Is Your Lifestyle Fueling Your Back Pain?

Back pain is consistently high as a reason for emergency care, lost time at work, and disability. Most cases stem from mechanical causes, such as injuries to the musculoskeletal system, which create back pain symptoms. 

However, some avoidable conditions may be fueling your back pain. Lifestyle habits have a way of creeping in and adding to the burden borne by your spine and its support tissues. 

When back pain becomes more than an occasional problem, visit us at 360 Orthopedics in Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch, Florida, for diagnosis and treatment. We’re neck and spine specialists, ready to help you with chronic or lingering back pain. 

Let’s examine ways your lifestyle may be contributing to your back pain. Making changes today may prevent bigger problems in the future. 

Reasons behind back pain

Your spine is the primary support column for your upper body, as well as the protective structure surrounding your spinal cord, which is the primary information conduit of your central nervous system. The bones of the spine provide a wide range of motion, combined with support from surrounding muscles, as well as tremendous strength. 

There’s a lot that can go wrong with such a complex structure. The aspects of your lifestyle that contribute to back pain are often factors that increase your back's susceptibility to injury. Let’s take a closer look. 

Extra weight

Because the spine is located at the back of your body, it supports your body with a cantilevered design, including the shallow S-shape that your spine normally forms. As you stand, walk, lift, twist, and move through your normal day, your center of gravity constantly shifts, and your spine compensates. 

When you are even a few pounds over your optimal weight, the potential force of those pounds gets magnified by leverage, adding disproportionally to the load your spine bears. The good news is that losing just a few pounds also relieves these larger forces. 

Sedentary habits

Your body is made to move, yet life seems to conspire to hold you in one place. Long hours spent sitting, such as at a desk job, can take a toll on your back, since muscles and other soft tissues aren’t getting the motion they need to stay healthy. 

Make the change by taking breaks from fixed postures and adding activity like walking and biking to keep your body moving. 

Posture challenges

The pervasive nature of digital screens in everyday life has introduced a new challenge to neck and back pain by demanding a head-forward posture that virtually invites pain. 

Similar effects arise whenever your posture moves out of balance. Your body can handle moderate amounts of postural imbalance, but reading a book or watching a movie in an unbalanced position can leave you trapped and stiff. 

Back pain consequences arise from other lifestyle choices like smoking, unchecked stress, and poor form when lifting heavy loads can all contribute to back pain that may or may not have a specific incident or injury. 

Contact 360 Orthopedics when rest and home care aren’t enough for recovering from back pain. Contact our nearest office by phone or online to schedule your visit today.