8 Everyday Activities That Can Damage Your Spine

The spine is literally the backbone of your body that keeps it together. It’s important that you take care of it at any age.

Bright Side has made a list of everyday activities that, as it turns out, might harm your spine.

8. Brushing your teeth

When we stand, the pressure on the spine is much higher than during a long walk. If you have to stand for hours every day, you should find a way to mitigate the harmful influence on your spine.

How to avoid it

• When you brush your teeth, lean on the wall or the sink with a free hand.

7. Washing up

When washing up, we usually stand in a half-bent position with strained arms. Because of this, the intervertebral discs of the thoracic section quickly wear out, which leads to pains between the shoulder blades.

How to avoid it

• Put a chair or a stool under your knee when you wash up. This will help lower the pressure.

6. Changing a car wheel

Every second car owner has faced this challenge that can give you a pain in the back for the rest of the day.

How to avoid it

• Don’t bend over to the wheel. Sit on the ground next to it instead so that your eyes are on the same level as the car’s fender.

5. Carrying bags from the supermarket

Despite the depressing reality where supermarkets make millions yearly selling disposable bags, never skimp on a second bag. A few extra cents will save your spine from extra pressure.

How to avoid it

• Remember that heavy objects should be lifted with your knees bent. For most women, a heavy object is something weighing more than 5 lbs (2 kg); for most men, more than 11 lbs (5 kg).
• Always remember that you should carry bags only with their weight evenly distributed in both hands.

4. Washing the floor

If not every day, at least once a week we clean up our houses and brutally torture our spines. Strained legs and back, active arm movements, weight lifting — that even sounds dangerous.

How to avoid it

• Don’t wash the floor with your hands and a floorcloth. Use a mop or a brush instead.

3. Lacing up your shoes

Everything we do in a bent posture harms our intervertebral discs. Under constant pressure, nutritional substances leave the spine, and it flattens. This results in pressing and jabbing pains in one area or another. A new supply of necessary elements is only refilled when our bodies feel comfortable — for instance, in sleep. In light of this, it’s crucial that we monitor the sensations in our backs during the day and don’t put them to a strength test.

How to avoid it

• It’s recommended to lace your shoes when seated and with your leg pulled up. Don’t do it crouched on the floor or standing and bending over.

2. Carrying a backpack

Backpacks aren’t just popular with school students. We often jam them full of stuff in a bid to use all the available space. Heavy weights and incorrect carrying have a negative impact on the spine.

How to avoid it

• Backpacks have two straps for a reason. Use both of them for an even distribution of the load.
• Give preference to backpacks with wide and soft straps. They provide better shock absorption and lower the pressure on your neck and spine.

1. Taking heavy objects from above

When you reach up for something, your spine stretches. Now imagine what happens to your spinal discs when all the weight of a suitcase, even an empty one, collapses on them at that moment. It’s like throwing a brick on a balloon. Of course, the discs won’t burst, but the consequences can be nasty if you repeat that action regularly.

How to avoid it

• If you need to take something heavy from above, use a chair to reduce the pressure to a minimum. Ideally, the weight should be at the level of your chest.