Look after your back
From 5th – 9th October it’s Back Care Awareness Week. Organised by the charity BackCare, the aim of the week is to raise the awareness of good back care.
Did you know that back pain is one of the major disabling health conditions among adults aged 60 years and older? Many causes of lower back pain are age-related with physical and psychosocial changes. There is a distinct lack of awareness, especially in older adults to the causes and effects of back pain and pain management.
Existing evidence suggests that prevalence rates of severe and chronic low back pain increase with older age. As compared to working-age adults, older adults are more likely to develop lower back pain like osteoporotic vertebral fractures, tumours, spinal infection and lumbar spinal stenosis.
Based on advice from the NHS, here are our top 10 tips for a healthier back:
- Always bend your knees and hips, not your back.
- Walking and swimming are great ways to strengthen your back muscles.
- Never twist and bend at the same time.
- Lift and carry objects close to your body.
- Carry larger loads in a rucksack and avoid sling bags. Try using a back-friendly bag such as a Healthy Back Bag.
Healthy Back Bags are designed to protect your back, neck & shoulders
- Avoid slumping in your chair, hunching over a desk or walking with your shoulders hunched. Sit with your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.
- Stop smoking. It's thought that smoking reduces the blood supply to the discs between your vertebrae which may lead to their degeneration.
- Lose any excess weight.
- Choose a mattress that’s suited to your height, weight, age and sleeping position.
- Ensure your footwear has enough support. If you have wide or swollen feet, look for wide fit shoes with shock-absorbing soles and avoid wearing ballet flats or flip flops for long periods of time.
Click here to view our range of Back Comfort products.