Prevention

The key to good back health is prevention. Maintaining good back posture and health comes from utilising a few simple rules every day.

Maintaining Good Back Health

One of the leading causes of back pain is bad posture, called slouching - when you sit or stand with your shoulders in front of your hips. To avoid slouching, make sure your shoulders are square, your chest is out and your stomach is in.

Sitting Properly

Keep your feet flat of the floor and try to avoid crossing your legs, ankles or knees. Sit forward in the chair allowing a gap between your knees and the seat. Adjust your seat to make your knees level with your hips, and your backrest should support your lower and mid back.

Healthy Back While Exercising

Warm up, stretch and cool down before and after exercise. Warming up increases blood flow to your muscles and joints and helps your body to avoid injury. Stretching increases flexibility and prevents injuries, while cooling down after exercise helps prevent your muscles from tightening and cramping.

Sleep Well

Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your legs, is the best way to avoid placing unnecessary strain on your back and neck while you sleep.

Your Child’s Posture

Poor posture habits and injuries children develop at a young age will affect them later in life. Try to ensure your child sits up straight when at the computer and that the monitor is at eye level, that they sleep with a low pillow to keep their spine straight, that they wear both straps of their school backpack, and that they stretch before exercising.