You don’t have to see the statistics to know back pain is common. In fact, says Richard Hostin, M.D., an orthopaedic spine surgeon on the Baylor Plano medical staff and medical director of the Baylor Scoliosis Center, “When you look at the U.S. population, back pain, especially as we get older, is fairly ubiquitous.”

Rates of back pain tend to be higher in industrialized countries, he explains, because of our lifestyles. To help lower your risk, Dr. Hostin offers these four tips.

1. Get moving. “Our motto is: Motion is life,” Dr. Hostin says. By participating in moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, you help your entire body, including your back. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces back strain and keeps you conditioned for life’s activities, reducing your risk for injury. Just make sure it’s an activity you’ll keep doing, Dr. Hostin advises.

2. Strengthen your core. “Having a tight midsection makes it less likely that you’ll hurt your back doing day-to-day activities,” Dr. Hostin says. Whether it’s yoga or Pilates classes or time with a physical therapist, it’s about reconditioning your stomach and back muscles.

3. Find a professional. “We usually recommend starting with a physical therapist or trainer at first, because even a crunch done incorrectly can cause more harm than good,” Dr. Hostin says. “You don’t want to do the exercises wrong and get hurt.” Once you know the moves, you can do the workouts at home.

4. Stop smoking. Studies have shown that smokers have higher rates of back pain than nonsmokers. Plus, Dr. Hostin says, nicotine constricts the blood vessels, and the resulting blood-flow issues make it more difficult to recover from a back pain incident.

If you want to be evaluated for scoliosis and other complex spine conditions, click here to contact the Baylor Scoliosis Center. If you’re experiencing more general back pain, click here for a referral to an orthopaedist or neurosugeon on the Baylor Plano medical staff.