The lower back is susceptible to injury during lifting, twisting, sudden movements as well as prolonged poor posture. Any of these can cause injury to the soft tissue, joints or nerves of the lower back. Ask anyone who has had a major lower back injury and they will tell you that they would do anything to avoid injuring their back again. Due to the nature of the lumbar spine when it is injured not only can it cause lower back pain but also hip and leg pain as well as pain in the thoracic spine and neck.

Tips to avoid lower back pain

1. Correct your posture- Prolonged poor posture can cause damage to the joints and soft tissue of the lumbar spine. When sitting try to maintain the natural lordotic curve of the spine by getting an ergonomic chair. Moving around the office or workplace every 60 minutes for a couple of minutes is a great way to break up repetitive posture patterns and resets your posture when returning to the desk.
2. Use good technique when lifting- The lumbar spine is especially susceptible to damage in a flexed position so it is important to make sure you have good technique when lifting heavy objects. Bending from the knees and maintaining a good curve in the lumbar spine is important as well as avoiding any twisting when carrying a heavy object.
3. Improve your health- The spine can reflect the health of your body. Any positive health change will benefit your spine such as exercising regularly, drinking enough water and reducing inflammation in your diet by decreasing alcohol/sugar/nicotine intake.
4. Strengthen the core- The core is an important stabiliser of the lower back. Maintaining good core strength is a great way to prevent lower back pain. Pilates or adding 5 minutes of core work to your gym program will help protect the lower back from injury.
5. Stretch the hip muscles- Tension in the gluts, quads and hamstrings can be associated with lower back pain in some people. Keeping these muscles loose and limber can help prevent lower back pain so regularly stretching after a workout or trying some hip opening yoga can be very beneficial for the lumbar spine.