Summer is here and many people will be heading out to their gardens and lawns for enjoyment and exercise. For those who love to garden but suffer from back pain at the end of a day outside, resting and relaxing in a chair equipped with a proper back support is always a good idea when the chores are done. Another helpful hint is to try and garden in such a way as to prevent back strains and pulled muscles. Here are some tips to make your gardening enjoyable while keeping your back healthy.

1.After a long winter your body may not be used to the stretches and bends that pulling weeds and planting plants requires, so it’s a good idea to warm up your muscles a bit before heading into the garden. Do some stretches and take a brief walk to get the blood flowing and your muscles limbered up.

2.Try to kneel when pulling weeds instead of bending from the waist. There are many products on the market today to make kneeling more comfortable, such as knee pads, kneeling mats and rolling carts that allow you to move about the garden without having to bend at all.

3.If you are digging out a garden or transferring soil into a garden from a different location, be sure to use a cart or wheelbarrow to get the soil as close to the garden as possible. This will eliminate the lifting of heavy shovels of dirt which can put a strain on the back.

4.Try to change activity frequently to avoid the stiffness that can result from remaining in one position too long.

5.Be sure to wear comfortable shoes that protect and support your feet.

6.Carrying heavy watering cans can strain the back so whenever possible do your watering with a garden hose. There are many adjustable nozzles and attachments that make watering with a hose completely safe and gentle even for new plantings.

7.If potting and tending to greenhouse plants is on your list of chores, be sure that all workbenches are built to a comfortable height that eliminates the need for bending or reaching. Workbenches should be about two to four inches below the height of your elbow. If you prefer to sit to work, be sure your stool is high enough that you don’t need to reach too far.

8.If you know that back pain comes with your gardening efforts, it might be wise to rethink your garden design. Replace some lower gardens with raised beds that require less bending, and choose plants that fill in well so weeding is kept to a minimum. Adding mulch to a garden bed can also reduce the need for weeding which not only saves time in the garden; it also helps reduce the strain on your back.

9.When choosing tools for your gardening, always try them out for proper weight and height to suit your needs. Try to choose the most ergonomic handles and designs.

10.Try to use a lawn mower with an easy pull start to avoid the jerky motion that can cause strains and spasms.

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Anyone who has ever suffered a back spasm knows how incredibly painful it can be. For the period of time while the spasm is happening, most sufferers are rendered almost totally immobile. Taking care of your back by maintaining good posture, good standing, lifting and exercising habits, as well as using practical aids such as a car seat support, are all vital to good back health, but can never entirely ensure that a spasm won’t occur. So what causes a back muscle to spasm and what can a person do to find relief? Here is some information that should help.

There are actually several things that can cause a back muscle to spasm. Common causes might be:

-A sudden push or pull that exerts too much force on the back muscles such as one might obtain playing sports such as football, basketball, golf etc. can cause back muscles to become inflamed or strained and lead to muscle spasms.

-Sports that demand repetitive forces like tennis, squash, handball, etc. can also result in back muscle spasms due to the overuse and straining of these muscles.

-Back spasms also occur frequently in people who suddenly participate in a sport that they have not played before and whose back muscles are relatively weak.

-Improper exercise technique and forgetting to warm up the muscles before exercising can also cause back muscles to spasm. This is especially true in activities such as weightlifting and training where back muscles can be easily strained.

-Overreaching and poor lifting practices, even when just performing everyday activities can cause painful back muscle spasms. It’s not unheard of for a person to suffer a back spasm just reaching for something on a high shelf or stretching to pass an item from the front seat to the back seat of the car.

Relief for a back muscle spasm that is caused by one of the above reasons can generally be obtained without medical treatment. Here are a few suggestions that may help:

-When a spasm first starts, it is best to stop whatever activity you are engaged in and either sit or lie down.

-Try to resist the urge to tense other muscles. Although this is a common reaction to spasm pain, it is far more hurtful than helpful. Try to keep your muscles relaxed. Breathing deeply is often a good tactic for muscle relaxation.

-Once you are a little more relaxed, and the pain eases up a bit, try some gentle stretching exercises or massage to calm the muscles.

-Applying an ice pack when a spasm first occurs can be helpful, but heat therapy can provide soothing relief to the strained muscle once the spasm has passed.

-Over the counter pain medication and muscle relaxants can help with the initial pain of a back spasm.

Although understanding the causes and knowing how to treat back spasms, is very useful, it is even more important to be able to prevent them altogether. Try to keep back muscles limber by regular exercise and stretches, and by maintaining good posture and work habits. Never engage in strenuous activities without warming the muscles, and avoid sudden participation in activities that you are not used to.

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If you’re an office worker, it’s likely you’ll spend the majority of your day sitting at your desk. While you’re busy carrying out your duties, your spine and back are being subjected to holding your posture as you sit in your office chair. The full weight of the upper body is transferred onto the lower back, buttocks and thighs, and there is increased pressure on the lower spinal discs. In addition, if you are usually slouched or slumped in your chair or have poor posture habits, this could amount to hours of unhealthy strain and stress placed on your back – a certain trigger for future spinal problems and pain.
The solution? Invest in a good posture and back support for your office chair. Here are 6 great reasons why:

1.When sitting without a good support, it’s easy for the pelvis to slightly rotate under the body, causing most of the upper body’s weight to be placed on the tail-bone and surrounding area. This also affects the curvature of the spine in such a way that the neck is compressed when it is lifted (e.g., like when looking at a computer screen). The neck and shoulders will be tensed in order to support the head.

2.Many office workers like to sit while bending towards their desk, leaning their head forward and supporting it with a bent arm. This affects the alignment of the spine and results in extra strain being placed on the area between the shoulder blades as well as the lower back. A head that leans forward over a desk without the support of an arm will lead to tension in the shoulders which have to over-use their muscles to support the head’s unbalanced weight.

3.Circulation can also be affected when sitting. Gravity naturally pools blood in the feet and legs and makes it sluggish when returning to the heart. This can cause fatigue and is generally weakening to the body’s whole health. Having a balanced and healthy posture will optimize the body’s blood circulation, as well as taking frequent breaks to walk and move around during long periods of sitting. Conversely, having a poor posture could lead to parts of the body receiving very limited blood-flow and becoming numb. If this is a frequent occurrence, muscle degradation can begin in this area over time.

4.A posture chair support helps the body to sit squarely on the pelvic bones so that weight is evening distributed onto the back’s supporting muscles and lower back area. It also helps the spine to curve in a natural way so that it is at its strongest. The head, neck and spine will all be aligned correctly so that the weight of the upper body does not cause unnecessary strain on any back area but is directed towards the pelvis as it is supported by the posture and back support.

5.A good posture and back support allows free movement of the body, while allowing it to return to a neutral and healthy position. The support is designed to encourage the most natural curves and alignment of the spine.

6.The benefits of a good posture and back support can go beyond the office environment. It trains the body to hold a good posture in other circumstances that involve sitting, but also while standing up and walking. This will lead to good back health and prevent future spinal problems, especially chronic pains, caused by poor posture.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

It’s a common remark: ‘Don’t slouch, it’s bad for your posture!’ We may be used to hearing what we shouldn’t do to ruin a good posture, but the truth is, few of us know the real reasons why we should make an effort to take care of the way we hold ourselves.
To help you get clued up, we have 7 fascinating facts about how maintaining a good posture can have a dramatic impact on your health and the way you feel and look:

1.It’s a subtle exercise for your back and abs. Holding a good posture takes effort and makes you use and strengthen the muscles in your back and abs.

2.It greatly improves your breathing. A good posture makes room for your lungs to function at their best – rather than being squashed when you hold your body in a slouch. Good lung function will have a healthy impact on all aspects of the body’s function.

3.It’ll protect your organs, bones, joints and muscles. Holding a correct posture will help reduce unnecessary strain and pressure on these body parts which occurs when the body is placed in an uncomfortable and unnatural position. Many neck and back pains develop from issues of poor posture.

4.It’ll protect your spine. Often the spine will become fixed in an abnormal position if we do not hold ourselves correctly. This can lead to the constriction of blood vessels and nerves and problems with the joints, discs and muscles. The spine is an important part of the body to take care of – a good posture eliminates many of the health problems that can develop when the spine has unhealthy mobility.

5.It prevents arthritis. Often when we have a poor posture, we place pressure on our joints in unnatural ways which leads to them wearing down abnormally. This in turn can lead to arthritis. A good posture gives our joints the chance to function at their best.

6.It helps you use your muscles more efficiently. This happens because your bones and joints will be in the correct alignment. As a result, you are likely to feel more energetic since your body will require less energy to move about.

7.It can have a dramatic impact on the way you feel. When people hold themselves in a good posture, rather than a slumped one, they send signals to their brain that makes them feel happier and more confident. It’ll also change the way that people see you – you’ll appear more confident and assertive too. And it could even make you look thinner since you’ll be using your abs to draw in your stomach muscles and will appear taller.

Good tips to help you maintain a good posture include holding your head straight without letting it tilt forward, backward or sideways. You should keep your shoulders back, your knees and your back straight, with your stomach tucked in. Do not tilt your pelvis forward and make sure the arches in your feet are supported. Stretch the top of your head towards the ceiling so that you stand tall.

It’s also essential to maintain a good posture while sitting. Invest in a good back supports to help prevent slouching and back problems developing when sitting for long periods of time.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

You don’t need to suffer a fall or accident to experience the misery of daily neck and back pain. In fact, it could be your every day habits which are the root cause – in particular because of poor posture practices. Poor posture habits can lead to unnecessary strain or stress being placed on back and neck muscles, joints and nerves – which in turn can cause pain. Here are 5 daily situations where it’s important to examine your posture to prevent your developing unwanted problems and pain.

1.How do you hold your head?
It’s common for people to lean their head too far forward. Instead of holding it straight, with the chin lifted, the head may tilt and drift forward while reading a book, working on a computer, driving or watching television. This strains muscles at the back of the neck and can lead to long-term pain. Avoid doing so by taking periodic breaks from your TV or computer screen, having the screen placed at a good eye level, and by being more aware of how you hold your head in general when walking, driving, etc.

2.Do you carry anything?
If you frequently carry a heavy bag with one arm, or on one side or your body, this will place uneven strain and tension on that side of the back and neck and will prevent you from adopting a balanced and healthy posture.

Instead, when carrying items, opt for a good backpack that you can wear across both shoulders and which will let you distribute the weight evenly across your back and body. Try not to carry anything too heavy for long periods of time.

3.Do you tend to slouch?
Slouching may feel comfortable, but it actually causes strain on your back nerves and muscles and leads to back pain. It compresses and places pressure on the spine in certain areas (according to how you are slouched) and disrupts a ‘good’ posture which would allow the weight of the body to be distributed evenly along the back. When standing or sitting, try to correct your habits of falling into a slouch.

4.What position do you like to sleep in?
It’s easy to forget how important good sleep posture practices are. For example, piling your pillows too high can lead to excess stretching and strain on neck muscles and sleeping on one side, with one leg straight and the other bent across the body can create an imbalance of the spine.

The best positions to adopt when sleeping are (i) on your side – knees bent, placing a pillow between your knees, with one pillow under your head; (ii) on your back – with a pillow between your knees and a single pillow under your head.

5.Do you sit for long periods of time?
Do you drive or sit at your desk for long hours of your day? When driving, it’s easy to slouch. You may also disrupt your posture by having one hand high on the wheel and one below (the best position to have your hands is at 10 and 2 o’clock).

At your desk, it’s recommended you get up and move around at least every 20-30 minutes. This allows your body to loosen up and revives circulation. Again, you may tend to slouch or slump in your chair.

The best way to correct slouching and slumping habits when driving or seated at your desk – and also to promote the best back health – is to invest in a good back support for your car seat or work chair.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

If you’ve developed back pain, you might feel reassured to know that most cases resolve themselves within a number of weeks. However, some back problems may cause further pain and damage if not attended to by a doctor and, at times, your pain might even be a symptom of a much larger and serious medical issue. So how do you know if your back pain is something minor or something that needs professional attention? Here are 12 signs doctors advise you to look out for:

1.Have you had a recent trauma such as a fall from a height, a motor vehicle accident or similar incident? If so, you might have obtained a fracture or damaged a part of your spine.

2.Are you older than 50? As you age, even mild traumas like slipping down a few steps or falling out of bed can cause injuries or fractures that need to be checked.

3.Do you have a history of osteoporosis? It’s important that all back pains are investigated.

4.Do you have a history of prolonged steroid use? This use might be contributing to issues with your back and needs to be addressed by a physician.

5.Are you older than 70? You’ll be at an increased risk of developing cancer, infections or abdominal problems which may be causing your back pain, too.

6.Is your temperature over 100 F? If so, it could indicate the presence of an infection – one that could be as serious as meningitis. Also, if you have recently battled an infection, it’s a good idea to see your physician to check your back problem isn’t related to the infection.

7.Do you have a prior history of cancer? In this case, it’s important to see your doctor and ensure there are no underlying issues causing your pain.

8.Does your lower back pain feel worse when you are resting? This could be another sign that you have an infection or that the pain has a malignant cause.

9.Are you experiencing unexplained weight loss? Again, your additional back pain may be a sign that there is a larger medical problem at hand.

10.Are you unable to manage your pain using over-the-counter medication? If so, this is a good indication that you should see your physician.

11.Have you lost the use of your bowel or bladder control? This could be a sign of an acute emergency.

12.Are your legs going numb or weak or do you have the inability to walk, lower your foot at the ankle, raise your big toe upward, stand on your toes or walk on your heels? You may have sustained an acute nerve injury or compression. It’s important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible.

It is always a good idea to seek medical advice or a professional opinion about what might be causing your back pain, even if you are not displaying any of the signs above.

To prevent future back problems and reduce the risk of future injury, adopt good posture practices such as: using a good posture and back support for your office, car or home chair; strengthening your back muscles through exercise; and learning good posture habits such as lifting weights with bent knees and avoiding slouching.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).