If you suffer from chronic back pain, you may need to learn how to move properly. Most people bend and lift using their backs, stressing and wearing muscles, ligaments and vertebra over time. Even crouching over laptops on the floor, slouching in chairs, and overall sitting improperly over time can cause back injuries and pain.
After you injure your back, you are much more likely to hurt it again. Taking care of your back before injury is best, but learning to sit, stand and bend properly (especially when lifting) can help your back to heal and prevent future injuries.
Injuries can cause you to favor one part of the body. The unnatural movement can put greater pressure on other body parts and cause new injuries. If your back pain just happened you may be able to keep going with over-the-counter pain medicines. If it continues or gets worse you need to see a doctor.
Your doctor can recommend exercises to strengthen the back and promote healing, and tell you what activities are okay and which you should avoid. If the pain continues for more than a few months, physical therapy or surgery may be necessary.
Good posture is important for a healthy, strong back. It helps keep the back muscles strong and keeps the spine straight and aligned. Heating pads can help for the short term. Topical creams can also help.
Lying around for days doesn’t help your back and may even make it worse. Walking might be the best overall exercise for your back. It can help posture, if done correctly, and build muscles. A stronger back is less likely to get hurt.
Leg pain with back pain can mean a pinched nerve. Sometimes it is hard for doctors to determine the cause of back pain. The spine, muscles, ligaments and nerves in the back can all get injured. Some of these do not show up on X rays.