Do you have lower back pain?

Back pain, particularly lower back pain, is one of the most common physical problems affecting daily life. Almost all of us have experienced it, and most likely, we will feel it again.

It can originate from many causes, ranging from well-known disc herniations to more severe conditions such as protrusions and prolapses (serious tears in the intervertebral discs). Muscle injuries in the muscles surrounding the spine or injuries in the ligaments between vertebrae can also be sources of pain, and often all these components are affected, making it difficult to determine the main source of pain when assessing the person.

However, there are certain habits, postures, and ways of moving the body that we can and should adopt in our daily lives, which not only facilitate recovery but also help prevent us from suffering the same problem again.

Dores lombares 6 dicas para o seu dia a dia

1. When waking up, roll to your side

When you wake up, don’t get out of bed by lifting your legs first or directly from lying on your back, if that’s how you wake up. Always roll to your side and, with the help of your arms, start lifting your torso and only then bring your legs out of the bed.

Learn how to get in and out of the car correctly

When getting in and out of your vehicle, pay attention to how you do it: when entering, sit down first while keeping your legs outside the car, and only then turn and bring them inside. When exiting, do the reverse: move one leg out at a time, and then, supporting yourself (for example on the door), stand up from the seat.

3. Keep your back straight

Maintain the natural curve of your lower back while sitting. In the car: by adjusting the lumbar support of the seat. On public transport and at work: by sitting with your hips as far back as possible against the backrest of the train seat or office chair, and keeping the monitor at eye level. At home: when sitting on the sofa, place a cushion behind your back, slightly above the pelvis.

4. Be careful when squatting

This is a classic. Whenever you need to bend down, do it with your legs and never by bending your back. At first, and for some time, it may feel uncomfortable, but with persistence it will become the normal way to squat. Humans naturally perform these correct movements when they are children. As we age, and due to today’s more sedentary lifestyle, we “unlearn” these very patterns. So, within your own limits, do it like a child. They know more about this than we adults do.

5. Stay hydrated

Drink plenty of water. The benefits of doing so are countless and well known. As for the spine, the intervertebral discs (the structures where herniations occur) are made up of more than 70% water. This characteristic allows them to cushion and support the weight and loads placed on the spine. A disc with low water content is less capable, more fragile, and has less ability to heal if injured.

6. Carry objects safely

When carrying heavy objects, try to keep them close to your body. The farther away they are, the more force your spine has to exert to keep your torso upright. Also, avoid twisting your torso while lifting or holding these weights, such as when taking heavy shopping bags out of the car trunk. In such conditions, the back muscles end up holding 3 to 5 times the actual weight of the object, unnecessarily

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