Kelly & Michael: Dr. Richard Besser Tips for Back Pain

Kelly & Michael: Kick Start the New Year: Wellness Edition

Live! With Kelly & Michael continued with its “Kick Start the New Year: Wellness Edition” with Dr. Richard Besser. I’ve really been enjoying these wellness segments and I love that they’re covering such a wide variety of topics. They’ve all been incredibly helpful. So far, after the fitness and nutrition editions, they’ve covered happiness and acupuncture and cupping for wellness week. Today, they talked about the causes of and remedies of back pain, which is really interesting and informative. Though the topics in the wellness edition don’t have too much in common, I’ve really been enjoying learning about all the different topics.

Kelly & Michael: Dr. Richard Besser

Americans spend over $85 billion a year on back pain, so Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan had ABC News’ Chief medical correspondent Dr. Richard Besser. He said that height could be an issue for back pain, but it’s also about the cushions and discs and nerve roots between your vertebrae. As you get older, there’s more pressure on your discs. That causes problems and pain as you walk around and walk on heels and get older.

Kelly & Michael: Preventing Back Pain

The first thing you can do is to try to maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight causes pain. You should be active. Sitting is also a big deal. He showed Kelly & Michael about how to sit right.

Don’t lean back. You need to give your back support. Sit upright and have a cushion. Put both of your feet flat on the floor. Your legs should be in a 90 degree angle and your arms should be at 90 degrees when you’re typing or anything. You need to make sure your chair’s at the right height too.

Kelly & Michael: Getting Rid of Back Pain

So what happens if you already have back pain? It’s something everyone goes through. Go to a doctor if you have weakness or pain in your legs or numbness. You also don’t want to get in bed and rest. Move around without causing pain. Michael used to lay down, but moving does make it better.

What about when you have to bend over when using technology? It’s not good. Have your shoulders back, head up, and everything even. It’s important to have good posture and use these things less.