People who are physically active and participate in regular sport or exercise, not only experience better overall health but also better back health.
Staying active is not only about taking part in sports or exercise, but also about making small changes to your daily life style. Some of the life style changes you can think of include:
- Walk or cycle to the shops instead of taking the car
- When taking the bus, get off one stop earlier and walk the rest
- Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
- Take the dog for a long walk instead of letting the dog do its thing in the garden
- Instead of emailing your colleagues, walk over and have a chat with them.
These are just some of the changes you can think of in order to become more physically active.
Sport and exercise
Regular participation in sport or exercise is an important element of an active life style. There is a whole range of different sports and exercises and many of these are also beneficial for your back health.
People benefit from different exercises and research has shown that it is difficult to say which exercise is best for preventing back pain. However the most important thing about any exercise programme is the fact if you do your exercises or not. It is therefore important to choose an exercise or sport that you enjoy and would therefore do regularly. Examples of exercises you can think of include:
- Walking, jogging or running.
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Stretching
- Swimming
- Tai’chi
- Hydrotherapy (exercises in water)
- Cycling
If you need some help with increasing your level of physical activity, you can consult your GP, physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor. Furthermore many fitness centres and sports clubs have qualified coaches and personal trainers who can design an exercise programme for you.
Before starting a new exercise programme, you are advised to see your GP or other healthcare provider, especially if you haven’t participated in regular physical activity for some time.