If you were to walk into a crowded shopping center, getting on the pa system and announce that you were struggling with back pains, absolutely every single shopper would stop in their tracks and nod their heads with empathy. That is because, at some point or another, everyone finds themselves dealing with back pains on some level or another.
Most of the time, trying to work out what caused your out-of-the-blue pains are limited to something pretty obvious, like the fact you were helping the removal men lift boxes into their van or because you were shovelling snow with the worst technique ever.
If, however, you are struggling with a more chronic condition, then you can find pinpointing the cause a lot harder and a lot more frustrating. All you know is: you can’t stand upright or walk like normal. It’s bizarre. You’ve been careful not to lift anything heavy and, even the stuff you have lifted, you did so with your knees and not your back. You haven’t fallen or slipped on ice or decided to join a football team or anything like that. Your back just hurts.
But what if the cause was something you never expected or, even worse, a habit of yours that you’ve never considered? Well, that may be the case. The cause of your back pains may well be you and your lifestyle, as we are about to explain…
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Your Heels Are Too High
We know from reading the biographies of supermodels that sacrifices have to be made in order to look that good, and a big part of looking a thousand bucks is walking around in high heels, but they throw off your center of gravity and that is not a sacrifice anyone should risk. Just think about how your posture changes when you wear heels: you’re made to lean forward, your calves aren’t quite fully extended and there is a whole lot more pressure on your feet, and not where there normally is. What all of this means for your back is pretty simple: added stresses and strains. Ergo pains. Of course, the idea of wearing flats for the rest of your life probably isn’t too attractive. So, if you have to wear heels to work or on a date or to an event, then try packing a pair of flats into your bag and wearing these on the commute.
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Your Jeans Don’t Fit
Skinny jeans have enjoyed a bigger comeback than Rita Ora over recent years, which is easy to understand. They look great on guys and girls. But they could also be the cause of your back pain. That’s not just us clutching at straws either. That is the advice of the chief of spine surgery at a top New York spinal rehab centre. This is because skinny jeans are tighter and this can constrict your body’s movement and blood flow. Of course, it isn’t just skinny jeans to blame. It is pencil skirts,, belts done up too tight because the wearer has them on their hips and all sorts of other fashion statements. There is a solution for those that like wearing tight clothes, however, and that is picking a fabric with some stretch to it. Son long as you can easily get a finger between your skin and the waistband of your clothes you should be fine.
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Your Bed Is All Wrong
When you’re back is hurting, all you want to do is stay at home, curl up under the covers and spend the next few days in bed. But what if your mattress is the cause? What if your mattress is actually making your back pains worse. That’s right, not all mattresses are born equal and that is because not everyone has the same needs and not everyone sleeps in the same positions. There are soft, medium and firm mattresses, and then there are pocket spring mattresses, latex ones, memory foam options and geltex mattresses, all of which can make a big difference. Now, there is no mattress that will suit everyone but, as Mattress-Guides.net explains, if you do suffer from chronic back pain it could be worth getting an ergonomic mattress that helps you sleep in a better position. The kind that will encourage your muscles to relax a bit more and just generally improve the quality of your sleeps.
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Stop Stressing, Guys
When we are stressed, this kind of uptight distress starts to manifest itself physically. It has to. Feeling stressed makes our bodies and muscles tighten and go all tense and, if we are like that for long periods of time, then this added tension can develop even further and become spasms and aches and all sorts of other pains. To go a little bit deeper into this, when stress starts to manifest physically, it tends to focus on a few specific areas, namely your lower back, your neck and your shoulders, as spine-health.com explains. If this has switched a light bulb on for you and you think stress is in fact the reason you have been in pain, what you need to do is start getting into the habit of performing relaxation techniques. The easiest of the lot is to take a deep breath, hold it for five seconds and then slowly exhale, counting to five as you do. If that fails, try walking it off or doing some yoga. They are pretty foolproof.
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You Are What You Eat
More than one in four people that complain of chronic back pains also complain of stomach cramps and whatnot, which is no coincidence. You see, having a poor diet is linked to back pains thanks to the inflammation it causes. To call out the major culprits, we’re talking about sugary foods and drinks and those that are high in fat. Bad fat. Eat lots of these and it will be no wonder that your back is hurting. Cut them out of your diet and you will find your back pain starts to fade away too. What your body wants and needs is clean and wholesome foods, so stick to them. Eat lean meats, eat nuts, in brown rice and brown bread and ingest as many fruits and veggies as you can.
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