The spine is literally the backbone of your body that holds it together. It is important that you take care of this at any age. We made a list of daily activities that can harm your spine.
Activities That Can Damage Your Spine
1. Brush Your Teeth
When we stand, the pressure in the spine is much higher than during a long walk. If you need to sit for hours every day, you must find a way to mitigate the harmful influence on your spine.
How to avoid it
When brushing your teeth, touch the wall or sink with your free hand.
2. Driving Whole Day
If you work as a driver, Grab / Uber / Taxi driver, or have a job as a delivery man, you will be behind the wheel for many hours every day.
How to avoid it:
Leaning over the steering wheel tightens your chest muscles and forces your shoulders to rotate. The opposite fall style also causes back and neck problems.
3. Wash The Dishes
When washing dishes, we are generally in a half-bent position with arms strained. For this reason, the intervertebral discs in the chest section wear out quickly, causing pain between the shoulder blades.
How to avoid it
Place a chair or bench below the knee when washing dishes. This will help decrease the pressure.
4. Changing A Car Wheel
The owner of every second car faced this challenge that can cause back pain for the rest of the day.
How to avoid it
Do not lean toward the steering wheel. Sit on the floor next to it so your eyes are at the level of the car’s bumper.
5. Wear High Heels or Flip Flops
High heels force you to arch your back, creating more pressure on your spinal muscles. Flip Flops, on the other hand, make the feet move from side to side, making the weight distribution uneven and causing pain.
How To Avoid It:
So if you need to wear high heels at work, try leaving them in the office, and instead, travel in comfortable apartments. Flip Flops lovers can leave them at home from time to time and wear comfortable sneakers.
6. Carrying Bags From The Supermarket
Despite the depressing reality that supermarkets make millions each year by selling disposable bags, never skimp on a second bag. A few extra pennies will save your spine from the added pressure.
How to avoid it
- Remember that heavy objects should be lifted with your knees bent. For most women, a heavy object is something that weighs more than 2 kg; for most men, more than 11 pounds (5 kg).
- Always remember that you should only carry bags with the weight evenly distributed on both hands.
7. Washing The Floor
If not every day, at least once a week, we clean our houses and brutally torture our beans. Strained legs and back, active arm movements, weight lifting, that sounds dangerous.
How to avoid it
Do not wash the floor with your hands and floorcloth. Use a mop or brush.
8. Lacing Up Your Shoes
Everything we do in a curved posture damages our intervertebral discs. Under constant pressure, nutritional substances exit the spine and flatten out. This results in pressure pains and stitches in one area or another.
A new supply of necessary elements is replenished only when our bodies feel comfortable, for example, during sleep. Therefore, it is crucial to control the sensations on our backs during the day and don’t put them to a strength test.
How to avoid it
It is recommended to tie the shoes when sitting and with the leg raised. Do not do this by crouching on the floor or standing and bending over.
9. Carrying a Backpack
Backpacks are not only popular with school students. We tend to bog them down with a lot of things, in an attempt to use up all the available space. Heavyweights and incorrect transportation have a negative impact on the spine.
How to avoid it
- Backpacks have two straps for a reason. Use both for even load distribution.
- Give prefers backpacks with wide and soft straps. They provide better shock absorption and decrease pressure on the neck and spine.
10. Taking Heavy Objects From Above
When you are looking for something, your spine is stretched. Now imagine what happens to your spinal discs when the entire weight of a suitcase, even an empty one, falls on them at that moment.
It is like throwing a brick at a balloon. Obviously, the disks won’t explode, but the consequences can be unpleasant if you repeat this action regularly.
How to avoid it
If you need to lift something heavy from the top, use a chair to keep the pressure to a minimum. Ideally, the weight should be at your chest level.
11. Sitting On Your Table
Sitting is the new smoking. This is the new school of thought, as research has shown that it takes time in life. Sitting is a disease and killing is another charge against this lifestyle choice. Since sitting in some professions is inevitable, what can we do to combat the sedentary lifestyle we are confined to?
How to avoid it
If you don’t have access to a desk at work, you can still protect your spine. Consider these options:
- You can stay at a higher table or counter while you work.
- Walk and chat with your coworkers instead of having your meetings in a conference room.
- Take stretching breaks every 30-45 minutes, remembering to use a stopwatch.
- Stand up and talk to your coworkers or go for a walk to have a glass of water.
- Pocket a few extra steps by parking your car farther from your work driveway.
- Use part of your lunch for a quick walk.
- Undo the stress of sitting down with regular chiropractic care.
Preview photo credit shutterstock.com
Leave a Reply