10 Ways to Prevent and Relieve Back Pain

The COVID-19 pandemic could be contributing to your back and neck pain. The world is not running the way we are used to, which causes stress. When stress occurs, back and neck muscles tighten up and can cause pain. Working from home has also become a “new norm.” While working from home, we may not have had a designated work area, leading to doing work on the couch or kitchen table with poor posture. A variety of factors can contribute to back pain, but there are ways to relieve and prevent it.

Make sure that you are exercising regularly, such as running, walking, or swimming. By exercising regularly, core strength is built up, allowing for posture to be correctly maintained. If you are already suffering from a sore back, you can apply a heating pad to the affected area. Heat boosts circulation, allowing the muscles to relax. Lastly, make sure you know the proper techniques for lifting items. Never lift with your back, always lift with your legs.

You can find more practices to ease or prevent back pain on page 13-15 of the Summer 2020 UMR wellness magazine.

You can access this magazine on the HU Portal under Personnel > Benefits > Wellness Handouts or by going to the home page of umr.com. On the right side of the page, click on the Healthy You Magazine tile. You do not need to be enrolled in the HU Health Plan to access this informational magazine. Healthy reading.