What You Can Do While You're Young To Prevent Back Pain Later

Written By Emma Sturgis / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

For many of us, experiencing back pain as we get older is just another fact of life. Fortunately, it’s possible to prevent back pain. Unfortunately, most people don’t think about back pain prevention until the pain actually starts. By then, it’s usually too late.

That’s why it’s important to form good habits to prevent pain from manifesting one day. If you are still relatively young and enjoying your pain-free years, here are four simple ways to prevent back pain in the future.

Maintain a Healthy Weight to prevent back pain

The more weight a person carries, the more strain it can put on their lower back. Most people go through periods of gaining and losing weight, and a year or two of being overweight likely won’t cause any noticeable pain. However, multiple years or even decades of carrying 10 or more extra pounds can overload the lower back to the point of degeneration or injury.

Exercise Regularly to prevent back pain

Exercise helps tone and strengthen your muscles, including the ones in your back that hold and support your spine. According to science, exercise also soothes inflammation and muscle tension, with many healthcare professionals recommending it for existing back pain management. As an added bonus, it can also prevent unnecessary weight gain.

Don’t Overdo It to prevent back pain

One of the most common causes of back pain is injury from physical activity, so know what your limits are before starting a new exercise program. Injuries can also happen from lifting something heavy, such as a box on moving day or groceries from the back of a car. When lifting, be sure to keep your back straight and lift with your leg-strength, not your waist or back.

Use Proper Posture to prevent back pain

In the digital age, it’s common for people to spend multiple hours a day slouching in front of their computer or phone. Proper posture prevents the unnecessary straining that leads to back pain. When standing, you should keep your spine straight, chin up, and shoulders back and square. Office workers should ideally choose a chair with lower-back support and sit with their knees elevated slightly above their thighs.

Eighty percent of Americans have experienced chronic back pain at some point in their lives. It’s a widespread condition that affects many people, and it’s also entirely preventable. As long as you start protecting your spine now, you’ll be less likely to worry about back pain later.

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Written By:

Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, Mass. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.