Tips for Avoiding Back Pain on the Outer Banks

Your chiropractor is great at easing and curing your back and joint pain, but it is certainly better if you can avoid having pain in the first place.  Today we will apply a little bit of preventive medicine to help keep you feeling well and pain free.

Here are some tips for avoiding back pain:

• Healthy Weight – Being overweight can put an immense strain on your back muscles.  Maintaining a healthy weight helps to avoid that strain and also gives you more energy for the next tip.
• Exercise – Regular exercise keeps your muscles strong.  The movement also helps to keep your body agile and healthy.
• Posture – Good posture is one of the easiest ways to avoid back pain.  Remember when you were a child and everyone told you to sit up straight and roll your shoulders back?  Just do that and you are most of the way to achieving good posture.
• Lifting and Carrying – Lifting and carrying heavy objects are the most common and easily avoidable causes of back pain.
  • When lifting, always keep your back straight and bend at the knees.
  • Never carry an object that is too heavy for you.  If you think something may be too heavy, get some help or the proper equipment to assist you in moving the object.
• Mattress – A good mattress will go a long way to keeping you pain free.  Generally speaking, your mattress should be medium-firm, but not very firm.  A pillow should support the head without twisting the neck into an unnatural angle.  Talk with your chiropractor if you suspect your mattress is causing your back pain.
• Smoking – Smoking lowers the oxygen levels going to spinal tissue, which can impairs your spines ability to function.  Quitting smoking, along with all of the other health benefits, will help your spinal tissue function properly and keep you pain free.

Dr. Craig McGiffin of Clearview Chiropractic is your chiropractor for the Outer Banks.  Call Dr. Craig if you are experiencing back or joint pain or to schedule a time for discussing what you can do to avoid back problems.