EXPERT TIPS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BACK AS YOU AGE

We often think back pain is part of growing older, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to take care of your spine…

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Looking after your back starts long before you begin to struggle with upper-back aches from hunching over a laptop all day or lower-back pangs from sitting poorly.

Whatever you start doing now will help protect you against problems in later years.

Here are some good habits that will help you with back care.

LIVE WELL
Tobacco has a negative effect on the healing of your spine. If you don’t smoke, your back tends to heal faster and medications or therapy will be more effective.

Carrying around surplus weight puts extra pressure on your lower back. Belly fat, especially, adds stress on the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Find out what your ideal weight is and try to stay close to that.

Diet also plays a part. Get the bulk of your nutrition from vegetables, fruit, meat, whole grain and legumes. They provide lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

Food that is rich in calcium and other nutrients and vitamins, such as oatmeal, can help prevent osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and similar problems. After about 30 you stop building bone, so you have to look after what you have.

Stay hydrated to make sure soft tissue stays elastic and there is fluid in the joints. The discs in your spine need hydration to prevent shrinking, which can lead to conditions such as slipped discs.

SLEEP AND STRETCH
Your body needs down-time to repair itself. Sleeping on your stomach puts too much pressure on your spine. Sleeping on your side is better and reduces upper airway collapse, helping to prevent sleep apnea symptoms.

Pick a thicker pillow for sleeping on your side so you lie with your neck and head in the middle of your shoulders. Consider a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower spine.

If you sleep on your back, use a medium or flat pillow so that your neck is not up too high. A pillow under your knees will help to keep your lower back in its normal curved position.

Sleeping on your tummy or curling up too much can make your back more susceptible to injury and pain.

Your neck and back need daily stretches. It’s a good thing to start the day with these.

Related article: 10 Tips for getting the best night’s sleep



WALK
This is an easy way to strengthen the core muscles that keep you upright, nourish spinal soft tissues, increase flexibility of your spine and improve balance. Start with a few short walks per day rather than one long walk.

Your shoes have to support your lower back. Make sure the back is snug around your heel, but not too tight. A good fit prevents too much rolling of the foot from side to side.

Related article: Is walking a good enough exercise?

SIT AND WORK SMART
Choose a chair with lower back support, or place a pillow or rolled-up towel behind the small of your back.

Your knees should be at about the same level as your hips and your feet must rest comfortably on the floor.

Walk or stretch a bit at least once an hour. Even pacing while you’re on the phone will do. Just don’t cradle the phone between ear and shoulder.



BUILDING CORE STRENGTH
The core muscles in your abdomen and lower back support your spine. Most of us don’t use them much during a regular day. Dr Stuart McGill, an expert in spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada, devised the “big three”, a set that will keep the core strong.

Start with five repetitions of each exercise, then do three of each and finish by doing each exercise once. You can increase the repetitions, but follow the descending pattern, he explains.

CURL-UP

1. Lie on your back. Extend one leg straight out on the floor. Bend the knee of your other leg so your foot is flat on the floor.
2. Put your hands under your lower back to maintain the natural arch of your spine.
3. Exhale while you lift your head, shoulders and chest off the floor as though they were all connected – just enough to feel tension in your muscles. Don't bend your lower back, tuck in your chin, or let your head tilt back.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly lower yourself down.
5. Do five reps, then switch legs.

SIDE PLANK

1. Lie on your side with your upper body propped up on your arm, your forearm on the floor and your elbow underneath your shoulder. Place your free hand on the top of your hip. Pull your feet back so your knees are at an angle of 90 degrees.
2. Lift your hips off the floor so they are in line with the rest of your body. Hold for up to 10 seconds. Try to maintain a straight line from your head to your knees. Slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.
3. Repeat five times, then repeat on the other side.

BIRD-DOG

1. Get down on all fours.
2. Raise your left arm and extend it as far as possible while lifting your right leg and extending it straight behind your body. Keep both the arm and leg parallel to the floor. Ensure your hips are aligned with your torso and not tilted to one side.
3. Hold for 10 seconds and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat five times, then switch to the other arm and leg.

Back pain now and then isn’t unusual. But if it happens a lot, see a doctor. It might be a sign of something that needs treatment. So don’t just look after your back, listen to it as well.

Related article: Easy DIY moves to release muscle tension

Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu , https://squatuniversity.com , https://www.everydayhealth.com , https://health.clevelandclinic.org , https://www.thejoint.com , https://www.spine-health.com