Chronic back pain can interfere with every facet of your life, slowing you down and limiting your daily activities. While many people believe that back pain comes from injuries or overexertion, most chronic pain develops from activities you’ve performed over time. Daily activities that seem benign often contribute to many patients’ back pain.
A Queens, NY chiropractor will reduce or eliminate your back pain by realigning your spine. Chiropractors can also help you recognize what daily decisions and activities are contributing to your back pain. Check out these eight everyday activities that cause back pain and some changes you can make to improve your quality of life.
One: Shaving, Brushing Your Teeth, and Applying Make-up
Leaning over the sink while attending to your morning health and beauty routines may enable you to see better, but it puts your back in a bad position. Whether you’re trying to meet your mirror’s height or want a closer look, leaning contributes to poor posture. The longer you stay in that position, the more you strain your lumbar region and risk your neck’s cervical discs. Investing in a taller mirror, placing it in a different wall position, or putting it on a wall where you can approach it with a straight spine helps combat posture-related back pain.
Two: Keeping a Wallet in Your Back Pocket
Many people, especially men, place their wallets in their back pockets. While this may seem like a safe and comfortable way to keep your wallet in place, it contributes to poor posture by forcing you to twist your hips while sitting. Every degree counts in spine alignment, so even the slightest twisted posture contributes to chronic back pain.
If you prefer keeping your wallet in your back pocket, make it a new habit to remove it when sitting down.
Three: Working at a Desk
Working at a desk seems safe and comfortable, but sitting in your computer chair for hours will strain your lower back. Even the most ergonomic chair designs don’t make up for the poor posture many desk workers adopt while sitting.
You can combat back pain at your desk by changing your posture frequently, standing up and stretching, or going for a short walk every hour or so.
Four: Sleeping
Poor sleeping positions affect your spine and can cause chronic back pain. Stomach sleepers often suffer from lower back pain, while side sleepers misalign their spine if they’re not sleeping on the right mattress. Back sleepers experience the least amount of back pain, though they may still hurt themselves by using too many pillows or the wrong type of mattress. Purchasing a mattress conducive to your sleeping style can help diffuse back pain. You can also add evening and morning stretches to your daily routine to keep your back feeling good throughout the day.
Five: Resting Too Long
Among the activities that cause back pain, resting habits can also be part of the problem. In contrast to common belief, resting because your back hurts may cause you to experience more pain than good. Lack of physical activity can put your back muscles and bones under tremendous pressure, adding more discomfort.
Go for walks or engage in light exercise before resting to loosen your back up, which can increase the relaxation a rest will do for you.
Six: Housekeeping Activities
Lifting laundry into your washer, pulling it out of the dryer, and folding and hanging clothing require a lot of twisting and muscular activity. Other housekeeping responsibilities like sweeping, mopping, and doing dishes also put stress on your back. Deeper cleaning projects involve bending, stooping, and using physical force to scrub dirt or grime away.
While a lot of people feel sore and tired after a thorough cleaning day, you might accidentally strain your back too much. Common problems attributed to heavy cleaning activities may include pulled muscles or pinched nerves. A chiropractor can help pinpoint pain from housekeeping duties and relieve it through spine realignments.
Seven: Shoes Lacking Arch Support
Your feet require proper arch support to balance your body and relieve your spine. When you wear shoes without arch support, your feet may hurt, but the pain can also radiate into your lower back, shoulders, and neck. Popular shoe styles that can contribute to lower back pain include:
- Ballet flats
- Loafers
- Flip flops
- Sandals
- Skate shoes
Some people accidentally purchase and wear shoes made for flat-footed people since many shoe manufacturers don’t advertise a specific build.
You can fix problems with your current flat shoes by wearing them for shorter periods or putting cushioned insoles in them. When purchasing new shoes, always check for arch support.
Eight: Using a Backpack, Messenger Bag, or Laptop Bag
Regardless of how ergonomic the build is, backpacks and shoulder bags can cause muscle fatigue, lumbar disc compression, and back strain. Traveling long distances with these accessories puts your body under much pressure, especially if loaded with books or technological devices. You can practice care to use these items safely by following these tips:
Tips for Backpacks
Since backpacks put weight on both shoulders, make sure to distribute the weight inside evenly. Some backpack models come with attachments so you can store items outside of the main zipper; if you use these, make sure you balance the weight. When you can, leave heavier items at home so you don’t have unnecessary weight on your back.
Tips for Shoulder Bags
Messenger and laptop bags typically rest on one shoulder, with most of the weight pushed to the opposite side. Practice regularly switching shoulders so you don’t let one side of your body develop strains.
Stop Back Pain With a Visit to Chiropractic Approach, P. C. in Queens, NY
Lower back pain can debilitate you and make everyday activities an unpleasant experience. Fight the effects of activities that cause back pain by visiting us at Chiropractic Approach in Queens, NY. Our professional chiropractors know how to work out those knots and align your spine so you can get back to enjoying life again.
Call us at (718) 275-1313 to schedule your appointment with Chiropractic Approach today. Unsure if you need chiropractic therapy? Learn about the signs that you should see a chiropractor.
