 |
| For Questions Call/Text Dr. Jimenez Personally @ 915-540-8444 or Contact Us @ 915-850-0900 |
Nurses nowadays encounter the common question on how they
can prevent or even manage lower back pain. In fact, back complications are one
of the most reported occupational health complications for nurses, especially
through their retirement years. Many healthcare workers resort to
self-medicating with over-the-counter pain relievers but, while these may offer
relief from their symptoms, the effects are only temporary. Through several
lifestyle changes, many nurses could achieve long-term relief from their lower
back pain by managing their symptoms and prevent further low back complications.
First, stretching and exercising regularly should be
fundamental for a nurse. Staying in a single position for long periods of time,
as it’s usual in the healthcare workplace, can place an unequal amount of
pressure on the muscles, resulting in muscle weakness and uneven distribution
of weight. Stretching frequently on the job can help loosen up tight muscles
and temporarily relieve back pain. Then, following a series of stretches with
exercise can help regulate and further reduce back pain because it strengthens
the structures supporting the back muscles. Engaging in strength training
exercises can help keep low back pain away longer. Additionally, stretching and
exercising the body enough before symptoms of back pain appear in the fist place
can also help prevent back complications from developing.
Strength training exercises, such as body squats, can build
boost stability as well as strengthen the entire body. Pilates are also
beneficial types of exercises because these specifically focus on increasing
both flexibility and strength.
Moreover, eating a healthy diet is crucial for nurses to
prevent and manage low back pain. Due to the heavy demand of the job, it’s
usually difficult for many nurses to follow a balanced, nutritional diet. Skipping
meals, overloading with caffeine, or simply eating fast food meals when there’s
little time between shifts, these improper eating habits can contribute to
weight gain. Without sufficiently meeting the body’s nutritional needs, a lack
of essential minerals in their diet like calcium and potassium can increase the
risk of lower back complications. When the body is carrying a little more
pounds than it should, the extra weight can add more pressure on the lower back
area, leading to back strains and its well-known symptoms.
Then, nurses should practice proper posture while on the
workplace to avoid back complications. Lifting and transferring patients are
some of the most common reasons why nurses develop work-related musculoskeletal
disorders. Although specific body mechanic techniques are practiced by many
nurses, on the rush of a busy workday, the spine can be overexerted and may
eventually lead to damage or injury on the spine. Aside from this, sitting
improperly for extended periods of time, reaching over in awkward positions,
and standing for an even longer period of hours, can likewise place additional
stress on the muscles and other tissues surrounding the spine.
While these type of tasks are almost inevitable in a nurse’s
line of work, being mindful of your posture and correcting it from time to time
can help greatly. Throughout your day, take note of your posture in the
reflection of a mirror. When standing up, the spine should be aligned with the
hips and the stomach should be tucked in. When seated, try to keep your back
straight and evenly distribute your weight on both hips. While working also,
make sure to avoid abrupt changes in your position and remember to utilize proper
body mechanics to prevent back strains.
And finally, because nurse occupations, and often other
healthcare workplace occupations, require people to be constantly up on their
feel, its essential to invest in proper footwear. Nurse’s shoes tend to be
lighter than any other types of shoes. A majority of them are made with specially
designed materials to protect the individual’s feet, particularly from spills. There
are even some types of nurses’ shoes that have a unique set of soles to help
with balance in order to avoid slips and falls throughout a heavy work shift.
Many healthcare workers use other types of shoes at work but
the level of comfort and protection nurses’ shoes offer, including the proper
arch support and quality of the materials used, can help increase an individual’s
productivity at work by improving posture further and ultimately preventing
and/or managing low back pain and other symptoms.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
