How to prevent low back pain

Low back pain is a common complaint, and a very painfull condition. Most of the low back injury occurs with faulty movements and bad habits. It is important to learn, how to use your low back properly, and to learn proper posture, when sitting, bending, lifting, pulling, etc. I will give you, a few example advice, but once you understand how the low back work, you will know what to avoid.

• When lifting, keep the weight close to your body
• When lifting, bend your knee, don't keep your leg straight
• When lifting, don't rotate and overextend
• Avoid straining
• If you sneeze, bend your back slightly
• Don't miscalculate the weight your lifting
• Avoid leaning forward for a prolonged period
• Avoid standing still or sitting for long period of time
• Don't sleep on your belly
• When standing still, place one of your foot on a small stool
• When sitting, your feet should be firmly on the ground
• When sittng, your knee should be slightly higher than your hip

Measuring the weight load on the disk, is a good way to know, if a movment is dangerous for your low back . Once you understand how the weight is put on the low back, it is easy to apply it to every movement, in your everyday life.

Load measurements in the L3 disk of a 70 kg man:

Lying on your back: 30 kg
Standing on your feet: 70 kg
Walking: 85 kg
Twisting: 90 kg
Bending sideways: 95 kg
Sitting without support: 100 kg
Coughing: 110 kg
Jumping: 110 kg
Straining: 120 kg
Laughing: 120 kg
Bending forward 20 degrees: 120 kg
Lying on your belly and hyperextended: 150 kg
Sit-up exercise with knee extended: 175 kg
Bending forward at 20 degrees with a 10 kg weight: 185 kg
Lifting 20 kg with back straight and knees bent: 210 kg
Lifting 20 kg with back bent but knees staight: 340 kg