Long hours at your desk, slouched shoulders as you type, lifting heavy weights, and more can contribute to back pain. These are things you do daily without realizing the impact it has on your body.  

How Daily Activities Can Cause Back Pain?

As you engage in these activities, being aware of posture, weight distribution, alignment, and more is essential. Ignoring these factors will result in stiffness, inflammation, injuries, pain, etc. 

To prevent or cope with musculoskeletal conditions, it is important to pay attention to your body's needs. Taking breaks, stretching exercises, using a pillow, and placing the screen at eye level can help reduce back pain. For severe cases, seeking physiotherapy services, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massages is highly recommended. 

8 Daily Activities that Trigger Back Pain

Prolonged Sitting at a Desk

Sitting at your desk throughout the day can overexert the spine and cause biochemical changes in the back. This is especially true if you don’t take breaks or sit in the same incorrect position for 6-8 hours. Further, poor posture leads to compression of the discs in the spine and premature degeneration which can be extremely painful. 

To avoid such back pain, there is a wide range of solutions. For instance, taking breaks where you go for walks or practicing gentle stretches at your desk helps reduce tension and tightness in your spine. You can also opt for a standing desk to promote movement and balance. 

Poor Posture

Slouching or bending while you text, play games, or watch TV adds extra pressure on the spine and back leading to acute or chronic back pain. Since bad posture is one of the most common causes of back pain, it is important to adjust your posture. 

Standing straight and tall with your shoulders back and keeping your feet shoulder-width apart helps evenly distribute weight and prevent pain. Further, while sitting straighten your back at a 90-100 degree angle perpendicular to your legs and with your shoulders. 

Lifting Heavy Objects

Pulling, dragging, or lifting heavy objects incorrectly can strain the back muscles. This applies in the gym as well. Different activities that you do as part of your gym routine could cause significant pain. With gym exercises like weightlifting, sit-ups, crunches, and deadlifts, back pain is a major concern.  In addition to this, any odd movement as you carry the weight may tear the muscle leading to severe pain. Hence while carrying a heavy object it is important to squat first and bend at the waist. Keep the heaviest side of the object towards your body and as you lift it up avoid twisting your back or leaning sideways. Finally, when you are holding the weight look ahead and maintain a stable position. 

Wrong Sleeping Position

Waking up with lower back pain could be the result of a bad sleeping position. If you lie on your belly, most of your weight is concentrated in the center of your body. This adds excessive pressure on the lumbar area leading to back pain when lying down. Hence picking a neutral position such as lying on your back helps evenly distribute weight and aligns the head, neck, and spine. Placing a pillow under your knees also helps maintain the natural curve of the vertebrae. 

Cleaning & Laundry Activities

Mopping, bending, scrubbing, and more add pressure to the spine which can then exacerbate lower back pain. As you stretch your body while cleaning, you may also experience a muscle pull. All of this could lead to back pain when bending forward. Simple techniques such as holding the sink or any surface to stabilize your core while picking up laundry, mopping within the range of your body’s width, using short movements as you clean windows, shiting your weight from side to side as you vacuum, and more can prevent acute or chronic back pain. 

Lack of Physical Activity

With back pain or any injury, engaging in exercise may be difficult. However, if you do not engage in any form of activity, it can make the body stiff, weak, and rigid. This only adds to the pain and discomfort you experience. A lack of exercise can result in multiple other complications. An example would be back pain after eating, which is a symptom of heartburn or indigestion. This is a result of consuming food without adequately exercising or working out. Regular exercises can help reduce tension and stiffness in the lower back. In addition to this, movement helps promote blood circulation and builds core strength which prevents future injuries. Hence incorporating stretches based on the pain experienced is highly recommended. 

Carrying Heavy Backpacks

The way you carry a bag determines the amount of pressure on your shoulders, arms, and back. Further, placing your bag on a single shoulder also leads to imbalance and excessive pressure on the spine. If it's a backpack, carry it over both shoulders, and if it's a sling bag carry it over the shoulder. This minimizes the risk of straining your back or twisting your shoulders. Finally, as you carry a heavy bag avoid bending forward as it could compress the discs of the spine and cause back pain. 

Stress

When you experience stress, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol which triggers involuntary muscle spasms and tightening. With chronic stress, this tension leads to severe discomfort and pain. Since pain alters the pain-sensitive circuits, it leads to acute and chronic pain. Acute back pain is a sharp and intense sensation that lasts for 2-3 months, whereas chronic back pain lasts longer than 6 months. 

Practicing meditation, breathing exercises, grounding techniques, stretches, and more can help calm the nervous system and reduce the production of stress hormones. This further reduces tightness within the muscles and resolves back pain. 

Cure Your Back Pain With Physiotattva

From back pain caused by poor posture or by lifting heavy objects, our team of experts aims to provide quality physiotherapy services that facilitate a smooth recovery. Various techniques including acupuncture, tissue mobilization exercises, heat and cold therapy, and chiropractic care are offered at our centers and within the comfort of your home. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are three things that could be causing lower back pain while bending?

Three common causes of back pain are poor posture, lack of physical activity, and wrong sleeping positions.

What is the fastest way to relieve lower back pain?

The fastest way to relieve back pain is the RICE method (rest, ice, elevate, compress). However, based on the severity, acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, and chiropractic care are also suggested.