Some people are more predisposed to chronic back pain based on hereditary reasons. In addition to their genes, age and sex also play a part in whether (or how much) back pain will be a part of our life.
There are, however, several things that you can do to lessen your risk factor of developing this debilitating condition.
Ontario Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at five ways you can control your risk factor when it comes to back pain.
- The Job You Have
Several different job types can be bad news for back pain—and it’s not just manual labor jobs like you might think. Work that involves being in vehicles for long periods of time can cause back problems because of all the sitting and exposure to vibrations. Sitting for most of the day at office-related positions can also cause problems.
- Smoking
Smoking is believed to lead to an increased risk of back pain because of the damage that smoke does to blood vessels. That’s how nutrients get to the spine, so when the body loses that pathway, back pain can be the result.
- Additional Body Weight
It’s not believed that being heavy is a risk factor on its own, but carrying additional body weight can cause existing back problems to flare-up more due to additional stress placed on the spine.
- Posture
Much like obesity, poor posture alone won’t cause back problems, but they can make existing issues worse, and bad posture or form during exercising can also lead to back injuries.
- Psychological Factors
It may be hard to fathom, but stress and anxiety have been linked to a higher development of back pain in several studies. It’s not clear why the link exists, but one theory is that mood disorders like anxiety and depression can sensitize the body to pain, making chronic back pain more recognizable.
To learn more about Ontario Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://ontario-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
