Did you know that four out of five people suffer from back problems? Caused by a number of reasons, back pains can make your life hell.

So it helps to know what causes these nasty aches, spasms and catches. Here, we’ve put together the most common causes of a backache, and the ways you can counter the pain.

Cause 1: Being A Couch Potato

Bending over small mobile screens, work desktops and the living room TV, we spend over 9 hours slouched in front of a screen every single day. This is no good for our backs.

Take regular consciously planned breaks, and stretch your neck to the front, back, left and right.

Cause 2: Sleeping On Your Belly

Turning over and sleeping face down can seem comfy in the moment, but this places unnecessary strain on your joints and muscles.

If you can’t sleep any other way, place a thin pillow below your waist whenever you lie down in this position. This lowers the load on your ligaments, muscles and spinal disks. Alternatively, go for a medium or medium plush mattress.

Cause 3: Smoking

You know it can be hell on your lungs and the entire respiratory system, but here’s another reason to kick your nico-habit. Nicotine also restricts blood flow to your vertebrae and their disks. Smoking also hinders your ability to absorb calcium, which can lead to a weaker back and disorders like osteoporosis.

The fix: kick your smoking habit. That’s all it takes!

Cause 4: No Core Exercise

No, we’re not talking about a six-pack. The core is actually your abdominal, side, pelvic, back and buttock muscles. This system is what supports the rest of your body and keeps things in place.

Add some exercises like crunches, squats, lunges and planks into your workout routine. If you don’t have a workout routine, do your back a favor and start one today!

Back aches are no small issue; take care of yours before it gets out of hand. Use these cues to correct any flaws in your lifestyle that may be causing your back all that pain.

References:

https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/injury/back/back-pain-causes-and-treatments/