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Online Extra
Back to Basics
By Perry Garfinkel, May 2009
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We often blame one ill-advised move—like carrying a bookcase or tripping over a garden hose—for triggering that major back pain-inducing episode. But often the real culprit is the series of little movements we perform every day. Here's how to retrain your body so you don't put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
How to get out of bed
Rather than bolt upright, first roll to your side, knees slightly bent. "Move as though your trunk and chest are one unit," suggests Dan Clurman, an Oakland, California-based instructor of the Feldenkrais Method, a type of movement education. Press the hand that's not under your body into the mattress and, with the help of the elbow that's under your body, push yourself upright. At the same time, gently swing your legs off the mattress.
How to stand up
First, feel your feet on the floor and gradually put more weight on them. To warm up your lower back muscles, arch and slump your back before standing, alternating between concave and convex, says David-Dorian Ross, co-owner of Full Circle Fitness in Corona Del Mar, California, and a three-time world champion in tai chi. Slide toward the edge of the bed or chair, clenching your gluteus maximus muscles. As you rise, shift your weight forward, engaging your thigh muscles.
Back Pain Resources
National Institutes of Health
The NIH's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases offers information on back pain
Spine-health.com
This site features original articles written by over 100 physician-authors and peer-reviewed by a medical advisory board
WebMD
WebMD's Back Pain Health Center has an extensive back-pain guide, including symptoms and treatment options
MayoClinic.com
The Mayo Clinic Back Pain site lists causes of back pain and alternative medicine resources
FamilyDoctor.org
The American Academy of Family Physicians has a guide on low back pain that includes tips on pain and prevention
Patient Education Institute
The U.S. National Library of Medicine presents an interactive tutorial from the Patient Education Institute on how to prevent back pain
How to sit
Sit in your chair and slouch a bit, slowly rolling your pelvis slightly so that your spine forms a "C" shape, says Clurman. Then slowly draw yourself up, moving back and forth between slouching and drawing yourself up, each time making smaller and smaller movements until you feel your weight coming directly through your sit bones. Even that slight shifting motion between slouch and upright can be good exercise for your lower back, Clurman says. Your lower back should be against the back of the chair. For added support, place a small pillow under the small of your back, and "every 45 minutes, get up and move around."
How to dance
The key to leaving the dance floor without feeling as if your back is on fire is to keep your knees slightly bent, Ross says. "As soon as you bend those knees, your tailbone drops," he explains. "Otherwise, if you keep your knees locked, your lower back arches and your butt sticks out, which not only is unattractive but will be painful the next day."
How to shovel snow
Shoveling snow is particularly taxing on your back, in part because you're bending, then hoisting ten pounds of snow at arm's length from your center of gravity, then twisting and throwing it off to one side. And you're doing this not one time but dozens of times, in cold weather to boot. "The body works better with a robust supply of blood and oxygen, both of which you're deprived of in the cold," says Steven Katz, a chiropractic orthopedist in Mill Valley, California. The solution? Bend your knees with each shovelful. Toss the snow forward, not to the side, by turning your feet and hips in the direction you will toss it. Then, after five or six tosses, stop for 30 seconds and take deep breaths to replenish your oxygen supply. Katz's best advice, though: Hire the neighbor's teenager to do the shoveling for you. "The expense could save you days of suffering."
How to lift a child
Whether you're lifting an 8-pound newborn or a 40-pound five-year-old, spread your legs wider than usual, with your feet turned out slightly, which will give you a firmer and wider base from which to lift. Bend your knees into a semi-squat, gently and slightly arch your back, and stick out your buttocks. Lift the child from close up, not at arm's length, and bring him or her immediately to your chest. Avoid swinging the child to your hip as you pull him up; that lift-and-twist puts too much stress on your back.
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