Back pain is one of the most devastating types of pain because it is often continuous and those suffering strong back pain can find their lives dominated by the pain. They will often not be able to work effectively, bend down and pick up their own children and can even have difficulty in walking around normally.

The best news is that you can do something about preventing this happening to you. If you are already suffering from back pain and want relief, you can also change your behaviour and gain some relief from your back pain. There is hope here!

While there are a number of contributing factors to back pain and several causes, a lot of back pain is caused from poor posture in either sitting, walking or particularly in lifting.

There are two main reasons poor posture will contribute to back pain. Your body is designed a certain way and the curves of the spine do not allow for much sideways movement. Maintaining a straight back and good posture will help prevent the spine from twisting, which can cause damage and therefore pain.

If you do not adequately support your back, you can put stress on the spine and strain the back muscles. If you continuously have poor posture or inadequate back support, you can change the way the spine shapes in your body.

This can lead to problems with muscles, discs and joints, slipped discs (the shock absorbers of your spine) and constricted blood vessels and nerves.

What is Bad Posture?

Bad posture is any way of sitting, standing, walking or lifting that puts your back out of a natural alignment. It will place stress on supporting back muscles or put pressure on the spine, spinal cord or nervous system or the discs between each vertebra in the spine. All of these things will contribute to back pain.

Here are some examples of common habits that will contribute to poor posture:

• Carrying something heavy on one side of the body
• Keeping the head held too high or looking down too much
• Slouching with the shoulders hunched forward
• Sleeping with a mattress or pillow that doesn't provide proper back support, or in a position that compromises posture
• Cradling a phone receiver between the neck and shoulder • Wearing high-heeled shoes
• Wearing clothes that are too tight that pull your body into unnatural shapes or put pressure on the body
• Not using the office chair's back support by sitting too far forward on the seat

Now we know what to avoid to get relief from back pain, what should we do?

What is Good Posture?

Good posture is about keeping each part of the body in alignment with the rest of the body, ensuring the body is balanced and supported. If you are standing, you will know if you have good posture, if someone can draw a straight line down from your earlobe, through the shoulder, hip, knee and finishing in the middle of the ankle.

However, we don't stand up all day, so you will need to consider the best posture positions when standing, sitting, bending and lying down.

If you can learn and maintain the best posture in each position this will help you to relief your back pain. Once you concentrate on setting good habits in your posture for a short time, it will become automatic and you won't have to think about it any more.

If you are experiencing back pain and want relief, try straightening up and getting into a better posture.

Posture Tips for Back Pain Relief

When Standing:

• Keep your feet about shoulder width apart as this helps to balance and support the lower body.
• Stand as straight and tall as you can, with shoulders slightly back. • Keep your head level to help support your neck.
• Balance the weight mostly on the balls of your feet, rather than on your heels.
• If standing for a long period of time, allow your body to rest by shifting weight from one foot to the other and occasionally rocking from heels to toes. This movement helps to release taut muscles and give them a brief rest, making it easier to continue to support your back.

When Sitting:

• Make sure your back is supported by the back of the office chair and avoid leaning forward.
• Keep your shoulders straight.
• Remember the body is made for movement, get up from your chair regularly and walk around the office when you can.
• When sitting at a desk, arms should be flexed at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows as this is the best supportive posture for your back.
• Keep both your feet flat on the floor as this helps you keep the alignment in your body and you will be less likely to lean forward too.

One of the best things you can do to relief your back pain is to ensure your body is not pulled out of alignment. Good posture will help this! Many people find they have bad posture when they are tired, or have tense muscles, pulling the body out of alignment. There are a number of great exercises that will help relax and stretch the major back muscles, helping to strengthen them to ensure continued support.

Don't look back - just straighten up!

This article is general in nature and does not represent medical advice. Always consult with a qualified medical practitioner before choosing a course of treatment.