Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the UK, affecting almost 1 in 10 people. Suffering from back pain can be debilitating and have a significant impact on your work and social life. But did you know that making a few simple lifestyle changes can reduce the amount of back pain you experience?
A recent study by researchers in Sweden found that people who lived a healthy lifestyle were much less likely to develop chronic back problems. This article will explain why healthy living can have a positive effect on your back.
What is a healthy lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle is living in a way that maximizes your health, energy levels, and physical capacity. The five main components of a healthy life include:
-
Eat a nutritious diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet ensures that your body has the energy and nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
-
Exercise regularly
Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week (half if exercising at high intensity). You should also do strength training for all major muscle groups each week. This ensures that your muscles, ligaments, bones, and cardiovascular system remain healthy.
-
Control your weight
A healthy lifestyle includes maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise.
-
Managing your stress levels
Being stressed can have a dramatic impact on your body, spiking your blood sugar levels, causing anxiety, and slowing down your metabolism. Finding ways to manage stress is an important part of enjoying a healthy lifestyle.
-
Get enough sleep
The body uses sleep to heal the body, regulate hormones, eliminate toxins, and much more. Sleep is an important part of staying healthy and happy.
How will leading a healthy lifestyle help your back?
Living a healthy lifestyle will not only give you more energy, improve the quality of your life, and help you live longer, it can also help you avoid back pain. Here is how:
Better core strength to support your back
Exercising regularly will ensure that the muscles in your abdomen and lower back are well developed. Keeping these muscles strong will help take some of the strain off your spine and provide support. You will be less likely to injure or twist your back and there will be less pressure on your back each day.
Better posture
Staying active and in good physical shape will also help you improve your posture. It will be easier to keep your spine straight when sitting, walking, and running, helping you avoid back pain.
Less weight means a healthier back
The UK is still going through an obesity epidemic with over 62% of adults being overweight or obese. Unfortunately, carrying all of this extra weight can contribute to back pain and change the alignment of the spine. Living a healthy lifestyle helps you avoid obesity and stay in an appropriate weight range for your age, gender, and height.
Spend less time sitting
Sitting for prolonged periods is one of the main risk factors for back pain and lower back disorders. Essentially, the longer you spend sitting, the more likely you are to have back pain. Living a healthy lifestyle helps because it is a more active lifestyle. You will spend less time sitting in front of the computer or television and more time moving.
Your spine will have the nutrients it needs
The human spine requires many nutrients to develop new tissue and repair itself, including vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B12, iron, and protein. Eating a healthy and nutritious diet ensures that your spine has all of these important nutrients.
Lower risk of degenerative spinal injuries
A healthy lifestyle is one that avoids cigarettes and excessive alcohol consumption. This can help you avoid certain illnesses and injuries. For example, researchers have found that smoking can increase the risk of degenerative disc disease and low back pain. Other research has shown that people who drink excessively are more likely to injure their backs.
You are more likely to get professional help
Having a healthy lifestyle makes a person more aware of their health and they are more likely to see a medical professional if something is wrong. This means that you will not hesitate to see a chiropractor or general practitioner if your back hurts, which will help you identify and treat a spinal injury or other back problem before it worsens.
