If you suffer from lower back pain, you are not alone. Approximately 80 percent of American adults have suffered from lower back pain at some point in their lives. More than 25 percent of adults also reported lower back pain during the previous three months. Furthermore, a 2010 study ranked lower back pain as the third most burdensome health problem, ranking only behind ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Given the number of people who suffer from lower back pain, it should not be surprising that there are certain lifestyle factors that may increase your risk of experiencing an acute or chronic bout. What are those risk factors, and how can you reduce them? Here, Dr. Nathen Horst discusses some ways that you can reduce your chances of suffering from lower back pain.

Aging

As you get older, wear and tear on your spine can result in lower back pain. This can be as a result of spinal disc degeneration, osteoporosis, loss of muscle tone, and osteoarthritis. In most cases, you will first start to notice back pain in your late 30s to early 40s.

At this age, your back pain may be acute, in which you will experience symptoms for a certain amount of time, and then seem to recover.

However, by the time you get into your early 50s, you may have developed chronic pain, in which you never seem to fully recover from a severe flare up of lower back pain.

Dr. Horst recommends adding nutritional supplements, such as calcium and glucosamine, into your regular diet to strengthen your bones. Gentle stretching exercises and yoga will also help support your back muscles.

Occupational Hazards

Lower back pain is the most common reason for work-related disability and missed days from work. Much of this is due to certain tasks that are repeated throughout the workday.

If your job involves bending and lifting heavy objects, you are putting a great deal of stress on your spine. Other causes for lower back pain at work can be excessive amounts of standing (such as for a supermarket checkout cashier) or sitting (such as for an administrative assistant) without proper back support, such as back braces or ergonomically designed chairs.

Dr. Horst suggests taking breaks to sit down, stand up, and walk around. You may also want to talk to your workplace safety officer about ergonomic changes that could be implemented in your office.

Sedentary Lifestyle/Excessive Weight/Poor Fitness

These three factors are interconnected. If you are not physically fit, due to a sedentary lifestyle, you may put on a significant amount of excess weight. This will put more stress on your lower back, making you more prone to injury.

In addition, excess weight puts more strain on your knee and ankle joints, which will make it more difficult for you to exercise.

Dr. Horst suggests aiming for a moderate level of exercise, such as walking or light jogging, for at least 20 minutes every day.

Of course, once you have treated your acute lower back pain, you will want to prevent it from becoming a chronic issue. Regular chiropractic visits, even when you are not experiencing pain, are the best ways to reduce wear tear on your back and protect it against injury.