Prevention of Back Problems

What Makes a Healthy Back?

Your back is your body’s main support. Along with your muscles and joints it allows you to move and carry weight. But your back is also a delicate, finely balanced structure that can easily be injured if not cared for properly. Knowing just the basics of back care can make the difference between a healthy back and an aching one.

Chronic Low Back Pain

You don’t have to put up with that nagging ache in your lower back. Here are seven lifestyle habits common in people with chronic low back pain. They’re all things you can change!

How many of them apply to you?

• Do you have poor muscle tone?
• Are you a smoker?
• Do you wear high heels?
• Are you under excessive stress?
• Do you have poor work habits, improper lifting techniques, poor sitting posture?
• Do you lack daily exercise?
• Are you more than 20 percent overweight?

If you answered yes to two or more questions, you may already be hurting, or chronic low back pain may be in store for you some time in the future. Pick two habits you’re ready to change. Remember, even a small or gradual change can make a difference.

Basic Back-Saving Tips

• Start a regular exercise program to keep your back and abdominal muscles flexible and strong.
• Push, don’t pull. You’ll have twice as much power and less chance of injury.
• Always face forward with your shoulders, feet and hips when you’re lifting or carrying.
• Keep walkways, stairs and halls clear. Be on the lookout for tripping or slipping hazards.
• When seated, support your lower back with a pillow or a rolled-up towel.
• Sleep on your side or your back.
• Rest one foot on a footstool when you’re standing.
• Lift with your legs, not your back. Remember, legs lift, backs break.

If you or someone you know is suffering from chronic back pain, we’d like to be the ones to get you back to full health.

Your Florida Chiropractor

With locations in Miami, Miami Gardens, North Miami Beach, Plantation, Lauderhill and Pembroke Pines we can accommodate your busy schedule with an appointment near you. Feel free to schedule here, call us at 1.800.811.1231 or drop by for a visit to see why we are considered by many patients to be the best chiropractors in South Florida.