Tips to Prevent Lower Back Pain

1. GOOD POSTURE: The first step is to become aware of your body, so that when you're holding yourself stiff, you instantly recognize the tension in your muscles standing or sitting, you should put minimal strain on the muscles of your lower back, by pressuring the spine's natural curve.
2. MAKE THE RIGHT MOVES: Lift using your leg muscles, not your arms and back. If you need to pick up something heavy, like a grocery bag or a packed suitcase, bend at your knee and lift it, keeping your back straight. Outdoors, use a backpack rather than a shoulder bag, it will distribute your weight more evenly.
3. LOSE WEIGHT: It's estimated that over half of all Americans are overweight. It's important to know that obesity contributes to the development of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and back pain. While the spine is designed to carry and distribute the body's weight, excessive weight can strain the spine. Eventually, the spine will begin to wear out. Give your spine a break by shedding those unwanted and unnecessary pounds. Don't know how to start? Talk to your doctor. He or she can help you find a weight loss and exercise plan that best suits your needs.
4. FIND THE BEST SLEEPING POSITIONS: Finding a sleeping position that works for you can help you avoid placing unnecessary strains on your back or neck. Doctors tend to vary when recommending ideal sleep positions, so being guided by your comfort levels and using your own judgment are good accompaniment to his or her advice. About's Sleep Disorders editor, Florence Cardinal, has some great tips for sleep positioning.
5. PRACTICE RELAXATION TECHNIQUES: Practice relaxing your back muscles, when you're sitting in one place for a long time. You can go to WF flexibility exercise to view exercises to stretch your upper and lower back. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds and slowly release.
6. IDENTIFY FEELING OF EXERTION AND PAIN: It is vital that you distinguish between the feeling of exertion and pain. Pain is a signal from your nerves that what you are doing is wrong for you. When you get such signals, do some mild back exercise that feel comfortable. Try the side slide, knee hug and pelvic tilt.
7. STRENGTHEN YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES: Your abdominal muscles are the core of your fitness. The rectus is the oblong muscle running vertically from the public bones to the breast bone helps to support your trunk and keep your tummy from sagging. The oblique muscles from the diagonal bands that criss-cross at the navel. The transverse muscle is a horizontal band across the waist. Feel these muscles tighten whenever you perform abdominal exercises.
8. PURPOSELY INTERUPT LONG PERIODS OF SITTINS: If you sit for long periods of time, force yourself to get up from your chair as much as your work environment will permit. Sitting loads the spine and compresses the disks, leading to disk problems. Slaving over a computer for long periods of time can also cause posture problems, such as kyphosis, and neck problems.
9. PERFORM BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES: If done religiously, these exercises can give your back muscles, strength, flexibility and range of motion. Beginners can make use of weight-lifting belt to avoid straining their lower back. Go to WF strength training exercises to check out exercise for the back, perform the exercise according to the instructions laid down, to achieve good results. Exercise for the back, should aim at increasing flexibility, strength and endurance. The lower back, in particular requires strong muscles for support and prevention of lower back pain.
10. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER: Our bodies are comprised of approximately 70% water. Enough water keeps us fluid, rather than stiff. Drinking plenty of water enhances the height of intervertebral disks, keeping them the healthy shock absorbers they are. Water is necessary for nearly every bodily process so is good to have in generous supply, at least 6-8 8-ounce glasses per day. It is almost impossible to drink too much water. For the facts on dehydration, read Dehydration: What a Pain!
11. MINIMIZE AND AVOID TWISTING MOTIONS:The use of twisting motions should be carefully monitored, and scaled back or eliminated as appropriate. When lifting heavy objects, twisting should be avoided. When doing heavy work, such as housework, try to keep twisting to a minimum. In other activites, pay close attention to how you are moving your spine, as well as any warning signs such as pain or tightness, that may indicate trouble. Scale back on the twisting according to the warning signs your body gives you.
12. LIFT SAFELY: Safe lifting involves using your legs to spare your back. Bend your knees, tighten your abdominal muscles, and keep the object being lifted close to your body. For more tips, see Safe Lifting Techniques, which provides an illustrated step-by-step guide. It is also a good idea to be aware of unsafe lifting techniques, so that you can avoid them. Unsafe lifting techniques usually involve positions that will cause you strain when you add a load to them.