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 AUGUST 31, 2006 Preventing Stress-Related Back Pain Stress may be a leading risk factor for back pain, but you can control stress in your personal life and keep back pain at bay. Each of us has individual risk factors that may lead to back pain. These include lack of physical activity/too much physical activity, poor muscle endurance, poor trunk muscle stabilization, excessive weight, lack of sleep/fatigue, emotional instability, and family problems. Other risk factors for back pain include: repetitive bending, twisting, pushing, pulling and lifting, such as during sports; slipping, tripping, or falling; sitting or standing for too long; twisting the spine while carrying something, such as groceries; and mental fatigue, which may lead you to forget to lift properly. Take the following measures to reduce the impact of stress on your back health: -- Treat your back right. Pay close attention to your posture while lifting or stretching. It is important to maintain the natural curves in the spine to reduce your risk of back spasm. -- Keep physically active. Regular physical activity can help alleviate stress and minimize its impact. Aerobic activities like walking and swimming are particularly good for someone with back pain. -- Train your abdominal muscles to help strengthen and support the back. Do a series of simple abdominal curls regularly. -- Maintain and develop your back muscles. Strong back muscles are less prone to spasm. Do a specific exercise program for the back, including toe touches (with and without rotation), hurdler stretch, pelvic tilt, back extension, and hip extension. Illustrations of these exercises are available in Chapter 7: The Back and Ribs in the Sports Injury Handbook. -- Avoid long car rides or long sessions sitting in front of the computer. |
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