With kids going back to school back pain can sometimes pose a speed bump in getting back into the swing of things.

Whether it's the heavy backpacks, getting back into fall sports, or just getting the groceries into and out of the trunk, back pain can hit you at the most unexpected of times. Here are a few pointers to keep you in the game:

It's easiest to hurt your back when you pick up something that is not directly in front of you. Bending and twisting at the same time leave you vulnerable to more injury.

Cross train. When you play only one sport and don't doing different exercises, some muscle groups are more likely to be injured when they are overworked. At the same time, because other muscle groups are not used as much, they are not as strong. Cross training, or making sure that you employ other muscle groups allows you to minimize injury by making sure all muscle groups are used. One sport that goes well with many other sports is swimming. Swimming allows you to exercise different muscles than you would use during land based sports. This can help you to optimize your conditioning.