Four Tips to Prevent Back Pain

Spotted on the galactic interweb! I wanted to share this - it's very sage advice.
~Stephanie 


by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.
original source

1. Take Frequent Chair Breaks - Even though most people's work and study schedules relegate them to a chair for most of the day, the torso was not designed to be static for five or more hours at a time. According to Andre Panagos, MD, a physiatrist specializing in sports medicine and co-director of the New York Presbyterian Hospital Spine Center, "Prolonged sitting inactivates the core muscles, which are responsible for supporting the back." Taking breaks every 20 to 30 minutes gives muscles a chance to relax and releases unnecessary tension around the joints. Taking a few moments to stretch and twist the torso to invigorate circulation, then lying down with the knees bent will help relax back muscles.

2. Lift Correctly - Even though it can injure the back, many of us forget to check our body mechanics while lifting things. Remember these pointers to make sure you lift correctly: first, stretch your legs and back, begin close to the object, stand with your feet apart with one foot slightly in front of the other for greater stability, bend your knees and squat, lift straight up without twisting or bending the torso and bring the object close to the body.

3. Quit Smoking - Adding to the long list of reasons to stop smoking, cigarettes also contribute to back pain. Nicotine blocks the transport of oxygen and important nutrients to the spine's discs. Starved of oxygen, the discs are less able to repair themselves and tend to collapse at a much earlier age than is seen in non-smokers. Known as degenerative disc disease, this leading cause of chronic back pain can be prevented by kicking the smoking habit.

4. Exercise the Mid-Section - The health of the back depends on the muscular endurance of the body's core muscles. Exercises that strengthen and stretch the back and abdomen will reduce back injury risk. While a physician or physical therapist should be consulted if a back problem is present, the following types of exercise have helped many strengthen and stretch their core muscles: yoga, pilates and swimming.

Least favorite massage

A client once asked me what my least favorite massage is to give. Of course, not wanting to paint massage in any kind of negative light, my immediate response was, "Oh, I love it all! It doesn't matter to me if the client wants this, that or the other thing ... I'm happy to do any modality I know how to do!"

Then I realized I had only thought about giving massage to a client on a massage table. And I truly don't have a most favorite or least favorite. But, I had forgotten about the massage chair. So after my all-massage-is-so-great-to-give attitude, a few seconds later I added, "Well, I guess, actually, chair massage is my least favorite."

The truth is, giving massage to a client in the chair is different than giving one to a client on the table. You're holding your arms up higher than you might be used to. Your leverage is different. It puts more pressure on your hands. You still use your legs to create pressure, but you have to more actively lean into someone to get deep into the soft tissue. On the other hand, when a client is on a table, you can let gravity do some of the work for you. I find I tire more easily when giving chair massage. I enjoy going to health fairs and expos and giving demo massages in the chair to potential clients, but I find I have to take frequent breaks and am usually more drained after giving 4 hours of chair massage than if I gave 5 or even 6 hours of table massage.

Chair massage is still great, though. From a business perspective, its overhead is low. All you need is the chair. For clients, it's quick and less intimidating to someone who wants bodywork but doesn't want to be undressed and under a sheet. It just tends to wipe me out as a therapist.