Long working hours, bad posture, and obesity are some of the major factors causing back pain.
A proper posture helps ease the strain on your back muscles
Back pain is a significant health issue for the spinal joints and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It's a common medical condition in which there's pain or discomfort in the region between the neck and the pelvis. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2050, there will likely be 843 million cases of lower back pain worldwide, with Africa and Asia seeing the biggest increases due to growing populations and longer lifespans.
Long working hours, bad posture, and obesity are some of the major factors causing back pain, which, if severe, may require medical intervention. However, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, along with lifestyle modifications like physical activity and maintaining good posture, can help people manage and reduce the impact of back pain in their daily lives.
Here are a few ways that can help manage back pain:
1. Maintaining good posture: Having a proper posture helps ease the strain on your back muscles. If standing for extended periods, relieve lower back pressure by placing one foot on a low footstool and alternating between feet. By consistently practicing good posture, you can effectively minimise stress on your back muscles.
2. Regular exercise: By regularly exercising, flexibility and mobility of the joints increase, which helps in curbing back pain issues. There is a tendency to avoid exercising in the winter, but one should engage in low-impact aerobics activities such as walking, bicycling, and stretching to take care of the joints and prevent back pain issues.
3. Maintaining a healthy weight: Obesity is one of the major causes of back pain in people, as it places pressure on the spine, resulting in further back pain issues. One should maintain a healthy weight and indulge in a healthy lifestyle.
4. Eating healthy: Maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding smoking, which can impair blood flow to the spine, can contribute to back health. Also, having calcium- and vitamin-D-rich foods in your diet helps maintain good bone health, which will prevent back pain issues.
5. Avoid taking stress pills: Back discomfort seems to be more common among those who are depressed and anxious. Tension in the muscles brought on by stress can aggravate back discomfort. One should engage themselves in activities that can help with stress management.
In cases of continuous back pain with symptoms like numbness, weakness, or radiating pain down the legs, early intervention is important. A timely diagnosis is essential for determining an appropriate treatment, which may involve physical therapy, medication, or, in some situations, surgeries.
(Dr. Gajendra Singh Sandhu, Consultant Neurosurgery at Manipal Hospital, Ghaziabad)
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