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Have you ever experienced pains in your back when doing mundane things like pulling weeds or tying your shoelace? If yes, then you will know how debilitating it can be, and how much it can stop you from enjoying life.  At some point, we all get to know the importance of our mom’s reminder to always stand straight and stop slouching. When you slouch, your ligaments and muscles can get strained, which puts you off balance and lead to back pain and other problems.  

The truth is that the health of your spine and back is largely dependent on your posture. Good posture is a simple but effective way to reduce the risk of back pain and neck pain. More so, if you spend many hours in front of a computer or stand for long during the day, you need to learn how to keep a good posture to prevent back pain. And that is what we always recommend at our Chiropractic Office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain with Good Posture

Here are some tips to help you maintain good posture to prevent back pain.

Sitting posture:

• Keep your back aligned against the back of the chair with lumbar support. Lean forward and avoid slouching.
• Get an ergonomically designed chair to properly support your back and spine if your work requires you to sit for long hours.
• Keep your knees even with your hips when sitting in your office chair
• Practice regular stretching even when sitting in an ergonomic chair to prevent back pain. Pause and take a walk from time to time to stretch out your muscles.
• Sit with your shoulders straight and your head straight when looking into your computer.

Walking posture:

• Avoid pushing your head forward
• Keep your shoulder aligned with other parts of your body
• Keep your eyes looking straight ahead and your head up

Sleeping posture:

• Use a relatively firm mattress for proper back support (although individual preference exists)
• Use a pillow to get the right alignment and support for your head, neck, and shoulder
• Sleeping on your back or on one side is healthier for your spine than sleeping on your stomach.
• Some do better by placing a relatively flat pillow in between their legs when sleeping on their side.

Standing posture:

• Keep your feet slightly apart
• Allow your weight to rest mostly on the balls of your feet, not on your heels.
• Stand straight and tall
• Stand and walk with your feet pointing straight ahead.
• Tuck your chin in to keep your head level
• Ensure your head is not pushed out forward but resting squared on top of the spine
• Allow your arms to hang naturally down the sides of your body.

Always remember that the major cause of back pain is tension in the back muscles and in your spine. So you can follow the measures above and include regular exercises in your routine to prevent back pain. You can also consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office, Elizabeth City, NC. You will get the best chiropractic care and support to maintain a good posture to prevent back pain.