It’s easy when it’s hot outside and you’re indoors with your AC, feeling sluggish to fall into a sedentary slump! But without regular activity and movement, we run the risk of developing or WORSENING back pain that can stick with us for months or even years.
That’s why it’s important to stay active and stop back pain even if the heat is unbearable outside.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to keep up your activity levels without venturing outside and in this post, we’ll share our 5 best tips to help you stay active and STOP back pain ruining the rest of your summer!
Strength Exercises To Support Your Spine
Maintaining a healthy spine is one of the best ways to stop back pain and the best kind of exercises will strengthen your spine and provide your back with a stronger foundation.
Two effective strengthening exercises that can help achieve this are the bird dog pose and the glute bridge.
The bird dog pose involves extending the opposite arm and leg while in a table-top position, activating both the spinal and abdominal muscles.
The glute bridge targets the lower back muscles as well as the glutes, crucial muscles for supporting the spine.
It’s important to strengthen these muscles to reduce stress on the lower back and prevent injury.
And don’t let the summer heat stop you from getting in a good workout! Both of these exercises can easily be done indoors.
So, whether you’re dealing with back pain or simply want to prevent it, incorporating these exercises into your routine is a step towards a healthier, happier back.
Get Active In Cooler Parts Of The Day
Staying active is great for overall health and well-being but exercising in the heat of the day could put your body under a lot of pressure if you’re not used to staying active in high temperatures.
However, you don’t have to forfeit exercise outside completely, so why not wait until evening or start early in the morning when it’s cooler?
Even taking a simple evening walk could help you get moving and prevent back pain caused by inactivity or sitting in one place for too long.
Whether it’s walking, cycling or jogging in the cool evening air there are plenty of ways you can still get outside for your daily dose of activity, so there are no excuses to skip your workout!
Maintain A Good Posture
More often than not, the reason for someone’s back pain stems from carrying themselves in a poor posture for a long time. This is why it’s essential you try and carry yourself in a good posture, (sometimes it’s easier said than done!).
To get you started, the ideal posture involves keeping your head aligned with your body, relaxing your shoulders and keeping your spine in its natural curve.
A way you can test if you have the correct posture is to stand with your back against a wall and try touching the wall with the back of your head, shoulders and buttocks. Once you’ve successfully achieved this, you’re in the right posture!
Correcting your posture can be a long process that requires dedication, but over time and with perseverance, your body will learn your new posture and maintain it almost automatically.
Choose The Right Exercises
If you’re someone who enjoys exercise and regularly completes challenging workouts, good for you! But are you doing the right exercises to stop back pain or could you be making it worse?
Well, if your workout is high-impact such as running or CrossFit, you could be prolonging the back pain that you want to eliminate. Low-impact exercises are the best option for those who want to stop back pain.
Not only do low-impact exercises keep pressure off already painful joints, but they also provide all-around cardiovascular health benefits!
Take swimming for example, it engages all of the muscles in your body in a strengthening and cardiovascular workout without putting strain on your back due to the buoyancy you experience in the water.
And even BETTER! Swimming is a great choice for a workout in warmer weather so you can keep cool while you work out.
Invest In Quality Shoes
Investing in good quality shoes that provide support for your spine is a wise decision for anyone looking to stop back pain.
Quality shoes should have certain characteristics that make them effective in reducing the pressure on your back. Look for shoes with a firm sole that offers stability and shock absorption, particularly in the heel. The shoe’s inner sole should also have arch support, which will help to counteract the natural flattening of the foot when walking or standing for long periods.
It’s essential to incorporate these shoes into your daily routine, not just when you’re exercising to get the best chance at stopping back pain for good!
Are You Or Someone You Love Struggling With Back Pain?
Back pain is one of the WORST pains you can experience and often people can’t seem to shake it or if they do, the relief is only temporary.
And it can be equally as painful to watch someone you love suffer from back pain that’s impacting their mobility or their enjoyment of family activities. So during August, we want to help you AND your loved ones with our special referral offer!
If you refer a friend or family member to us during August and they book a session, not only will they be getting the help they need from our expert physical therapists, but YOU will also get 2 free sessions with us!
Refer a friend or loved one by contacting us today via telephone (239) 431-0232 We look forward to hearing from you soon to finally eliminate your back pain for good!
Other Free Resources For Back Pain
Not quite ready to come into our clinic yet? Don’t sweat it! You can get at-home, expert guidance with our free back pain guide available for you to download and read on the go.
Download Your Free Back Pain Guide Here!
Read Our Blog – Causes & Treatment Options For Low Back Pain
Read Our Blog – Back Pain And Losing Distance Are Directly Correlated
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Dr. Jake Berman
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