More than 50 percent of Americans will suffer from some type of back problem during their lifetime. Surprisingly, many problems are due to poor spine health yet easy to resolve. The best methods are a proactive approach. A combination of preventive and subsequent drills can help avoid the pain.
- Hot Therapy. Individuals are more likely to use a heat wrap as a response to pain but did you know using a heating pad before activity can lessen or eliminate discomfort. Heat directs more blood flow and increased blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients to tissues which relieves pain.
- Cold therapy. It helps reduce inflammation, muscle spasms and pain. Cold therapy also helps to relieve tension in the soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons and muscles. Place a cold pack in designated areas while performing light stretching.
- Stretching. Flexibility and good spine health go hand-in-hand. Stretching lengthens muscles and increases tissue elasticity and prevents too much stress on the lower lumbar. This minimizes your discomfort and improves performance. Each morning begin with a good long stretch. This will warm up and cool down your muscles and give you better range-of-motion in the joints.
- Poor sleep habits. Bad sleeping habits account for a large portion of back pain causes. A good, firm sleeping surface can help with proper spine health. A quick resolve is to sleep only on your back, placing a pillow under your knees to keep the back flat. This minimizes tension. Believe it or not, breaking bad sleep habits take practice but this one little approach can help eliminate a large portion of discomfort.
