Spring Cleaning, the Spine and Back Pain El Paso, Texas

As we have transitioned to the spring season, especially with everything going on, most of us are taking on a DIY project or two along with spring cleaning around the house. You definitely want to avoid back pain and for sure back injury at any cost. The aim is to balance spring cleaning and spine safety while performing out-of-the-ordinary chores. Here is a little what to do’s and don’ts.

Spring Cleaning

What to do

• Stand up straight and learn to practice proper posture. Stand in a way where your back is less prone to injury.
• No matter what task you are performing, keep your spine in line and constantly check on how you’re standing, reaching and lifting.
• Lift with your legs, not with your back. Avoid bending at the waist and straightening out, this is a bad habit and could be a set up for injury. You could slip a disc, tear a muscle, or sustain other injuries to the spine. No matter what you’re lifting, bend your knees and keep your back straight to avoid injury.
• Maintain healthy body weight. While cleaning up the house, consider cleaning out the pantry and refrigerator. Carrying too much weight puts added and possibly dangerous pressure on the spine. This could mean that the added weight pulls your spine in all directions because of weak back/core muscles trying to keep the structure in line. Losing excess weight can help ease tension on the back and improve overall health. 
• Strengthen the core muscles. Incorporate core-strengthening exercises into your day. With strong abdominal and back muscles, the core supports your spine, keeping it aligned and healthy.
• Get plenty of calcium-rich foods, like low-fat milk and cheese, almonds, black beans, and broccoli. Give your refrigerator a makeover with better foods for spine health. The spine needs healthy muscles to support it. Strong bones mean less risk of a spinal fracture if you suffer a slip and fall accident.

What not to do

• Clear the air and stop smoking. Not only is smoking bad for the heart and lungs, but it is also bad for the spine. Nicotine decreases the discs ability to absorb nutrients to maintain the spine’s proper function. Weakening the vertebrae increases the risk of a herniated disc or other spine injury/s. Nicotine interferes with the healing process, meaning that recovery time is slower.
• Over exert yourself. Taking on too much or trying to power through without proper breaks can lead to injury, as well as other health problems.
• Over-reaching. Trying to clean that out of reach spot overstrains your back, and can definitely lead to injury/strain/sprain.
• Use improper equipment. Using the wrong equipment/tool can be dangerous and raises the chance of injury.
• Don’t take on large projects without warming up and stretching. When the body’s spine muscles are not used to certain physical activities they can spasm and lead to sprain/strain and back pain.
• Don’t put your body in awkward positions when cleaning, etc. Change your posture frequently to keep all the spinal muscles moving and active. If an awkward position presents, stop and find a comfortable position to work from, ensuring spine safety.

Back Pain

All of these words can be used to describe back pain.

• Achy
• Dull
• Excruciating
• Sharp
• Throbbing

Back pain is a common occurrence and when spring cleaning, if not using proper form and making wise decisions it can exacerbate the pain or create new injuries. The American Chiropractic Association says that back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.

Treatment 

Back pain usually heals on its own. A few days of over-the-counter pain meds, ice, and rest bring the back/spine to normal. For those that have to deal with the pain after a few weeks’ might want to opt for other solutions. This is true for individuals who experience repeated flare-ups, or chronic lower back pain. One of the best options is chiropractic.

Chiropractic doesn’t focus only on the symptoms but helps kick in the body’s natural healing abilities. Chiropractors understand the:

• Bones
• Muscles
• Discs
• Nerves

They are able to determine the reason for the pain. Once diagnosed they can create a customized treatment plan that can range from compresses, spinal manipulation and exercises that helps heal the area and reduce the pain.

Medication-free solution

The natural healing, restorative approach that chiropractic treatment offers instead of pain meds, which just dull the pain is one of the primary reasons individuals flock to chiropractic. Each individual’s treatment varies according to Spine-Universe. As treatment progresses spinal alignment begins to balance the rest of the body and helps correct the issue causing the pain. Spinal manipulation improves mobility and function.

Chiropractic for back pain

Patients who experience lower back pain obviously never want to deal with it again, but it can flare up periodically. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, roughly 20% of those who suffer from low back pain will eventually deal with it chronically. This can cause frustration, especially when it affects mobility.

Those who choose chiropractic are privy to treatment that:

• Reduces pain
• Increases healing
• Shortens downtime
• Lessens chances of recurrence

If over the counter medication and ice packs haven’t worked, it could be time to make an appointment with a licensed chiropractor. Spring is a great time to introduce yourself to new activities to keep you and your family busy and healthy. With some preparation and attention to detail spring cleaning can be productive and safe.

Low Back Pain

NCBI Resources