Easy tips you can implement in your everyday life to help improve back support and posture

Whether it is walking around the block, sitting at your office desk, or commuting to and from work, your back places a crucial role in helping accommodate your day to day movements.
A part of our body that is in near constant use, and just as consistently ignored, is our back. If it isn’t already obvious, our backs exert a tremendous amount of effort throughout the day to keep us moving in our routine activities. Whether it’s walking around the block, sitting at an office desk, or commuting to and from work, the back plays a crucial role in accommodating our everyday movements.

That said, it’s only natural that when we ignore our backs there may be some painful consequences. Some of these may include chronic back pain, limited movement, and bad posture. In order to avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort from developing or reoccurring in the future, here are some easy tips you can weave into your everyday life to strengthen your back and overall posture, whether you’re in the office, at the gym, or on the go.

1. AT THE OFFICE:
   If you work in an office setting, you probably notice that your back is under constant pressure. This rings true especially while spending 8-10 hours a day seated at a desk. Spending your whole day leaning over your desk in a hunch-like position helps lay the foundation for a future of chronic back pain. If you are looking for ways to protect your back while at work, here are some easy tips you can implement to support your back:
   • Use a pillow while sitting down to help support you and your back while seated.
   • You can also place support beneath your feet to help elevate you a bit. Elevation helps support your back by keeping your knees extended higher than your hips which is a real plus for body posture and alleviates pressure from the lower back.
   • Ensure that your back is always supported against the chair you are using and not hunched forward. This will help you have adequate support throughout your work day. No more crunching over the keyboard.
   • Make sure that you and your desk are at very close proximity so you don’t have to over extend.
   • Do not sit down for extended hours of time. Make sure that every once in awhile, you get up from your desk and walk around.
2. AT THE GYM:
   If you are already experiencing back pain, then it’s time to start implementing aerobic activities into your life. Don’t think of this as exercise, because aerobic activity goes a long way towards ensuring that back pain does not worsen, and can help you avoid future back altogether. When you engage in these low-impact forms of exercises, you will be working the muscles that help support your lower back. This will help them become stronger and more ready to take on challenges. Some of the things you can expect to gain from aerobic exercise include:
   • You will reduce pressure that causes back pain.
   • You will stimulate blood flow and nutrients to the lower back.
   • You will increase production of pain fighting endorphins.

   If you are wondering what exercise would be best for you and aren’t sure where to get started, you can start with a simple walk around the block, light cycling, or check out these 7 easy ways to reduce lower back pain at home.

   Just don’t try to do it all at once as this could seriously hamper all the progress you’ve already made. If you decide that aerobic exercise is right for you, it will be way more beneficial to go into it slowly. You can decide to start with about 5 to 10 minutes of exercises every day and then start building from there, especially if you are new to these sorts of exercises. This will also help you remain fit, while keeping your back in good shape too. Win-win all around.

3. ON THE GO:
   If you are constantly on the go and driving from place to place, sitting in a car can also take a huge toll on your back. This daily routine has the ability to affect our back, posture and comfort while driving. This can cause a lot of problems, especially if we are not positioned in the right way to support our back. Here are some easy ways to help support your back while constantly on the go and on the road:
   • Make sure your seat is properly adjusted and that your back is comfortable.
   • If that’s not enough, another very popular solution is to make use of a total back support system like BackShield. This is a great option for long haul drivers looking for an extra bit of support on the road. All you need to do is fit it into your seat and you’re off.
   • Stop and stretch every once in a while. This will help alleviate pressure from your lower back when you spend long hours on the road.
   • Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible to ensure that your shoulders are not overexerted, which leads to back pain, particularly in a car. This also helps lift the body up, relieving weight from the lower back region.

So regardless of where you spend your time, at the office, at the gym, or on the road, we must do what we can to help support our backs and prevent a future of chronic back pain. Let us know if these tips work for you in the comments below and feel free to add more suggestions of your own. Rest assured BackShield has your back with back support tips that will definitely go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals, while eliminating back pain along the way.