Don't want to have a backache? Be sure to follow these '4 tips'.

<First>

It is important to frequently change your posture. Dr. Stewart McGill, a renowned expert in back pain rehabilitation and prevention, stated that to prevent back pain, you should not stay in one position for too long. If continuous force is applied to only one part of the body, stress accumulates there, weakening it and eventually leading to damage. This is true even if the sitting posture is correct.

You should frequently change your sitting posture to prevent stress from accumulating in one part of your spine. Dr. McGill recommended getting up to stretch every at least 50 minutes and walking for just a few minutes.

<Second>

Avoid exercising immediately after sitting for a long time. Sitting for extended periods causes the spine to bend forward, stretching the posterior ligaments, and the nucleus of the disc to be pushed backward, adapting to that position. If you exercise immediately in this state, the displaced disc may protrude or the spine could sustain significant impact.

This also applies immediately after waking up from a long sleep. The spinal disc is gradually compressed by body weight while awake. This is why height appears about 1 to 2 centimeters shorter in the evening compared to the morning. Additionally, during sleep, the disc rehydrates, and thanks to sufficient hydration, the pressure in the disc upon waking is 240% higher than before sleep.

A state of increased pressure can be seen as weakened, making it easy to get injured even with slight overexertion, so exercising in this condition is considered a very dangerous action.

It is recommended to start exercising either an hour after waking up or after about 30 minutes of light walking to promote spinal health.

When lifting something in daily life, instead of using your back, you should practice squatting, maintaining a neutral spine and using your hip and knee joints. Developing this habit can reduce the risk of back injury. [Photo = Pixabay]

<Third>

It is a habit of using the hip joint rather than the waist. Dr. McGill emphasized that only by using the hip joint can the spine be properly protected. A slouched posture that fails to maintain the neutral spine results in a shear force on the spine that is approximately ten times higher than a posture that maintains neutral spine and utilizes the strength of the hip joint.

When lifting something in daily life, it is important to develop the habit of performing a squat rather than using your back, maintaining a neutral spine and utilizing your hip and knee joints to reduce the risk of back injury.

<Fourth>

It is not about rotating the waist. Dr. McGill explained that the lumbar spine is designed for stability, while the thoracic spine above it is designed for mobility.

Since the lumbar spine has no mobility function, twisting the waist can put a significant strain on the lumbar region, and rotating the torso should involve the thoracic spine, while simultaneously moving the arms and legs to generate the supporting force.