You didn’t lift anything heavy. You haven’t fallen or injured yourself. So why does your back seem to hurt more at the end of every day?
Sometimes, the answer is hiding in your daily habits: how you sit, how you move, or how you lift.
At Pain Medicine Group, our team of interventional pain management specialists helps people throughout Florida identify what’s contributing to their back pain and develop personalized strategies to feel and function better.
Could one or more of the following five everyday habits be worsening your back pain?
Between your commute, workday, and evening streaming binge, you may spend far more time sitting than you realize.
Unfortunately, sitting for hours on end can contribute to stiffness and may aggravate lower back pain, particularly when you sit in the same position for hours. Slouching places even more stress on the muscles that support your spine.
Break up long periods of sitting. Stand, stretch, or walk around periodically throughout your day. At work, adjust your chair so your feet rest comfortably on the floor and your back is supported.
Think about where your phone is while you’re reading this. Is it down near your lap with your head tilted forward?
Your head is surprisingly heavy, and the muscles of your neck and upper back have to support it. Frequently holding your head in a forward position while texting, scrolling, or working on a laptop can strain those muscles and contribute to neck and upper back discomfort.
In fact, keeping your head craned at that angle can add up to 60 pounds of pressure on your neck.
Bring your phone closer to eye level instead of tilting your head down to your phone. If you work on a laptop for long stretches, use a laptop stand and a separate keyboard and mouse.
Give yourself regular breaks from your screen. Your back — and your eyes — will appreciate it.
You sit most of the week, but when Saturday arrives, you get busy mowing the lawn, tackling a home project, or squeezing in an intense workout. Sound familiar?
Your spine relies on the muscles surrounding it for support. When those muscles aren’t regularly conditioned, suddenly asking them to handle hours of strenuous activity can leave you sore and may aggravate an existing back problem.
Aim for more consistent movement throughout the week rather than saving it all for Saturday and Sunday. Walking, strength training, stretching, and other appropriate exercise builds the strength and flexibility that support your back.
If you already have chronic back pain, talk with the team at Pain Medicine Group before starting a new exercise program. We can help determine which activities are appropriate for your condition.
A laundry basket, case of water, or even a grocery bag can strain your back if you lift it awkwardly.
To keep your back happy when lifting, following these tips:
If something is too heavy for you to lift safely, ask for help.
Ignoring back pain and hoping it disappears can sometimes turn a manageable problem into one that increasingly interferes with your life.
Listen to your back, and modify activities that consistently trigger symptoms. Don’t automatically retreat to bed, however. Prolonged bed rest generally isn’t recommended for uncomplicated back pain.
If your pain persists, keeps returning, or starts limiting what you can do, come in for an evaluation to determine what's causing it and start an appropriate treatment plan.
Better posture and smarter lifting help, but back pain isn’t always caused by your daily habits.
Herniated discs, spinal stenosis, arthritis, sciatica, and other spinal conditions can cause persistent back pain. If there’s an underlying problem, changing how you sit won’t necessarily make it disappear.
That's where our multidisciplinary team at Pain Medicine Group comes in. Depending on your diagnosis and needs, your treatment plan may incorporate medication, physical therapy, lifestyle modifications, and interventional pain management procedures.
If you’ve already made changes and your back still hurts, don’t keep rearranging your life around the pain. Contact our pain management specialists in Sarasota or Oviedo, Florida, to schedule an evaluation and find out which treatment options can help you move more comfortably.
