Back pain is the second most common cause of long term sickness in the UK after stress so it is important you look after your back. Here are some top tips for taking care of your back:
- Exercise your back regularly. Walking, swimming (especially backstroke) and using exercise bikes are all excellent ways to strengthen your back muscles.
- Always bend your knees and your hips, not your back.
- Never twist and bend at the same time.
- Always lift and carry objects close to your body.
- Try to carry loads in a rucksack and avoid sling bags.
- Maintain a good posture. Avoid slumping in your chair, hunching over a desk or walking with your shoulders hunched.
- Use a chair with a backrest. Sit with your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest. Change how you sit every few minutes.
- Make sure that your mattress, car seat and office chair is suited to your height, weight, age and sleeping position.
- We know that smoking and carrying extra weight can be detrimental to your health. For back health, it’s understood that smoking can reduce the blood supply to the discs between the vertebrae and this may lead to degeneration of discs.
Source: www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Backpain/Pages/Backpainhome.aspx
The Trust offers two types of training courses which focus on backs at work. These are:
- moving and handling, and
- load handling for non-care staff and moving and handling: assisting a person for care staff.
Both are mandatory courses and your manager should sign you up to attend one of them.
The Trust from time to time has access to discounts with local chiropractors and physiotherapists; please contact the People Directorate for information.
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