The most essential beings of our body

        We cannot see our own backs, ironically; yet, our back is one of the most essential beings of our body. Without a functioning back, we would barely be able to carry out half of our daily activities. There’d be much pain, struggle and dependency on other people to help us out and I’m sure none of us would want to go through that. For a truly balanced and healthy back, we need to have strength, relief and wellness inside out.

        More than 80% of Americans complaint of back pain at some point in their lives.  Even though back pain can affect people of any age, it is significantly more common among adults aged between 35 and 55 years. 

        One of the main causes of these very back pains is the lack of importance people give to proper body mechanics. Body mechanics is a term used to describe the manner in which we move as we go about our day-to-day lives. It includes how we hold our bodies when we sit, stand, lift, carry, bend, and sleep. Poor body mechanics are often the reason behind back problems. When we don't move correctly and carefully, the spine is subjected to abnormal stresses that over time can lead to the worsening of spinal structures like discs and joints, injury, and undesirable wear and tear.

        Another common determinant of back pain is from not exercising and keeping ourselves fit. The failure to perform any exercise, particularly abdominal strengthening exercises, may lead to poor posture and increased low back pain. This results in less flexibility and stability in our back muscles.

         Overweight people have an increased risk for back pain. This is notably true for people with extra weight around the mid-section, which pulls the pelvis forward, creating stress on the lower back. People carrying extra pounds also may experience sciatica and low back pain from a herniated disc or a pinched nerve caused by compensating for the weight.

        Although back pains are one of the most common pains people face in their lives, there are many ways to act preventive so as to live a pain-free, relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle. These simple actions will eliminate the risk of obstruction to our daily lives.

        In the most obvious case, one solution is to exercise. But the question is, how? Core muscles have to be stretched and strengthened. The abdominal muscles on the sides of our body are especially important for back stability. Michael Hisey, MD, orthopedic surgeon and president of the Texas Back Institute in Denton, Texas suggests getting an inflatable exercise ball to use in workouts. These exercise balls should be sat on, instead of using a chair, in order to engage our abs.