5 Steps to Avoid Low Back Pain

How do you protect your low back from pain and discomfort?  Even if you have never had back problems, the back is the most susceptible and vulnerable part of your body to strain and pain.

There are two important areas in your body that you need to be aware of:

Sacrum: The heavy, flat triangular shaped bone at the base of your spine

Sitting Bones: As part of your pelvis, these are the bones you feel when you sit. If you feel the bottom of your butt, they are just under your skin.

Learning how to bend is important.  To help you understand, think of your body as having angles and your joints as hinges.

Here are 5 simple steps:

1. Bend your knees
2. Hinge at your hips
3. Lengthen your sitting bones out behind you
4. Keep your low back to be flat, and that includes your sacrum.
5. If you are lifting something heavy, draw in your abdominals (they are an inch below your navel) toward your spine.

Give this technique a try.  You can practice in the mirror and see if when you bend this way, your low back stays flat.  Let me know how it feels and it you found this helpful in the comments below.  If you have questions, please contact me.