Remember to take care of your back now!

All of us get backache sometimes. Usually it's because too much strain has been put on the backbone making it bend out of its normal shape. So it's not unusual for all of us to get backache as a result of a long car or plane journey, during which we may be forced to sit for long periods with our back in an unnatural and uncomfortable position. However all sorts of activities put a strain on our back in everyday life and we do not think about them until our back causes us trouble. Then it may be too late. So, how do we stop back trouble from starting? Our posture, or the way we hold our body, is the most important, and this means making sure our backbone or spine keeps its natural shape. Keep your head up and your shoulders straight with the lower part of your back hollow or curved inwards. In this way you keep the natural shape of your spine.

The way you stand is also important.

If you stand with you weight on one leg you will twist the backbone, so make sure you rest your weight equally on both feet when you are standing for a long time. The way we bend is also important. Most of us bend at the waist rather than the knees without thinking about it. When we do this we curve our back and this is not good for us. If you don't bend properly you put a lot of extra pressure on your back when you lift heavy things. The correct way to lift something is to bend the knees, and allow the legs to do as much of the work as possible. Heavy weights are bad for your back so if you are very fat there is only one way to avoid back trouble, and that is to lose weight

Finally, fashion shoes may cause a bad posture by making it difficult for us to walk and stand.

In general, then, we should always think about what is happening to our back.

Ex.3 Fill in the gaps with sentences given below.