Back pain can be experienced by anyone, regardless of age, gender, or activity level. However there are some aspects of a person’s life that may make them more susceptible to back pain. At Marshalls Creek Wellness Solutions we believe that preventative care is the best option, especially for people who are at risk for developing back pain.
Here Are Some Risk Factors That Make You More Susceptible To Back Pain
- Age: This one makes sense. We are probably all picturing our grandparents hobbling around the house with a hunchback. But age-related risk for back pain actually starts in your 30s or 40s.
- Occupation: It seems like most jobs are susceptible to experiencing heightened risk of back pain. Some are jobs that you would expect to cause back pain, such as desk jobs or jobs that involve heavy lifting. But back pain doesn’t discriminate. Dentists are at risk for back pain, as they spend much of their day hunching over patients. Nurses and teachers are consistently on their feet in fast paced and stressful environments.
- Weight: Being overweight can cause chronic back pain, especially on your lower back which has to support the extra weight. Staying within ten pounds of your ideal weight will help avoid weight-related back pain.
- Smoking: Smoking cigarettes can increase your risk for back pain. Nicotine restricts blood flow to the spongy discs that cushion each vertebra and speeds up rates of degeneration. Smoking makes it harder to absorb calcium, putting smokers at a greater risk for osteoporosis, which can cause back pain.
- Not Exercising: Exercise is important for overall health, but strengthening of the core is especially important for back health. Having a weak core can worsen your posture and increase back pain.
- Lifting With Your Back: We’ve all done this one before, but it is important when lifting objects – whether you are moving your buddy’s couch or picking up your kid – to bend at your knees and use your legs to raise yourself back up.
If you have any of these risk factors for back pain, stop in for an evaluation. We pride ourselves on preventing pain and illness before it starts, so even if you don’t currently experience pain, you could be at risk. And if you are already experiencing pain and think one of the above risks might be the reason, make an appointment at Marshalls Creek Wellness Solutions today!