How to relieve your back during everyday activities and prevent back pain

Don’t worry, you don’t have to change all your everyday habits to protect your back. It’s much more important that you keep an eye on how you move throughout the day and which posture you adopt during different activities. Even small things have a huge impact on your back health.

Even if it may sound trivial: pay attention to how you sit and stand. That applies in particular if you mainly work sitting down or standing up, but also during activities, such as cooking, ironing, waiting for the bus, or playing chess.

If you have to stand for extended periods, you should position yourself such that your feet aren’t subjected to one-sided strain and your hip doesn’t stick out to the side. A healthy posture is ensured when your hip and head form a vertical line. Don’t fully straighten your legs but slightly bend your knees. Try to avoid standing still for too long. Changing movements can put an even load on your legs, or stand on tip-toes every now and then and slowly rock back to your feet.

For extended periods of sitting, in the office for example, it’s important that your spine keeps its natural shape. That means the pelvis should be tilted forwards a little, which slightly lifts the chest. Your shoulders should be relaxed and not pulled upward. Also make sure that your hip is not lower than your knees. In addition to an ergonomic posture, it’s also vital to regularly vary your sitting position. This leads to increased blood flow to your muscles and prevents tension.

You spend a great deal of your time at work. It’s therefore critical that the design of your work place is as back-friendly as possible. In addition to clear daylight, ergonomics plays an essential part in your well-being: work furniture, such as a work bench, desk, and chair should be adjustable to your height and set up in an ideal sitting and working position. In an office, the position of the monitor and an ergonomically shaped keyboard and mouse are also significant.

If you mainly work sitting down, try to move around every now and then. For example, don’t place files right on your desk, meaning you have to get up to fetch them. Take the stairs instead of the lift and go for a walk in your break after your lunch.

Some may not get enough exercise, whereas others never get a rest: if your work involves physical activity, try to ensure an appropriate workload so you don’t subject yourself to excessive strain. If possible, use carrying aids for heavy loads and take sufficient breaks.

Whether on a construction site, when moving house, gardening, or grocery shopping: carrying heavy objects puts a lot of strain on your back. But you can relieve your back and spine by ensuring back-friendly lifting and carrying.

If you want to lift something, stand close to the object and squat down. Hold the load close to your body, then stand up with a straight back. Using your leg strength relieves your back. If you also tense your back muscles, you will improve stability. When you put the object down again, do not bend forwards but squat down from the knees with a straight back. Plus: it’s better to make several journeys rather than carrying excessive loads.

Reading, watching TV, board games, fishing – hobbies make up for what is often a stressful day. But make sure you don’t spend all your spare time sitting down.

The best advice for a healthy back still remains the same: stay active! Susanne Gramatté agrees. The Specialist in Orthopedics and Chirotherapy recommends integrating as much activity into everyday life as possible. “It can be little things that don’t cost anything,” says Gramatté. “But you gain a lot.” If you have a good stretch in the morning after getting up, you’ll have much more energy for the day. For short distances, you can use a bicycle or walk instead of taking the car. And if you go for a small walk after work, you won’t just be active in the fresh air but you can also clear your head – both are beneficial for your back!

In case of pain, especially if your back muscles are weak, it may be useful, if agreed by your treating physician, to provide your back with additional help by wearing a support or orthosis. This type of medical product will straighten your spine and help with a healthy posture. This will stabilize your back and subject it to less strain, which can alleviate pain. With a support or orthosis, you can thus regain quality of life and – during particularly tough times – reduce or completely avoid sick days.

Another important tip: don’t confuse a support or orthosis with a corset! After all, you want to keep active, which is what your back needs. That’s why Bauerfeind’s supports and orthoses have been designed so they don’t restrict you but encourage and help with activities that promote health and targeted back exercises. Thanks to their high degree of wearing comfort, they can support you during everyday activities and on your journey toward a healthy back.