How You Can Prevent Back and Neck Pain

Incorrect posture.
Slouching reverses the natural curves of the spine.
Image courtesy of www.relaxtheback.com

In general, the bad influences of age, heredity, or accidents are uncontrollable. Yet, these become small obstacles to long-term back and neck pain solutions when you take control of your posture. Furthermore, not just standing posture, for we sit, sleep, and recline up to 90 percent of each day, 365 days a year.

Posture and spinal health
Research shows the positions we place our spines in during activity or when at rest, will be either beneficial or create harmful stresses on muscles, ligaments, discs, nerve tissue, and bone.

Prolonged slouching which reverses the natural curves of the lumbar and cervical spine, can cause damage to spinal tissues. Over the years, repetitive poor posture can cause discomfort, pain, and conditions that may lead to the need for surgery.

Sitting and spinal health
Over time, we can damage our backs by hunching over our work at the office and/or sitting slouched in an unsupportive sofa, chair, or recliner at home. Correct sitting posture will help you prevent pain from recurring.

Correct posture.
The cervical and lumbar regions are curved inward and properly supported.
Image courtesy of www.relaxtheback.com

To protect your back while sitting:

Maintain your spine’s natural posture by resting your back against a firm backrest with lumbar support.
• While at your desk, use inward adjusting armrests to support your body upright to reduce harmful slouching and to take the upper body weight off your wrists to help prevent repetitive stress injuries.

• Adjust your chair height and position so you’re close to your work reducing the need to lean forward.

• Keep your feet on the floor, or support your feet with a footrest to reduce seated pressure.

Sleeping and spinal health
Many people lose valuable sleep as they toss and turn because of a poorly supportive mattress and pillows. This places stress on spinal tissues leading to restless nights and painful mornings.

To protect your spine while sleeping:

• Choose a mattress firm enough to prevent “hammocking” which reverses the natural curves. At the same time, your mattress should not have an overly-firm, but soft surface (e.g., pillow-top, Visco-Elastic ) to cushion the body and reduce tossing due to restricted circulation.

• Do not use feather, particle foam or too many pillows that poorly positions the neck. Select a pillow that maintains its supportive shape, to keep the neck in its neutral position.

• Avoid sleeping on your stomach if you wake with neck stiffness or pain. Stomach sleeping turns your head to one side stressing the neck. If you can, change to sleeping on your back, or sleeping on your side. If you cannot, you can have the sensation of stomach sleeping and effectively decrease neck rotation by placing a body pillow under one side of your body.

Image courtesy of www.relaxtheback.com

Traveling and spinal health
Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, can be torture for people with back and neck pain. With the poorly-designed travel seating we see so often, what can be done?

• Use a travel pillow to support your low back and/or neck while traveling.

• Try a portable low back support at the theatre, a restaurant, or anyplace away from your home.

• Consider a seat insert or portable seating support for your car or other vehicle. Adjust the seat so you can rest your back against the seat support, rather than craning your neck and upper back forward to reach the steering wheel.

• When driving or sitting for long distances, take periodic rest breaks (at least every 50 minutes). Walk around and stretch your arms, legs, and back.

Image courtesy of www.relaxtheback.com

About Relax The Back
We are a company committed to resolving the back pain epidemic that plagues our culture. With over 100 stores in North America, we are the nation’s premier back care product company. Our consultants are trained to educate customers about posture product choices designed to:

• Prevent and relieve back and neck pain.
  
• Provide the ultimate comfort and relaxation.
  
• Contribute to a healthy and active lifestyle.

Our products are designed to support people in a natural neutral posture while they sit, sleep, and recline, leading to improved spinal health. The education we provide with the products enables one to make the lifestyle choices necessary for long-term recovery from mechanical back and neck pain. To learn more about back and neck pain prevention visit Relax The Back. For a store near you call 1-888-735-2959, or visit us at www.relaxtheback.com.