to constantly put our spines in uncompromising positions, thereby slowly injuring it more and more. Some general rules ought to be adhered to on a daily basis to ensure we do not damage this vital part of the human anatomy.
Sleep Good
Our sleeping positions play a fundamental role in the health of our back. Sleeping on one’s back with one leg rested on top of another is good for the back, while it is also advisable to sleep on your right side.
Lying on your left side is less healthy but still ok, while sleeping on one’s stomach should be avoided at all costs.
Do not Twist Your Back for Long Periods
Twisting your back for long periods of time can cause serious long term damage. It is therefore advisable to make sure your television is positioned at a head on angle from where you like to sit.
Any other situations during which you tend to sit with your back twisted should be revised and if possible amended or avoided.
Don’t Ignore Your Back When in the Office
One of the biggest causes of modern day back problems occurs in nine-to-five office work or even more. You see, it isn’t normal for a human being to be seated in the same spot for hours on end. Get up and walk around the office every half hour, or do some simple stretches to warm up the muscles.
Also consider changing your office chair if you feel that it fails to provide you with the correct support. It is worth noting that if your chair is the cause of serious spinal cord damage and was provided by your work, you might be entitled to back injury compensation.
Exercise Your Back!
It’s as if many people forget that they have muscles in their spinal cords as so many of us forsake exercising our backs. There are a number of light exercises and stretches that can be done to get your blood flowing healthily through that region.
While exercising in the morning is advisable, there are other times when one ought to do so. For example, if one finds that they’ve been seated for an extended length of time; a few back stretches should be performed to stimulate its muscles.
Assume Correct Posture
Incorrect posture is another great cause of back damage. Stand up with your back straight and avoid a hunchback stance – if doing this seems unnatural, then you may very well have bad posture.
Coach yourself to adapt to good posture by simple practice. Back braces can also be acquired to force the correct posture on your body and train your back to get used to it.
Have Frequent Massages
I thought I’d save the best till last, as this will undoubtedly be the piece of advice you receive the most favorably. For the back, a good massage is like an MOT check for a car.
A good massage gets rid of that stiffness in your back caused by stress, unties any detrimental knots and leaves your back feeling relaxed and strong.
In addition, if you have any unnoticed back problems, there’ll more chance of discovering them during a massage.It’s also a fantastic way to end a long day at work.
