Overall Fitness and Exercise Reduce Back Pain
Back pain is the second leading cause of missed workdays after the common cold. Whether or not you actually injure your back while at work, it is one of the most common work-related injuries since no matter what we do for a living, back pain will affect us.
Aside from injury, back pain--and particularly lower back pain--is most commonly a result of weak muscles. Weak muscles can be a result of a combination of obesity and lack of overall physical fitness.
If your job involves strenuous activity like heavy lifting, you depend on your strength to get your work done. Workers who sit in basically the same position all day at a desk are just as affected by back pain.
One of the single most effective ways to manage chronic pain is to get exercise. Strengthening your core--the muscles of the back, abdomen and buttocks--is an excellent way to condition your muscles and improve posture, easing the effects of lower back pain. These muscles all work together to support the spine.
Abdominal muscles are just as important as back muscles, as they provide counter support for the lower back. Thigh muscles provide strength as we left heavy objects, taking the strain off our backs. Working these muscles strengthens them and improves their ability to support the spinal column against the effects of gravity.
When muscles are not used, they become tight. Shortened muscles contract and twist the spine, throwing it out of alignment--another significant cause of back pain. Simple stretches will lengthen these muscles, easing the tension on the spine.
Ask your doctor to suggest proper stretches and other exercises. If you’re still experiencing back pain, seek professional help.
