How can I reduce the risk of lower back pain?

Here are some ways to reduce the risk of low back pain:

• Lose weight: Extra pounds can strain your back muscles and spine. Work with your health team to develop a weight loss plan through diet and nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help you change your health habits.

• Ease your mind: Your low back pain could be stress-related. Yoga, meditation, and mind-body techniques can calm down your body's reactions to stress and reduce your pain.

• Quit smoking: Smokers are more vulnerable to back pain than nonsmokers -- nicotine blocks the blood flow to the disks that cushion and protect your vertebrae (the bones of your spinal column). Your doctor can recommend a smoking cessation program.

• Watch that heavy lifting: Learning good body mechanics will go a long way in helping you to prevent any type of back injury. To lift an object, bend your knees and squat, keeping your back straight. Do not bend over to pick it up. Keep the object close to your body. If the object feels too heavy to lift, get someone to help you. To move a heavy object, pushing it is usually safer than pulling it.

• Sit up straight: Try sitting in straight-back chairs or those that support your lower back. If possible, adjust the seat of your desk chair so that it is appropriate for your height. For driving, adjust the seat so you don't have to lean forward to reach the controls.

• Improve your posture: Stand up straight (but not rigid), keeping your ear, shoulders, and hips in a straight line, with your stomach pulled in and your head held up. Don't slouch or let your middle cave in.

• Support your spine while you sleep: Sleep on a firm mattress (if necessary, put a 1/2 inch-thick piece of plywood under the mattress). Try sleeping on your side, with your knees bent. Or experiment by putting a pillow under your neck, between your knees, and/or under your lower back.

• Try yoga: Stretching, and other exercises can help relieve back pressure. Work with a physical therapist to develop an exercise routine that's best for you.