Back pain affects millions of people around the world. Apart from the excruciating pain, back injuries also affect the quality of your day-to-day life. You may have to perform some tasks every day. On top of that, even the simplest activities like walking, running, or bending can be affected due to back pain if left untreated. Most back injuries happen due to additional pressure on the spine, and hence it’s essential to keep your spine stronger and healthier.
Did you know that more than 17,730 spinal cord injuries happen in the United States every year? And a majority of them are from Washington, DC.
It can be difficult to find medical care for your back injuries in such a case. Thankfully there are medical centers that deal with pain management Washington, DC. Spinal injuries can be hurtful; that’s why you should try to avoid them as much as possible. Therefore, here are five tips that you need to follow for a stronger and healthier spine.
Table of Contents
1. Follow a good sleeping posture to relax the spine/back
Your spine works all day to support your body structure and help you do daily tasks such as walking, jogging, and running. It goes through a lot of pressure throughout the day. When you lie down, all the pressure is released from your spine. But it’s important to sleep in the correct posture so that your spine can rest effectively and be healthier without running any risk of injuries.
It’s essential to keep your spine naturally aligned. You can use pillows to balance your posture and reduce the stress from your spine. If you regularly sleep on your back, place a pillow beneath your knees to reduce the stress from the lower back. If you sleep on your sides, you must place a pillow between your knees to balance your hips. Using a neck pillow also helps to support your cervical spine. A firm or medium-firm mattress also effectively reduces spinal injuries by supporting your spinal structure. Use a lumbar pillow when you sit in your office chair.
2. Strengthen your core muscles
Core muscles play a vital role in supporting your spine. Unfortunately, they are rarely used in our day-to-day life. If you follow a sedentary lifestyle or work a desk job, you are more likely to suffer from back pain and injuries in the long run—lack of strong core muscle results in poor body posture and spinal curvature. Your back gets hunched over, and it severely affects your body posture.
Thankfully with regular exercise, you can strengthen your core muscles. You can do specific exercises to target your core muscles and tone them. A physical therapist or doctor can help understand how your core muscles work and which exercises you need to follow to strengthen your core. If you spend a big part of your day sitting in a chair, stretching your back muscles regularly can help you reduce the stress and activate your core muscles.
3. Choose the right shoes
Your shoes play an essential role in supporting your lower back. Whether walking or running, your shoes need to provide much-needed support to reduce the intensity of impact when you walk or run. Your shoes support your spine, so your body can stand in an upright position. Make sure the shoe’s heel comfortably snugs your heel and doesn’t cause any pain. Your feet shouldn’t be rolling too much inside or outside. It could lead to foot as well as back injuries. It’s best to use different shoes for different purposes, mainly because they are designed to support a specific function. For example, running shoes are designed to support your feet when running. The same goes for hiking shoes, cycling shoes, and gym shoes.
4. Visit a spinal injury specialist
Dealing with back injuries can be painful, and it can get worse if you don’t seek any medical assistance. Car crashes are one of the major contributors to spinal cord injuries in Washington, DC. There were more than 40 fatal car accidents in Washington, DC, in 2021, which makes it evident to visit a medical center specializing in spine and pain management in Washington, DC. They have the proper medical knowledge and expertise to diagnose and treat your pain.
It’s important to understand that you shouldn’t indulge in self-treatment. A wrong diagnosis can result in more damage and permanent disability in many cases. That’s why it’s best to leave it to the experts and let a spine injury specialty take a look at your spine injuries or lower back pain.
5. Include body massages in your routine
Body massages are a great way to relax tensed muscles and strengthen them. Massages include applying pressures on different body parts, which help to relax the stiff muscles and improve blood circulation. Aromatherapy, along with a back massage, can also help to reduce stress and anxiety and help you relax for a healthier spine.
Spinal injuries can severely affect your life and might lead to permanent disability, and that is why you should never ignore lower back pains and spinal injuries. If you experience recurring lower back pain or face any spinal cord injury, seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Featured Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
