On Saturday Night Live, Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch played two characters known as “The Lovers,” and each sketch ended with Ferrell screaming in agony over his back pain.  Funny television, yes, but back pain can be a sign of a serious spinal cord injury.

That’s exactly why our firm’s paralysis lawyers in San Diego want to pass on 4 tips on how to steer clear of back pain and spinal cord injuries from WebMD.  Your back and your spine are important parts of your body, so we want you to do everything in your power to avoid spinal cord injuries that could have paralyzing results.

Avoiding spinal cord injuries by following these helpful tips.

Since spinal cord injury treatment is costly and extensive, it is better to maintain a healthy back and spinal column when you are able to fully do so rather than after an accident.  The following tips are easy to abide by and will prove their value in the long run.

1.  Overdoing physical activity on the weekend can lead to spinal cord injuries. It is great to have the weekend so you can go outside and participate in your favorite sport or tackle a big chore around the house.  However, not exercising your back Monday to Friday will put you in a position of hurting yourself.  Make sure that you stretch and warm-up your back before any fitness or heavy lifting is done.

2.   Speaking of heavy lifting, spinal cord injuries can happen when you lift with your back. Most of us tend to see a weighty object on the ground and bend over to pick it up, putting massive amounts of strain on our back muscles and spine.  The solution is easy.  Next time, try to lift with your legs.  Squat into a baseball catcher’s position over the object, grab it, and use your knees to push you back up.  Let your back relax.

3.  Listen to your body during daily activities to avoid a spinal cord injury. Taking out the trash, doing laundry, and caring for children — all are done with pretty much no thought given to the impact it will have on our backs.  Teach your body how to keep it’s core muscles engaged by pulling your navel toward your spine 4-5 times during the day.  It’s a way to keep your body flexible and nimble during routine activities.

4.  Take a stand and you can treat a spinal cord injury before it happens. At the computer, watching television, commuting to the office and back .  We sit a lot of the day, so get into the habit of moving around when you can, either when answering the phone or making a trip to the water cooler every 20 minutes or so.  If you must sit for long periods of time, find a chair that will cushion your back, as well as support it.

Keeping your back and spine in tip-top form is something that our firm’s paralysis lawyers take very seriously.  When you have a strong back and a well-supported spinal column, the rest of your body will tend to feel healthier and better because it is sitting on a solid foundation.

If you or someone you know has a spinal cord injury or was paralyzed during an accident, contact our bilingual San Diego law firm at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced paralysis lawyer.  You may also click here and submit your case for a FREE online review.  We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe us nothing until we recover a fair settlement on your behalf.