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Cure Your Lower Back Pain By Identifying Its Real Cause

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Did you know that about 80% of adults suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives? Most temporarily address the problem by resting, using heating pads, taking over-the-counter pain relievers, and perhaps visiting the chiropractor. While all of these treatments are certainly useful, the real key to alleviating lower back pain is to identify what's causing it and then eliminate that cause. Here's a look at three possible causes for your lower back pain.

Running too much or on too hard of a surface.

If you're a runner, it's important to consider the possibility that your running routine is contributing to your lower back pain. Yes, running will keep you fit, and getting out there and moving around is good for you in general, but running does place a lot of strain on your legs and back. Each time you land, your joints, including the joints in your back, must absorb the shock as your body weight comes down on your foot. Some ways to reduce lower back pain that you think may be caused by running are to cut back on your mileage, invest in shoes with more padding, and run more miles on soft trails rather than on the road.

Wearing the wrong shoes.

High heels, in particular, are terrible for your back. They change your center of gravity, placing excessive strain on your spine. Shoes that lack support in the arches, such as flip flops and flat sandals, may also contribute to lower back pain when worn regularly. Lower back pain caused by poor footwear is typically easy to treat. You'll want to visit a chiropractor to have your spine put back into alignment, and then start fresh with new footwear that offers plenty of arch support and little to no heel.

If you must wear heels to work, try wearing other shoes to work, and then changing into heels when you reach your office. Switch back again if you have to walk any significant distance to go to lunch or home at the end of the day.

Poor posture.

Poor posture while sitting is certainly one of the most common causes of lower back pain, especially these days, when so many people work at desk jobs. Pay attention to how you sit while you're at work. Do your shoulders slump forward, allowing your back to go round? Push your shoulders back to relieve the pressure on your lower back. It you have trouble remembering to sit this way, write yourself a reminder on a sticky note and stick it to your screen.

If the changes you make don't alleviate your lower back pain within a few weeks, don't be afraid to visit a chiropractor like Dimond Chiro. Regular adjustments are useful for keeping your spine in alignment, even if you are able to make other changes such as improving your posture and running on softer ground. You can never have too much back pain prevention.


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