Say Hello to 2020 by Saying Goodbye to Back Pain

At the beginning of this new year and a new decade, many people set goals for improving their health. In addition to having a better diet, they can add in more workouts at the gym into their lifestyle. Is  improving your health on your list of New Year’s resolutions too? If you struggle with chronic back pain, are over age 30, or have had back injuries in the past, pushing yourself in exercise can feel more uncomfortable and nervewracking. You don’t want to push too hard and hurt yourself. In this blog post, you’ll learn how you can avoid back pain from working out and stay on track with your resolutions.

Physical Activity and Back Pain

Exercise and back pain have a rather complex relationship. Strengthening the muscles in your back and core helps to stabilize your spine and therefore prevents chronic back pain and reduces stress. However, improper technique, especially when lifting weights, can leave your back in worse condition after you leave the gym.

Ways to Reduce Your Risk for Back Injury

When you start working out, you need to be careful that you don’t cause or aggravate back pain. That way, you can focus on meeting your health goals, not recovering from a painful lower or upper back. Here are some ways that you can prevent back pain while you exercise:

• Stretch before and after your workout: Take a couple of extra minutes to make sure your body is ready to burn calories and fat, not harm your back.
• Use proper technique: Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “lift with your legs.” Well, if you do choose to work out with heavy weights, you can make sure that you’re doing it correctly by working with a personal trainer.
• Swim laps: Although basically any low-impact cardio workout can help you lessen your back pain, aquatic exercise seems particularly gentle on your body. Other options include elliptical or step machines.
• Stand more often: If possible, stand up more frequently throughout the day to engage larger muscles in your body.
• Do bodyweight exercises: Instead of lifting heavy weights, try doing several sets of lunges and squats using your weight as resistance.

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help

In conjunction with a healthy work out routine, you can also visit your chiropractor for treatment even before you hurt your back. By keeping the spine properly aligned, you can keep moving toward your goals and avoid feeling pain in the first place. If you do suffer a back injury while you work out, your chiropractor can help you heal more quickly and get back into a safer, more effective exercise regimen.

In order to start this new year and decade out right, you can help yourself stay on the path to better health by keeping your back in tip-top shape. With regular exercise and chiropractic treatment, your back can become strong for years to come.

About the Author

Dr. Chad Wills has been practicing for about 20 years. Since graduation from the Life Chiropractic University in Atlanta, he has continued to refine his skills and received advanced training through continuing education, including courses in chiropractic biophysics, scoliosis, scoliodracina, and brain traumatology. If you have questions about back pain and working out, you can contact Dr. Wills at Wills Chiropractic.