5 Ways to Support Your Back this Winter

You should always want to support and protect your back. But in Winter your back gets a workout like no other when it snows. You have to shovel snow off the walk. You need to de-ice the stairs and the sidewalk. The ice and snow is a serious danger to your back during the winter. Here’s 5 simple ways to support your back this winter. 

1. Stretch before you get out of bed in the morning. Here’s some simple stretches to help you keep your back in shape. It’s so helpful to do stretches first thing in the morning. 
2. Lift with your legs. Yesterday I was cleaning out a house and had to lift and carry 5 gallon buckets of paint down a flight of stairs. I made sure to lift with my legs each and every time. It’s a great way to lift and the best thing for your back.
3. See a chiropractor when you first notice the pain. Pain is often an indication to you that something is wrong. Why not let the experts look at it and do some adjusting to fix it! 
4. If you sit for long periods during the day as your job put a lumbar pillow behind your lower back. This also helps to keep you sitting up straight. Make sure to stand and walk around during the day. My job involves sitting most of the day. I make sure to take time and walk on my treadmill or move around to help my low back. My next goal is to get a pillow! 
5. If you sit for long periods make sure you do not slump or lean over your work. This leads to back pain. Doing the stretches above will help alleviate that pain. As will the quick visit to the chiropractor. 

What are some stretches or ideas that you do to protect or stretch your back?