How to prevent lower back pain

If you suffer from lower-back pain, you're certainly not alone. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is the second most common neurologic ailment in the United States (just behind headaches), and Americans spend at least $50 billion a year on treating it. For most of you, bouts go away within a few days, but others may not be so lucky.

The good news, though, is that lower back pain is completely avoidable. If you stick to the following tips, you can say good-bye to that nagging lower back for good.

Do Yoga

All kinds of exercises can promote back pain recovery by improving circulation and reducing stress, but researchers from the University of Washington believe yoga may be the best. They say yoga eases lower-back pain faster than most conventional exercises because it promotes deep breathing and relaxation, as well as stretching and strength. (Try this 10-minute gentle yoga routine that can also help you lose weight.) Therefore, yoga can help you with both the emotional and structural triggers of back pain. You can find yoga classes everywhere at gyms or local studios, or you could even start a yoga group with friends at home. But be sure to consult your instructor, who can help customize a plan that'll work best for you and your back pain.

Stand Up to the Pain

Sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing does. So the more time you can spend on your feet, the less back pain you'll have to endure. If you can't avoid heavy doses of desk work, sitting back at a 135-degree angle—roughly the position you'd assume in a lounge chair—can reduce compression of the discs of your spine, and so alleviate pain.

Meditate

Mediation is a proven stress reliever and chronic pain reducer. Along with stretching, it's a natural remedy we think will work great on that achy lower back of yours. But if you aren't sure where to start, try out some simple breathing exercises first, which will help lessen your pain perception. For example, give the 4-7-8 breath a go:

Sit or lie in a comfortable position and place the tip of your tongue just behind your upper teeth.

Exhale completely through your mouth, making a gentle "whoosh" sound.

Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a count of 4.

Then hold your breath for a count of 7.

Finally, exhale completely through your mouth ("whoosh") to a silent count of 8.

Inhale and repeat the cycle 3 more times.