If there’s one thing that will surely take you away from any exercise program, back pain is it. Those who are suffering from back pain are most likely to stop exercising altogether, gain weight, and then only worsen the situation.
Prevention is key. By stopping back pain before it starts, you can avoid all the frustration that can come along with it.
Here’s how.
Use Good Form When Lifting
Whenever you are lifting a weight above your head, it’s essential that your back is in proper alignment. If it isn’t, all that stress from the weight above will come down on the back, which is now in an unnatural position.
Squeeze the abs and pull the hips up. This will help get you in proper form.
Strengthen Your Core
To avoid back pain long-term, make sure that you are strengthening your core. Your core is basically your foundation for every lift, so if it’s your weak link, problems are likely to occur in your future.
Get into the habit of doing core strengthening exercises at least a few times each week.
Watch Your Posture
Finally, check your posture. If you work at a desk for hours each day, chances are, you’re hunched over. This can cause poor posture to become your new ‘comfortable, ’ and that can lead to weak muscles which in turn cause back pain.
Set a timer on your desk to go off every hour. When it does, check your posture. How does it stack up?
Keep these tips in mind, and you can prevent back pain down the road.
