If you’re a frequent driver, are you taking care of your back? If not, perhaps you should be, because back problems can be triggered by driving. One beneficial way of strengthening the back and limiting damage is to do regular exercise.

Back pain and other musculoskeletal problems are common health complaints. According to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), up to 4.5 million working days are lost every year as a result of back pain.

The causes are varied but many cases are due to poor posture and lack of activity. “Long periods of inactivity, poor posture and sudden unaccustomed exercise are precipitants of spinal dysfunction and back pain,” explains GP Dr Alastair Wright.

“Modern lifestyles tend to encourage long periods of sitting at home, at work or when driving.  All these can create poor posture and weakness of the important spinal stabilising muscles,” he adds.

In the past, it was thought that resting was the best solution for back pain and back problems, say the organisation BackCare. But now exercise is regarded as being more beneficial for most people.

Common musculoskeletal problems

In addition to upper or lower back pain, NHS Direct say that other musculoskeletal problems arising from poor posture or lack of activity include:

• slipped discs, which affect the discs in the spine;
• sciatica, which causes the sciatic nerve in the back to become compressed or irritated;
• ankylosing spondylitis, where the joints at the base of the spine become irritated and inflamed.

Improving your posture

By improving your posture, the negative effects on your back could be minimised and the chance of developing back pain or other problems reduced.

“The lower and upper spine has an ‘S’ shaped curvature which is most apparent when we look from the side at someone with good posture,” explains Dr Wright.

“By simply holding this position when sitting, you are working the important spinal stabilising muscles. Holding good posture may feel unnatural and tiring at first but, as these muscles become stronger, this will become almost effortless after a few weeks.”

You can also help your posture and the natural ‘S’ shape by choosing a chair or car seat which encourages this shape. Many office-style chairs and car seats have the facility to adjust height, lumbar support and incline so you can get the best position for your back. When sitting, aim to keep your hips and knees at the same height.

It might take some getting used to but another excellent way of improving your back, pelvic core muscle strength and co-ordination is to sit on a gym or Pilates ball at home, rather than on a chair.

Exercises for a healthier back

Exercising can be really beneficial for your back, as well as your health in general.

Here’s a 15 minute daily routine from Dr Wright, featuring some back strengthening exercises.

• Stand up straight and hold onto a stable chair or support. Extend one leg at a time – out to the side, inwards, forwards and back – repeating each movement five times. If it’s more comfortable for you, this can be done with a bent knee.
• Lie on your front on the floor or on a bed. Raise your head and feet, holding for 10 seconds or more. Repeat three times. This is likely to feel difficult at first but should get steadily easier with practice. 
• Lie face down on the floor. Rest your upper body weight on your forearms.  Keep your legs and back straight and slowly raise your bottom up. Hold this position for one minute or more. This is a Pilates exercise called The Plank and, with practice, it should get easier to perform.

Other good back-friendly exercises include walking, running, cycling and swimming. Swimming is particularly good if you find other forms of weight- bearing exercises uncomfortable and it can help strengthen your spinal muscles.

“If you experience pain during exercise, always stop immediately to prevent potential injury,” advises Dr Wright.

If an accident or injury has caused your back pain, avoid exercising until you’ve seen a doctor or physiotherapist.

Leave the car at home

Driving too much can be linked to leading a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn can increase the risk of other serious health conditions such as obesity, heart disease or diabetes.

If you regularly rely on driving, whether it’s driving to work, taking your children to school or for shopping trips, it’s a good idea to sometimes leave the car at home and walk instead. The exercise will be good for you, especially as it will naturally encourage use of many of the important spinal postural muscles.

If you live a long distance from your destination, you could park 10 minutes away and walk the rest of the way so that you get some regular exercise.

Carrying extra weight can put a strain on your back, so doing more exercise, getting fit and losing a few pounds could also help your back problems.

If you have any questions about how exercising can help keep your back healthy, then you can ask our panel of experts.

Useful links

BackCare - www.backcare.org.uk

Health and Safety Executive - www.hse.gov.uk/