Pickups. Drop-offs. Meetings, errands, workouts. Whew! Just the thought of cramming everything that needs to be done into a day is enough to make anyone’s back twinge. It takes a lot to power through your day, and you don’t have time to let back pain keep you from making it all happen.
Some Causes of Back Pain
- Low Fitness Level: Back pain is common among those with low fitness levels as weak back and abdominal muscles do not support the spine.*
- Manual Labor: Jobs/activities that require heavy lifting or continuous exertion of strength can lead to back pain or additional injury.*
- Stationary Workspace: If you’re inactive and seated for the majority of the day, back pain can be caused by poor posture or lack of suitable back support.*
- Mental Health Factors: If you’re struggling with certain mental health challenges such as anxiety or depression, pain can be an amplified point of focus – increasing the perception of your back-pain’s severity. In general, stress can also contribute to muscle tension.* If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety talk to your doctor.
- Genetics: Certain causes of back pain (i.e. ankylosing spondylitis – a form of arthritis that affects the spine) can be linked to genetic factors.* Talk to your doctor if you believe that a genetic disorder is causing your pain.
- Smoking: Smoking may prevent necessary blood flow containing nutrients from getting to the disks in your back. Smoker’s cough can also contribute to back pain.*
Keeping your back strong is especially important now as, over time, the odds of having back pain go up.* See below for some quick tips on how to manage and prevent back pain.
*images for illustration only.
