Are you tired of constantly experiencing back pain? Do you want to know what causes it and how to prevent it from happening again? Look no further! In this blog post, we will explore the three most common causes of back pain and provide tips on how to alleviate discomfort. Say goodbye to those long days spent in agony and hello to a happier, healthier life. Let’s get started!
Common Back Pain Causes
There are many different causes of back pain, but most often it is caused by a problem with one of 3 things. The Musculoskeletal system is made up of the bones, muscles, and joints in the body. When something goes wrong with any of these components, back pain can result. Muscle strain is one of the most common causes of back pain. This can happen when you overuse or injure your muscles. Lifting heavy objects or doing a lot of repetitive movements can lead to muscle strain. Other common causes of back pain include:
Cause 1: Injuries and Accidents
Injuries and accidents are considered unanticipated events that cause us to jerk or move suddenly. This means everything from a minor fall to a more serious car accident. Injuries to the back can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain. Often, the source of the pain may not be immediately apparent, which can make it difficult to diagnose and treat. If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible for an evaluation.
Cause 2: Medical Conditions
There are many different medical conditions that can cause back pain. Some of the more common ones include:
This is when the discs in your spine start to break down and deteriorate. This can lead to pain and stiffness in the lower back.
When a disc in your spine ruptures or bulges out. This can put pressure on the nerves in your spine and cause pain.
This happens when the spaces in your spine narrow, which can compress the nerves and cause pain.
A type of arthritis that affects the joints in your spine, causing pain and stiffness.
Cause 3: Poor Posture, Muscle Imbalance, and Bad Habits
Have you ever had back pain come “out of nowhere”? More common than accidents, we treat people who have bad standing or sitting posture. I’m sorry to say that the pain doesn’t come out of nowhere. Your muscles have actually been working improperly from sometimes years of bad habits. These bad habits lead to muscle imbalance. It’s a practical comparison to the straw that broke the camel’s back. You stood, twisted, or bent the wrong way 1 too many times and something finally gave.
When you slouch, it puts unnecessary strain on your spine and can cause the muscles and ligaments in your back to become tight and uncomfortable. Additionally, if you sit or stand for long periods of time without moving around, it can lead to stiffness and pain in your back. To avoid these problems, be sure to sit up straight and take breaks often to move around and stretch your body.
Prevention Strategies for Back Pain
There are a number of things you can do to prevent back pain. What’s great is we offer a lot of solutions right here in our blogs and on our youtube and other social media platforms. First, always maintain good posture when standing, sitting, or sleeping. That means keeping awareness of not slouching, rounding or letting your back sway. This can be hard to have self awareness and the drive to constantly be fixing your posture. Eventually it will become natural so keep at it!
Secondly, avoid lifting heavy objects without using proper technique. When lifting, bend your knees and keep the object close to your body. Be careful not to twist while bending to pick up heavy objects either. You want to make sure to bring your trunk with you. If you want more detailed explanations, check out this blog post.
Thirdly, exercise regularly to strengthen your core and improve your spinal flexibility. If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that when we need to strengthen the area of our spine it’s so much more than that. It involves your entire core which is made of many different muscles that go along both the front and back of your body. Improving your spinal flexibility can impact not just your back pain but may positively improve range of motion of other areas of the body. This includes but isn’t limited to your shoulders and hips. If you haven’t tried our 10 Min 10 Day Spine Mobility Challenge, make today your day 1 so you can see what benefits await you!
Staying Healthy
Sometimes the biggest preventative thing we can do for ourselves is listening to our bodies. They give us more signs than we want to recognize. We often become injured well after our bodies have shown signs of fatigue and asked us to stop. Make sure you’re taking the appropriate amount of breaks and staying hydrated to keep your body in good condition.
Now that we know the most common causes of back pain are poor posture and muscle imbalances, try to do little things every day to keep yourself healthy. If you struggle with back pain and don’t know what’s causing it, these issues are a great place to start. It is also important to seek medical advice if your back pain is persistent or severe as there may be more serious underlying conditions that need to be addressed. With the right treatment plan tailored for your needs, you can find relief from your back pains and live life free of discomfort.
If you’re experiencing back pain, check out our FREE guide to alleviating low back pain.
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