10 Surprising Causes & Their Fixes For Back Pain

5 min readMar 17, 2023

Mattress

Cause: If your mattress is old, or worn or if you start sinking into it then it is time to think about getting a new mattress. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a good mattress will last nine to ten years. A mattress that does not offer appropriate support to your back will reinforce poor posture while sleeping, leading to excessive strain on the spine and surrounding muscles. And also a very soft mattress causes your lower back to sink, throwing the spine out of alignment and stressing your muscles, ligaments and spinal joints.

Fix: Replace your old mattress regularly with one which is not very hard and not very soft. The hard mattress won’t allow the curves of your back to sink in, and the soft won’t provide the needed support. A memory foam topper can also be useful as it’ll outline your body, allowing your spine to remain straight all through the night.

Carrying A Huge Bag

Cause: If you are daily carrying all the needed as well as non-required things in your carry bag, your back is feeling pain. Moving with a heavy load carried on one side of your body causes your shoulders to become imbalanced which further causes your spine uneven.

Fix: Use a lighter bag with only needed items in it or you can divide all your stuff and put it into a purse and a tote, carrying them on each shoulder, to maintain balance. According to American Chiropractic Association, your purse with everything included should not weigh more than 10 per cent of your body weight.

Wearing Heels Or Flats

Cause: If you are wearing too high heels then it will force your back to bend as well as put stress on your joints. Flat sandals can also damage your back causing your feet to move from side to side and unbalancing your body weight.

Fix: You should be wearing a perfect heel height which you find the most comfortable for your foot.

Sitting Too Long

Cause: if you are having a desk job, then am sorry but it is bad for your health, especially your backyou’retting too long for all day may feel nice to you but unconsciously you may sit in poor postures which causes your back muscles to weaken because of inactivity. Sitting as compared to standing puts 40 per cent more stress on your spine causing back pain.

Fix: In the of, fice you can choose a standing table and work there for some time. You may also prefer sitting on your chair but with a lean back all through the day as if sitting at a 135-degree angle. This will reduce the firmness of the discs in the spine. Also, you should ensure to keep your head straight and not straining forward when working on your computer.

Stress

Cause: Stress and depression have both been linked to increasing back pain. When you feel stressed, your entire body especially the neck and back muscles contract and tighten. And if you feel stressed out for long then those tight muscles don’t get a chance to relax, causing back pain.

Fix: There are several proven methods to reduce your stress levels. The most common natural remedies to reduce stress include exercise, meditation or trying therapies.

Skip Exercises

Cause: Exercise helps build the muscle tone that is necessary for supporting your back. When you skip your workout sessions, you experience stiffness and weaken muscles, worsening your spinal discs.

Fix: Perform workouts that help to strengthen your back and abdomen. You should try combining light cardio exercises with Pilates or focus on strength exercises. Performing yoga and stretching is also helpful in reducing back pain.

Eating Habits

Cause: The diet with a surplus of high-calorie and low-nutrient foods results in excessive weight. And your extra weight can put a heavy load on your back. Extra weight around the lower body causes the pelvis to pull forward, creating stress for your lower back and finally leading to back pain. Obese people are at greater risk of having osteoarthritis.

Fix: Try reducing five to ten per cent of your body weight to greatly improve your overall health. To get started follow a few healthy eating habits like dividing your three big meals a day into four to five smaller meals, switching from butter to healthier options (like coconut oil), using natural sweeteners like honey and drinking green tea.

Smoking

Cause: Smoking not only causes damage to your heart and lungs but also your back. Studies had found that smoking may damage tissue in the lower back, thus reducing circulation and the flow of nutrients to back muscles. It deprives cells of your body from getting oxygen, including those cells that are responsible to control your back movement. Studies show that smokers are three times more likely to develop chronic back pain than non-smokers.

Fix: The only fix to this cause is to quit smoking as well as all nicotine habit to experience any reduction in back pain.

Wrong Bra

Cause: Women with large breasts carry more weight in front which may cause back pain. This can lead a woman to hunch with sore neck and back muscles leading to upper back problems. A well-supported bra can lessen that forward hunch and relieve back pain. Studies show that several women wear the wrong size bra, and the right fit means the difference between sag and support.

Fix: Wearing a bra that provides you with the right support can help you keep the weight closer to the body and also avoid back pain. You may also carry a tight-fitting knapsack for your body. A tight fit will allow you to walk straight and maintain a better posture, resulting in low or no pain.

Cell Phones/ Laptops/ Tablets

Cause: Technology such as cell phones, smartphones, laptops, and tablet is not good for your back and neck. Talking on your Cell phone, especially when you keep it between your shoulder and ear to balance it, creates uneven pressure, causing neck pain. Using a laptop and tablet also pushes you to keep a head-down position which strains the muscles in the neck. And gradually this neck pain extends to your back. Also be careful if you text a lot, as this also puts a lot of strain on your neck by looking down constantly.

Fix: Use earphones if you have to talk a lot on your Cell phone. Reduce text messages or try to hold your phone in front of you when texting to reduce the strain on your neck. When using a laptop or tablet, take frequent breaks, and try to look straight ahead instead of down. Alternatively, you can also buy a stand to hold your laptop or tablet at a more convenient height and angle for your back.

Conclusion

I am sure these surprising causes must have helped you understand the real reason behind your back pain. To alleviate that back pain problem with its fixes mentioned right away here.