18 Simple, Healthy Habits To Reduce Back Pain

Are your bad habits the cause of your back pain and neck pain? Oftentimes, reducing back pain and neck pain can be as simple as making a few changes to how you sit, stand and sleep. For instance, maintaining a good posture can help stop back pain by keeping your natural spinal curves in their normal position, taking painful pressure off your spine. Consider implementing these simple solutions to help manage chronic pain and get you back to enjoying work and life.

Back Pain and Sleep

There’s no doubt that a good night’s sleep is important. But back pain and sleep don’t often go well together. While a restful 6- to 9-hour sleep can help your body and muscles recover, upper and lower back pain makes it harder to sleep, reducing your body’s ability to heal. Here are some easy solutions to help you sleep better with back pain. 

1. Avoid sleeping on your stomach to help reduce back pain. 
2. The best sleeping position for back pain is on your side. Keep your body straight and resist the urge to curl up into a ball. This position keeps the spine in alignment from the neck down, reducing the chance of pain. 
3. Lessen the risk of back pain insomnia while sleeping on your side by putting a pillow between your knees, keeping your body in alignment. Pillows can help back sleepers reduce pain, as well. Simply place one or more under your knees to help prevent lower back pain caused by your spine arching too much. 
4. In addition to altering your sleep position, back pain can be reduced with the help of a firm mattress and a supportive pillow.

Avoid Back Pain While Sitting

Back pain during long periods of sitting is a common phenomenon. Sitting actually puts more stress on your spine than walking or standing. But, thankfully, there are some easy fixes for back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain that occur while sitting. 

1. Poor sitting posture is to blame for a lot of upper back pain and lower back pain while sitting, as well as neck pain and shoulder pain. Good posture means less pain. To reduce pain when sitting, sit up straight, with your ears, shoulders and hips in line. Place both feet flat on the ground, with thighs parallel to the floor.
2. Avoid back pain while sitting by sitting on your “sitting bones,” not your tailbone. This might mean you have to add a blanket or cushion underneath you to ensure your knees aren’t higher than your hips.
3. To maintain proper sitting posture, buy a good chair with a firm, flat seat and plenty of lower back support. A chair with good lumbar support can help you avoid a sore back. If your chair doesn’t have lumbar support, avoid back pain by putting a small pillow or rolled up towel between your lower back and the chair. 

Stand Without Back Pain

Do you experience back pain from standing too long? Many people do. Fortunately, there are some easy solutions to help deal with it. 

1. If you are standing for long periods, be sure to give your back a break. You can manage your back pain at home by bending forward and to the sides to a comfortable stretching position.
2. Don’t forget that supportive shoes reduce the risk of back pain and knee pain. 
3. Proper posture can also help limit back pain while standing. Keep your ears, shoulders and hips aligned to help prevent pain. Also try to pull in your stomach and chin, while tilting your pelvis forward.
4. Change your position often to lessen back pain and knee pain while at work or during long periods of standing in line. If possible, use a stool or block to rest one foot on.
5. A back brace can help you maintain proper posture, providing back and abdominal support. It provides support for prolonged periods of standing or walking.

Reduce Back Pain When Walking

Walking can be a great form of excercise, but it may be difficult to figure out how to walk with back pain. These tips can help you get started.

1. Like in every other area, posture matters. You can exercise with back pain by holding your head high, tucking in your chin and pointing your toes straight ahead. 
2. Comfortable shoes are a must. Pick ones with an arch support to help reduce back soreness and leg soreness the next day. 
3. To avoid back pain after your workout, stretch when you return home. And don’t forget to hydrate. Water can even help keep your spine healthy, since it’s an important component of spinal discs. 

Drive Comfortably Without Pain

Driving to work and on errands can be a pain – literally. Back pain while driving can make routine trips unbearable. Consider these tricks to lessen driving back pain.

1. To reduce back pain while driving, apply the advice for sitting without back pain: Keep your back upright, sit on your “sitting bones” and make sure your knees aren’t higher than your hips.
2. Keep your shoulders back and put both hands on the wheel to reduce the chances of back pain and arm pain.
3. If you need help to keep your back straight or your arms straight, consider a brack brace or a wrist brace. They reduce pain by providing support and limiting movement, which can be especialy helpful for herniated discs, chronic lumbar instability, degenerative disc disease, post-operative rehabilitation or severe sprains or strains.

Do you have any other additions to our list? Let us know in the comments!

If you have additional questions about your back pain, consider the benefits of seeing a pain management physician. Click the link below to download our free comprehensive Back Pain Guide, with expert information, facts and advice to help you relieve your back pain.