Whether you wake up with a stiff back, are sore after a day of yard work, or sprained your back while unloading something from the dishwasher, you've probably experienced back pain at some point. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 39 percent of adults experienced back pain in the three months preceding the survey.

But you can take steps to keep your back strong and healthy, and potentially avoid the need for spinal surgery.


1. Exercise and strengthen your core every day
Regular physical activity and daily core exercises are essential to maintaining a healthy spine. "Both have been shown to reduce back pain," says Dr Chung. Walking every day can help. If you don't exercise, Dr. Chung recommends starting with a daily walk of 5 to 10 minutes and gradually increasing your walking time.


2. Manage stress and get enough sleep
"Those who were less stressed and had a good night's sleep had less back pain," Dr. Chung said. "Stress can cause muscle tension, which can lead to pain." Many people don't realize that stress, lack of sleep, and back pain are all connected. Therefore, be sure to treat high stress levels or sleep problems.


3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Many healthy habits that are essential to other areas of life also help keep your back healthy. "Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, avoiding smoking and maintaining good posture can all help prevent or reduce back pain," says Dr Chung.

4. Regularly monitor the physical condition
For patients with underlying diseases, it is also important to measure the body normally every day, such as blood pressure, heart rate and other issues. And it doesn't take a lot of time or money. Choose a good instrument and measure it at home.