Your back is made for the long haul. And it’s a good thing, considering it has the important job of supporting your body throughout your daily routine. Every time you sit, stand, walk, twist, or bend, you have your back to thank.

But all that living can take its toll. The wear and tear that comes with freedom of movement puts the back at risk for damage or injury over time. To help protect your back for the long term, the best defense is often a good offense.

The reality is it’s easier to prevent back pain than it is to treat it,” says Steven Tijmes, D.O., a physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, and spine specialist at Spine Team Texas a Texas Health Physicians Group practice, and on the medical staff at Texas Health Rockwall. “One of the most common questions I get asked by my patients after recovering from back pain is ‘How can I avoid another issue in the future?’ I typically advise them that the most important thing they can do to maintain back health is to stay active.”

Essential Activities That Promote Back Health

Tijmes isn’t alone in recommending physical activity for back maintenance. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers guidelines for getting active that include four actions that promote a stronger back and lower the risk of back pain:

1. Exercise to strengthen your core. Do muscle-strengthening and stretching exercises at least 2 days a week.
2. Practice good posture. Stand and sit up straight.
3. Lift with care. If you have to lift something heavy, bend your knees and keep your back straight. That way, your leg muscles will do most of the work.
4. Eat a healthy diet for a healthy weight. Being overweight can put strain on your back. Getting regular physical activity and choosing healthy foods can help you get to and stay at a healthy weight.

Physical activity not only helps to improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis. Tijmes notes that exercise is great for strengthening the core muscles along the spine to provide much needed support and stability.

“One of the most beneficial activities you can do for your back is arguably the simplest; and that is walking,” he says. “Walking provides weight-bearing load to the bones of the legs, hips, and spine and helps to prevent bone loss.”

Exercises like walking, that provide for a balanced load to the back, help promote the spine’s longevity. While a healthy spine is able to withstand a great deal of pressure, maintaining proper posture when exercising — or even just lifting something heavy — is crucial, Tijmes says. Improper form during movement can cause the spine to become vulnerable to injury over time.

Walking has the additional benefit of building and maintaining strong core muscles that are vital for developing the support structures for the spine. “When the core muscles are strong, the back is much better protected from lateral stresses, especially while you are in motion,” he says.

“When speaking to my patients, I like to use an analogy to help demonstrate the importance of building core strength. I have them picture a cathedral extending high above the ground. Its towers can withstand enormous pressure, but they are vulnerable to lateral forces like strong winds. The architect protects these towers by adding structures that stabilize them from the outside and remove pressure from the internal forms.”

Learn what exercises are good for the back and which ones to avoid.

The Role Diet Plays in Back Health

Good nutrition and a balanced diet are important components of overall health. What may be surprising, however, is that diet plays a major role in the health of your back. A diet that maintains a healthy weight and promotes bone strength is a good diet to follow.

So what are some back-friendly nutrients to include in your daily diet? Tijmes points to calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D as three workhorses for back health.

Adequate calcium intake is important in preventing the development of osteoporosis. Fortunately, calcium is found in many foods so it’s relatively easy for the body to get. Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale and bok choy
• Legumes
• Some types of fish such as sardines and salmon

Magnesium is a key mineral in the formation of bone structure. If your blood magnesium levels drop, the nutrient will be pulled from the bones and could lead to bone loss and back problems. Magnesium is found in:

• Green leafy vegetables
• Fish
• Seeds, nuts, and whole grains
• Yogurt
• Bananas
• Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)

You might know vitamin D as something you get from time spent in the sun. It helps the body absorb the calcium that is crucial for the development of strong and healthy bones. Without sufficient vitamin D, the bones in the back can become thin, brittle, or misshapen.

Vitamin D is found naturally in only a few foods, including:

• Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines
• Liver or cod liver oil
• Egg yolks
• Milk and some cereals, juices, and breads fortified with vitamin D

The Importance of a Strong Back

Your back is made for the long haul. And it’s a good thing, considering it has the important job of supporting your body throughout your daily routine. Every time you sit, stand, walk, twist, or bend, you have your back to thank. But all that living can take its toll. The wear and tear that comes with freedom of movement puts the back at risk for damage or injury over time. To help protect your back for the long term, the best defense is often a good offense. It may be easy to take back health for granted when you’re living pain free. But Tijmes cautions that that can change if back health isn’t prioritized throughout life.

“In order to ensure you continue to enjoy a fulfilling life, whether that means traveling the world, being able to pick up your kids, or simply walking the grocery aisles, it’s important to continue to optimize back health for longevity. The spine also contains the spinal cord, which is necessary for many vital organ systems to operate properly. For this reason, maintaining a healthy back also helps to preserve the proper functioning of many other parts of the body. There is a lot at stake when it comes to back health.”

When to See a Physician for Back Pain

Fortunately, most cases of back pain tend to subside within a week, according to Tijmes. Rest and an over-the-counter pain reliever may do the trick.

“If the pain lasts beyond one to two weeks, it’s a good idea to schedule an evaluation with a back and spine specialist who can help you begin treatment early to prevent further issues, Tijmes explains. “Physical therapy can be an especially valuable tool for back pain sufferers, not only to facilitate recovery from an injury, but to provide education on proper body mechanics in order to prevent further injury.”

If your back pain is accompanied by numbness or weakness, Tijmes says it is more urgent to get evaluated because of the risk for ongoing nerve damage. Any recent injury, fevers, or unexplained weight loss are also concerning symptoms that require a more urgent evaluation by a qualified physician. In a more serious case, if you lose control of your bowel or bladder, it may indicate a risk of permanent nerve injury and seeking an immediate evaluation is crucial.

To better understand back pain and how to move past it, take our quick Back Health Assessment or visit YourBackHealth.com to find a back and spine specialist.

Spine Team Texas providers employed by Texas Health Back Care are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.© 2024 Texas Health Resources