Have you ever had back pain? Probably yes, because in today’s society back problems have become the No. 1 widespread disease. Hardly anyone does not know the annoying back pain. Some people have problems with it all the time and others only now and then. Statistics show that around one in two Germans complains of regular back pain. This shows us how important it is to take care of our backs and to inform ourselves about what makes a healthy back.
STRUCTURE OF THE SPINE
Our spine has a double S-shape, through which the spine acts as a shock absorber. Between the individual vertebrae are the intervertebral discs. These assist in cushioning and act as protection between the individual vertebrae. This combination of individual vertebrae and the intervertebral discs in between makes our back what it is – our stable yet mobile body center. Surrounding each vertebral body is our fascia tissue and deep musculature, which serves to stabilize the spine. It is connected to each vertebral body and provides the mobility that our back has through these many connection points.
SEDENTARY SOCIETY
However, our lifestyle has changed tremendously in recent decades. Before modern means of transportation existed, it was taken for granted that people made many and even long journeys on foot. People used to walk many kilometers, today it is often just 2-3 km. On the other hand, the amount of time we spend sitting has increased dramatically. After getting up we sit at the breakfast table, many people sit for several hours at work, our children sit at school and when we get home we sit at the dinner table or on the couch. In addition, our lives are increasingly characterized by time pressure and stress, as a result of which we take fewer breaks.
THE EFFECTS OF TODAY’S LIFESTYLE ON OUR BACKS
Sitting puts more strain on the spine than standing or lying down. So the change in our lifestyle quickly creates an overload on the spine. During working hours, we are often exposed to very one-sided loads, whether it is sitting or other positions. There is little variety in body positions due to lifestyle. But this is exactly what our back needs. A change of different postures and thus the change between loading and unloading, because only in this way also the metabolism in our back works and thus new nutrients can be absorbed. The stress in today’s society also leads to a tense posture. Still some time the musculature tenses and consequently also by the stress pain develops – frequently in the back and neck.
WHY IS A HEALTHY BACK SO IMPORTANT?
The back, as our central linking point in the body, connects the rest of the body parts with each other and helps the body to function well. Poor posture in the back and tension can affect other parts of the body, which is why the back in particular should be kept healthy as a central point.
HOW DO I KEEP MY BACK HEALTHY?
The individual parts of our back influence each other. For example, a back can only function healthily if the muscles are trained but still loose enough not to restrict the mobility of the spine. So for the back, plenty of varied exercise is especially important. The WHO recommends doing muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week. So why not include a few exercises for the back? Loosening exercises and relaxation phases are just as important, as they also provide the back with the necessary relief and can thus be supplied with new nutrients.
In everyday life, care should be taken to change positions frequently and to counteract the one-sided strain. Especially in a job where you sit a lot, it is important for your back to get up and move around after an hour at the latest. Ideally, you should also incorporate small movements in between. Put your phone, printer or file folders far enough away so that you have to walk a few steps to them. Take the opportunity when you want to talk to colleagues to walk to their office and not just call or write a message. Small stretching exercises, a short walk during a break or after work, or instead of sitting, simply working while standing, can also provide a good change of pace.
For optimal relief during sleep, try to lie on your back, as this is the only way to provide optimal relief for your back. The head should lie as flat as possible on the mattress, otherwise we further strain the cervical spine.
Nevertheless, we humans are creatures of habit and changes in life are difficult for us at first. If you find it hard to make things happen, the smartphone offers a good chance to be reminded to get up and move around regularly with little reminders. After a while, the short breaks become a habit and you get up without any reminder in between.
And maybe you’ll use the time after you’ve read the article for a short stretching session?