Bellevue Chiropractor's Top Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lower Back

Posted on Feb 27 2023

Hey folks! Dr. Park from Hesed Kindness Spine here. We are a chiropractic clinic in Bellevue, WA.

Lower back pain is a common problem that affects millions of people around the world. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor posture, muscle strain, injury, and degenerative conditions like arthritis. However, there are steps you can take to help prevent and manage lower back pain. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy lower back.

Maintain Good Posture

One of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy lower back is to maintain good posture. This means sitting and standing with your back straight, your shoulders relaxed, and your feet flat on the ground. Avoid slouching or hunching over, as this can put pressure on your lower back and cause pain.

When sitting, make sure to choose a chair with good lumbar support or use a cushion to support your lower back. When standing, try to distribute your weight evenly between your feet, and avoid standing in one position for too long.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is another key to maintaining a healthy lower back. Exercise can help strengthen the muscles in your back and improve your posture, which can reduce the risk of lower back pain. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

Some exercises that can be particularly helpful for maintaining a healthy lower back include:

Walking: This low-impact exercise is great for improving your overall fitness and helping to maintain good posture.

Swimming: Swimming is a great low-impact exercise that can help strengthen your back muscles without putting stress on your joints.

Yoga: Yoga can help improve flexibility, reduce stress, and improve posture, all of which can help prevent lower back pain.

Practice Good Lifting Techniques

Another common cause of lower back pain is lifting heavy objects incorrectly. To avoid injury, it's important to practice good lifting techniques. When lifting a heavy object, make sure to:

Bend your knees, not your back

Keep the object close to your body

Use your leg muscles to lift, not your back muscles

Avoid twisting your back while lifting

If you have a job that requires a lot of lifting, consider using a back brace or asking for help with heavy lifting.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying excess weight can put extra stress on your lower back, which can increase the risk of lower back pain. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce this risk. Eat a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit your intake of processed foods and sugary drinks.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is also important for maintaining a healthy lower back. When you're sleep-deprived, your body may be more prone to injury and inflammation, which can increase the risk of lower back pain. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

If you have trouble sleeping due to lower back pain, try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs to help keep your spine aligned.

In conclusion, maintaining a healthy lower back is essential for overall health and wellbeing. To prevent lower back pain, it's important to maintain good posture, exercise regularly, practice good lifting techniques, maintain a healthy weight, and get enough sleep. By following these tips, you can help prevent lower back pain and maintain a healthy, pain-free back. If you do experience lower back pain, be sure to talk to your doctor or physical therapist about treatment options.

FAQs

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that existed for more than 120 years which focused on human body’s neuromusculoskeletal system which includes bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Chiropractor provides spinal manipulation therapy to free joints to release the pressure off the nerves. Chiropractic is focused on the body’ s ability to self - healing and includes other treatments like nutritional and exercise recommendations. By improving the neuromusculoskeletal system’ s ability to perform, chiropractors believe the benefits of spinal adjustment and realigning joints improves the functioning of other systems throughout the body to achieve optimal state of the health.

How does chiropractors treat patients?

Doctors of Chiropractic, called ‘chiropractors’ are spine, muscle, joint and nervous system experts. Every chiropractor receives at least six to seven years of post-secondary academic and clinical education. They are trained in how to evaluate, diagnose, recommend and deliver a treatment plan that manages issues within these systems, according to your preferences. A chiropractor’s education also includes courses in radiology, pain management, prescribed therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation, among others.

Does my insurance cover chiropractic care?

Hesed Kindness Spine participates in most insurance programs. We also accept auto accident and workers compensation cases. For patients who have little or no chiropractic insurance coverage, flexible payment programs can be arranged. To learn more about our payment options for chiropractic and wellness care, feel free to contact our office more detail.

Do you provide chiropractic care to auto accident patient(Whiplash Injury) in your clinic?

Yes, Chiropractors use a variety of therapeutic tools and techniques to realign individual vertebrae and restore joint flexibility after a car accident. Most benefit of spinal adjustment and other therapeutic procedures offered by chiropractor to decrease inflammation and pain, restored range of motion and reduced scar tissue.

Do I need to see a chiropractor for my work related injuries?

Yes, chiropractic care benefits an injured worker to reduces recovery time, decrease the need for hospital visits and is more cost efficient than traditional medical care by providing focused therapy on worker’s injured areas of the body.

What insurances are accepted?

Hesed Kindness Spine participates in most insurance programs. We also accept auto accident and workers compensation cases. Our doctors are preferred providers for most insurance companies, including the following providers: Aetna PPO, Ambetter, Anthem BlueCross, BlueCross / BlueShield, Cigna, First Choice, Healthcare Management Administrators(HMA), Kaiser Permanente PPO, KPS Healthplans, Lifewise, Moda Health(First Choice Health PPO), Premera Blue Cross, Regence Blue Shield, Segwick(Private Worker’ s Comensation), Uniform Medical Plan. Since this is a list of the most common insurances we accept in our clinic, please contact us if you do not see your insurance on this list for a complimentary review of your benefits.