7 Daily Habits That May Be Contributing to Your Chronic Back Pain

 Back pain is incredibly common. It’s one of the biggest reasons people go to the doctor or miss work, and it’s a leading cause of disability worldwide. 75.8 million people struggle with back pain problems, amounting to nearly 30% of adults.

This affects people globally and is considered a global cause of disability when the pain becomes bad enough. Let’s find out more about what‘s leading to your persistent back problems by exploring the issues that cause them, and the habits that can make them worse.

Board-certified general orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joseph Daniels and the team of providers at Southwest Orthopedic Associates understand that back pain can be uncomfortable and even debilitating, which is why they offer orthopedic services to help manage your symptoms and get you back to living your daily life.

Causes of chronic back pain

The pain may be the result of any of several conditions, such as:

• Bulging or ruptured discs in the spine that press on sensitive nerves
• Osteoarthritis that comes from a lifetime of wear-and-tear activity
• A narrowing of the spinal canal known as spinal stenosis
• Osteoporosis, where the bones become porous and brittle and spontaneously fracture

However, it’s just as likely that the pain may develop from daily habits you’ve adopted without realizing that they’re not working in your favor.

7 daily habits that contribute to back pain

Here are seven possible causes of your back pain.

1. Poor posture

Your posture is the way you hold your body while doing things like standing, sitting, lifting, bending, pulling, or reaching. When your posture is good, the bones of the spine — the vertebrae — align correctly; your cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), and lumbar (lower back) curves are balanced correctly; and your weight is distributed evenly over your feet.

By aligning your body properly, you incur less strain on the muscles, joints, and ligaments in your back, and you’re at a reduced risk for back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Classic signs that your posture is not aligned are rounded shoulders, a stomach that protrudes, and a neck and chin that jut out, called a forward head position.

2. Extended periods of sitting

Many people, when they sit, tend to slouch into the chair or sofa instead of sitting up straight. Much like poor posture, this stresses the muscles and ligaments in your back and, over time, can add up to increased back pain. Try to get up and move around frequently so that you don’t put so much stress on your back.

3. Improper lifting

When you lift something heavy, always lift from the knees, not the back, and hold the object close to your body. This eases the strain on your back and makes it less likely that you’ll strain a muscle or sprain a ligament in the process.

4. Uneven weight carrying

Just as it’s important to lift objects properly, it’s important to balance the weight you carry. If you routinely carry multiple objects without balancing them across your body, your back has to strain to offset the load, leading to pulled muscles, misaligned vertebrae, and pain.

5. Unsupported sleep habits

Your posture when you sleep is just as important as when you’re standing up. You should be using a firm mattress that offers back support and a pillow that supports the curve of your neck. In addition, it helps to sleep with a pillow between your legs – it helps your back relax into a position where all the curves form naturally.

6. Lack of exercise

Your body is built to move, and it needs regular exercise to function at peak efficiency. If you don’t exercise, the muscles and ligaments can become stiff and weaken, leading to chronic aches and pain.

Studies have shown that, with a lack of physical activity, the paraspinal muscles atrophy, fat content increases, and low back pain results.

7. Tech neck

Tech neck is the term given to the act of looking down at a computer, smartphone, or tablet all day. The longer you keep your head in this position, the more the muscles have to work to keep your head up.

When you look down at, say, a 45-degree angle, your neck muscles work like they’re lifting a 50-pound weight. That strains the neck joints, including the discs, and it contributes to them wearing out. If the nerves become pinched as a result, you may develop numbness, tingling, or weakness that shoots into your arms.

Sit in a chair reclined 25-30 degrees that also has good lumbar support, and keep your eyes level with the screen. That way, the muscles in the back of your neck don’t need to contract to hold your head up for extended periods.

Dealing with back pain and looking for relief? Make an appointment at Southwest Orthopedic Associates, and we can help.