How to Ensure a Back Pain-Free Quarantine?
Staying home is crucial during this quarantine period to avoid the risk of getting coronavirus. As much as it’s a good idea to remain indoors in this pandemic, there are also some consequences to staying home as activities are limited, forcing you to be sedentary.
A sedentary lifestyle is bad for your back and could trigger back pain. Dr. Hepler, our spine surgeon in Fort Lauderdale, recommends the following simple measures to ensure a back pain-free quarantine:
Be Aware of Your Sitting Position
If you’re confined to working at home, be sure to have a proper workspace where you can sit and settle properly. Pick a good chair to use and not the couch, the sofa, or the bed. These do not have adequate back support, and you will likely feel your back straining after a few hours.
When you’re seated, be aware of your sitting position as well. You’ll need to keep your knees aligned to your hips for proper support and balance. Place a cushion underneath your buttocks to soften the pressure around this area so that you are less likely to hurt your spine.
Put a pillow on your lower back
This area is the location of the lumbar spine. The lower back is curved inwards, as it is the body’s center of gravity, bears the weight of the upper part of the body, and facilitates mobility and stability. If you’re sitting a lot when you work at home, you’ll put excessive pressure on the lumbar spine, potentially leading to back pain.
A support pillow can help relieve some of the pressure on your lower back, preventing the pain from spreading to the rest of the back, shoulder, and neck. A pillow will also help correct your sitting position and make you more comfortable when engrossed in work.
Ease back pain with simple exercises
There are easy exercises you can perform to relieve back pain, such as partial crunches, hamstring stretches, and wall sits. Dr. Hepler discusses the best and worst exercises for back pain in detail in this article.
Apart from strengthening your back muscles, you also need to work on your abdominal muscles. Core exercises keep your back flexible, maintain your balance, and strengthen your muscle to better control and protect the spine. Don’t forget to warm-up and cool-down before and after working out.
The World Health Organization recommends a 150-minute moderate workout every week to keep with your physical activity goals. Additionally, take short breaks when you’re sitting for too long. Walk around the house for 10 minutes and stretch your muscles to release the tension before settling back on the chair.
If these measures fail to work, it’s time to consult Dr. Hepler, a spine surgeon in Fort Lauderdale, to determine if you have an underlying spine condition.
Learn how to improve spine health from our spine surgeon in Palm Beach County
Don’t let back pain take over your life. If you are suffering from constant discomfort in your back, our orthopedic spine specialist is ready to help. Dr. Hepler is an adult and pediatric spine surgeon in Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Palm Beach County.
He treats all cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine conditions, and provides spinal stenosis treatments. Additionally, he offers non-operative treatment options, such as pain medications, steroid injections, and physical therapy. But, he also provides operative treatments, including both minimally invasive techniques and complex reconstructions.
If you would like to learn more about our orthopedic spine surgeon, please Contact Us.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
