Establish a disciplined habit
According to Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist and orthopedist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad (India), applying behavioral and habitual discipline in reducing daily sitting time, taking short walks and maintaining optimal body weight. At the same time, performing exercises to strengthen the back muscles can reduce back pain and the disability associated with this disease.
In fact, researchers say that any physical activity, whether it’s walking or a brisk workout, is better than standing or being sedentary. This also means that transitioning between positions is more important than simply finding the perfect position for your body.
Who is most susceptible to back pain?
Researchers examined the potential mechanisms behind back pain prevention and found that most patients had excess fat accumulation in the back muscles and impaired glucose metabolism or insulin sensitivity, said Dr. Sudhir Kumar.
However, back pain can be prevented or relieved by moving your body.
People over 30 are more likely to have back pain. As discs weaken and wear down with age, this can cause back pain and stiffness. In addition, people who are overweight or obese are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight can put a lot of pressure on the joints and discs.
Reduce sitting time to move your body
Dr Kumar suggests a regimen for people with sedentary jobs, in which to prevent back pain you need to stand up every 30-45 minutes of sitting.
Then, move around (walk at a light pace) for three minutes or do 10 squats and return to the chair.
Other ways to reduce sedentary time might include taking coffee breaks while standing, using the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking to a co-worker's desk to ask or answer questions (instead of calling or texting).
You should also strengthen your back muscles with back extension exercises. Dr Kumar says these can be easily done at home and take no more than a few minutes, but will yield great results for your back health.
