During the current times of work-from-home and online schools, people have become more prone to back pain from sitting for long hours and often in bad postures. Though one needs to consult their doctor/ physiotherapists if they experience chronic pains, you can alleviate certain back-related aches and problems through simple home techniques. 5 easy ways to do this are listed below.

1. Exercise

Medical professionals say that incorporating moderate or low-impact exercises in our daily routines is crucial not only for our spine and back but for overall good health as well. Light walking or practising low-impact physical activities like yoga and tai chi can relieve great amounts of back pain, strengthen our backs and improve flexibility. Strengthening core muscles can also reduce the risk of back-related problems like strains and spasms.

2. Correct Body Posture

Maintaining a good body posture is extremely vital and protects our spine, helping it to function properly. Slouching, slumping or rounding your shoulders while standing or sitting contributes to a number of back and neck problems. Therefore, make sure to stretch, maintain a correct posture at all times and take breaks to move around in between long sitting/stagnant regimes.

3. Diet

Incorporating certain foods into your diet can help reduce back pain, and also prevent future back-related problems. For example, it is important to keep our spine strong to prevent any future conditions like osteoporosis. Hence, consuming plenty of Vitamin C, B12 and D-rich food like milk, yoghurt, greens, eggs, cheese, fish, etc. is a must to strengthen bones. Anti-inflammatory foods like ginger can also help release pain.

4. Sleeping Positions

Not only a bad posture, but awkward sleeping positions can also add to back pains. To prevent provoking any such pains, one must practice good sleep management i.e. get enough sleep (7-8 hours daily), wake up and sleep on time following relatively consistent time schedules, use a mattress and pillow that support your back, and always keep your spine properly aligned, especially while twisting and turning.

5. Quit Smoking

Smokers are more likely to experience chronic back pain than non-smokers. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in our blood, restricting proper nourishment to our back muscles, and thus weakening them. The nicotine in cigarette smoke also restricts blood flow to the discs in our spine, further making them prone to dry out, crack or rupture.