Aside from the common cold, back pain is a problem that’s sending more people to specialists than any other condition known to man. Sometimes acute and sometimes chronic, it’s something that can definitely affect so many different aspects of your life, from work, sex to sleep.

If you are suffering from back pain, worry not that the only solutions available for you is the constant intake of painkillers and undergoing the knife. Did you know that avoiding certain activities can help in dramatically improving your situation? Steer clear of them and you may end up putting back pain, well, behind you.

Here are some everyday things to dodge:

Resting a Lot

While it’s true that your back is probably screaming for a much-needed break each time it’s aching, getting more rest than usual is something that can be counterintuitive because, according to experts, it can actually aggravate the problem — sitting or lying down excessively can make your back problem linger or intensify.

Instead of resting your back all the time, it’s a good idea for you to keep on engaging in various physical activities, of course always bearing in mind to avoid those that can stress the back too much.

Skipping Exercising

Having a weak support system is one of the reasons why the back hurts. It’s exactly for this reason why it is a good idea for you to have the muscles supporting your spine strengthened. Needless to say, steering clear of doing exercises designed to target the back muscles is an absolute no-no.

Exercises that strengthen the core muscles are some of the best ones for keeping the back pain-free, and they are those that are meant for flattening the abdomen such as planks and squats. However, make sure that core-strengthening exercises are carried out properly. Otherwise, they can worsen things.

Lifting Heavy Things

Work that entails lifting heavy objects and back pain are a terrible pair. Frequently picking up heavy things is an activity that puts a lot of stress on your back, especially the lower part.

Frequent bending — this usually goes hand in hand with lifting heavy objects, and it’s just as terrible for your back. That’s because it puts excessive pressure on the discs found between your vertebrae (bones of the spine), which can easily leave your back ligaments and muscles swollen and achy.

Smoking Cigarettes

If you are a cigarette smoker, one of the biggest favors that you can give your back (and the rest of your body as well) is ditching your habit. Toxins are flushed into your system each time you take a drag, and many of them can damage the blood vessels, impairing proper circulation of blood to your back.

Because the supply of both oxygen and nutrients to your back is diminished, it’s not unlikely for the back muscles and your spine itself to weaken, and this paves the way to many back-related issues.

Eating the Wrong Foods

Having a healthy everyday diet is very important if your back is constantly aching. Consuming the wrong types of foods can keep that pain from going away, and it can also make everything a lot worse.

For instance, the inclusion of lots of sugary foods in the diet can trigger pain and swelling because sugar is something that can cause inflammation. Foods loaded with fat can cause weight gain, and all the excess pounds can definitely harm the back. Cholesterol-laden foods can clog up the arteries and impede blood supply to the back.

Don’t forget to repost this article on your various social media sites to let your family and friends who are constantly bugged by back pain to know, too, which activities they should avoid to attain relief and keep the problem at bay!