Use Back Supports for Back Pain

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health argue that 20% of all workplace injuries involve back injuries. They state: [These] illnesses in the workplace cost the nation an estimated 20 to 50 billion dollars per year.”[1] To avoid these back injuries at work or at home, you should learn to properly use back support for back pain or daily life.

Steps

Supporting Your Back Daily

  1. Sleep in ergonomic positions. The average worker spends about 7.7 hours asleep each day.[2] When you spend that much time laying down, you want to make sure you are supporting your back to minimize back pain. Your bed should support your back. Ways you can sleep are:
    • Sleep on your side — Sleep on your side with your legs slightly curled upwards toward your chest. Place a pillow between your knees; this will help support your legs and back while you sleep.[3]
    • Sleep on your back — Place a pillow under your knees, while lying on your back, to help maintain the natural curvature of your back and spine. This may help alleviate minor back pain.[4]
    • Sleep on your stomach — This position may be hard on your back. However, if you cannot sleep any other way, help support your back by placing a pillow under your pelvis or hips.[5]
  2. Sit in ways to support your back. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that you should sit as little as possible to reduce stress on your back.[6] However, if you have a job that you are required to sit all day, this might not be possible. Even so, you should get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. In addition, there are a few actions you can take to help you sit in a more supportive way.
    • Use a rolled up towel and put it between your lower back and the chair. This will help support your lower back and force your back into a more natural position while you sit.
    • Sit with your legs and feet at a right angle (perpendicular to the floor). Try to avoid crossing your legs or feet. This can put stress on your back and lower your blood flow in your lower extremities.
    • If your chair is too high, use a footrest to help you achieve the perpendicular position of your legs.
  3. Support your back by sitting at the correct height. There are some ways you can use the tools around you to support your back. Think about how you might adjust your surroundings to help support your back during your daily routine.
    • Adjust your computer chair so that your monitor is at eye level when you are sitting in a healthy posture (no back rounding or slouching).
    • Remove items from your pockets when sitting down. Sitting on your wallet or keys is not comfortable for your back.
    • Adjust your car seat so that your elbows are 90% parallel to the floor when your hands are placed on the steering wheel.[7]
  4. Strengthen your core muscles to support your back. You can use exercise to teach your body how to create its own "back brace," performing core exercises that stabilize the spine.[8] There are several exercises you can perform that will help keep you core strong and your back braced for lifting.
    • Try cat curls. Start on your hands and knees. Round your spine, tightening your abdominal muscles and allowing your head to drop. Hold for five seconds, then return to neutral. Then arch your back slightly, lifting your head (but not throwing it back). Hold for five seconds, then return to neutral.[9]
    • To do a bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be at your side, you back in a neutral position. Tighten your abs and push yourself up from the floor, lifting your hips and butt until your knees, hips, and shoulders are all in line. Hold for five seconds, then slowly release.[10]

Supporting Your Back When Lifting

  1. Learn to lift properly. A back brace is of little use if worn without using proper body mechanics. You should learn to squat while lifting, mainly using the force of your legs and thighs to lift the object, rather than your back.
    • Before lifting, assess the object to see if you should ask for help with lifting. Do not try to lift something that is likely too heavy for you.
    • Bend at the knees and squat, getting as close to the object as possible. Tighten your stomach muscles and hug the object close to your upper body. Lift with the force of your thigh muscles. Do an opposite motion when you lay the object back down.
  2. Brace your back with lumbar support. Studies have shown that lower back pain was reduced in patients when wearing a lumbar-supporting brace than patients wearing a brace without this support.[11] There are numerous braces out there designed for both daily routines and lifting. Make sure you purchase one that advertises lumbar support.
  3. Use “Back Belts” with caution. The CDC and The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health performed a study that reports that there is not a significant amount of data that supports or disproves the benefits of a back belt.
    • The study suggests that these belts are becoming more popular in the workplace, but cautions workers that wear them. There is no scientific findings that support that they are actually beneficial to lifting.[1]
  4. Check your employee handbook. Back belts may be covered by the company. Despite the CDC’s findings, studies by the UCLA School of Public Health and the Annals of Internal Medicine have reported that people suffering from back pain have alleviated symptoms and need to use less medication when they wear lumbar back braces during physical labor.[12]
  5. Be patient with your back support. Wear your back brace at any point that you may find yourself lifting. It may take a week or two to get used to, so it is a good idea to wear it more often than not at work. You may not notice that it is on after a while and get extra support out of it.

Supporting Yourself After a Back Injury

  1. Consult your doctor. Ask your doctor what areas of your back would most benefit from a back support. Lifting back braces are made in small and large models. Some involve a tapered belt to allow you to twist, while others restrict twisting motions.
  2. Follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Back or spine injuries can be very serious. Exacerbating a spine injury can lead to paralysis. To avoid this, always listen to your doctor’s instructions and follow his/her recommendations closely.
    • Take prescribed medication at its correct dose and time.
    • Full rest is not advisable. It's important to move within pain tolerance as much as you can.
    • Perform regular physical therapy exercises (if so prescribed).
  3. Seek medical attention if you experience acute back pain for over three days. Rest while flat on your back, ice the affected area and take an anti-inflammatory while you recover. It is especially important to see a doctor, if you must return to a job that involves physical labor, to rule out non-muscular spinal problems.[13]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/94-127/
  2. ↑ http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/
  3. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/multimedia/sleeping-positions/sls-20076452
  4. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/~/media/kcms/gbs/patient%20consumer/images/2013/11/19/10/09/lb00003_d-sleeping-on-your-back.png
  5. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/~/media/kcms/gbs/patient%20consumer/images/2013/11/19/10/09/lb00003_d-sleeping-on-your-abdomen.png
  6. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_your_back_and_neck/hic_How_to_Cope_When_You_Have_Low_Back_Pain
  7. ↑ http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/office-chair-how-reduce-back-pain
  8. ↑ http://www.bodyinmind.org/evidence-for-bracing-in-lbp/
  9. ↑ http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/back-exercises
  10. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/core-strength/sls-20076575?s=3
  11. ↑ http://ard.bmj.com/content/40/5/449.short
  12. ↑ http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=187615
  13. ↑ http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm

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