It’s not just Santa that might be suffering from back pain this Christmas…

Hours hunched over your desk at work, not warming up properly before exercise, slouching in front of the TV… sound familiar? Almost one in three of us in the UK suffers with some kind of back pain – it usually feels like an ache, tension or stiffness and can be triggered by sitting badly, bending awkwardly, or lifting incorrectly. (Budding Santas beware of those heavy sacks crammed with pressies!)

Pain is most common in the lower back, although it can be felt anywhere along your spine, from your neck down to your hips. But it doesn’t have to be this way and there are some preventative steps you can take to avoid it.

Here are just a few things that can lead directly to back pain that are also easily avoided:

• Poor posture – In our busy lives the postures we adopt are often subconscious and habitual. Poor posture while sitting can cause muscles and tendons to overstrain, leaving them vulnerable to going into spasm.
• Improper lifting techniques – If you lift something without bending your knees or twist while lifting, you put pressure on many of the structures in your lower back. A proper lifting technique ensures all the weight and pressure is distributed throughout your leg muscles.
• Tight buttock and hamstring muscles – Your lower back is vulnerable to injury if your buttock and hamstring muscles are too tight. These muscles attach to your lower back and support it when lifting something from the floor. They also absorb the force when walking.
• Poor core strength – Our core muscles are responsible for holding the spine and pelvis upright. The core also protects certain structures within the spine, like discs and ligaments from injury. If your core muscles are weak then it can lead to too much force from a particular movement going through your lower back causing either a ligament sprain or slipped disc.
• Inactivity – General lack of movement and exercise causes many of our low back muscles to lose strength and forget how to coordinate, leaving us vulnerable to injuring from just simple routine movements.
• Misalignments – These can be the result of limping from a previous injury, soft mattresses, repetitive movements and even pregnancy. Misalignments of the spinal joints puts pressure on the low back muscles during every movement you make.

USE IT OR LOSE IT

In the past, doctors advised rest for back pain, but most experts now agree that long periods of inactivity are actually bad for you. Back pain can be improved, or even prevented by doing some gentle, regular activity. And it’s not always heavy exertion that causes back pain. Regular day-to-day activities can cause frustrating tweaks and niggles.

Here are a few top tips for avoiding back pain:

• Before gardening or DIY… do some warming-up exercises. Remember to always work within your limits and take regular breaks.
• If you wear high heels… try to only wear them when necessary. Walking in high heels can tilt your pelvis too far forward and place unnecessary strain on your lower back.
• Beware the ironing… most people have their ironing board too low. Make sure it is at waist height to minimise back strain.
• When driving… all controls should be within easy reach. If your vehicle has any lumbar support, adjust this to provide a gentle pressure against the lowest part of your back. If your seat lacks support, try using a lumbar roll.

BEDTIME ROUTINE

We spend nearly one-third of our lives sleeping, so it’s important to look at your sleep environment and posture. These tips can help reduce the development or occurrence of back pain:

• Sleeping on your side – This position leaves your upper leg unsupported and the top knee and thigh tend to rest on the mattress. This rotates the lower spine and may contribute to back pain. Place a pillow between your knees and thighs to prevent.
• Sleeping on your back – Placing a pillow under your knees can help maintain the natural curve of your lower back. A small rolled towel under the small of your back may also help. You should support your neck with a pillow.
• Sleeping on your stomach – This can be particularly hard on your back. If it is the only way you can sleep, you can reduce back strain by placing a pillow under your hips and lower abdomen. If a pillow under your head places too much strain on your back, try not using one.