Health Center :: Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. Low back injuries have been found to be one of the most prominent medical problems in society. In fact, back afflictions are second only to foot problems in order of incidence throughout life.

Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.

Most commonly, back pain comes from sprains and strains.  Sprain is an injury to the ligaments of the spine. Strain is an injury to muscles of the spine. The symptoms of strain and sprain include back or neck spasm, stiffness, and pain. This is caused by stretched or torn soft tissue of the back or neck. Low back sprains or strains can be caused by a single event, such as lifting a heavy object, repetitive motion, sitting or standing for long periods of time or can be due to repeated small injuries to the back.

While most back pain goes away on its own it may take a while to fully heal. Keeping your back muscles strong and flexible is one of the best things you can do to prevent back pain.  Exercises that increase balance, flexibility and strength can decrease your risk of injuring your back, falling, or breaking bones.

If your back pain is severe, doesn’t improve after three days or if you have back pain following an injury you should visit your doctor.

You are most at risk for back pain if you:

• frequently bend, lift or twist (for your job, lifting and playing with small children)
• are a caregiver for an ill or injured family member (transferring people from bet to chair, pulling into sitting positions)
• smoke
• are overweight
• do not exercise regularly

Lower Back Pain
The lower back supports the body's weight and enables you to maintain stability and balance and bears most of the weight and stress of your body. Lower back pain varies but is often described as sudden, sharp, persistent, or even dull pain felt below the waist.

How does lower back pain occur?
It's not often that just one event causes your lower back pain You may have been doing many things improperly like standing, sitting, or lifting -- for a long time. The structures in your back may be losing strength or integrity little-by-little, and then one day, one simple movement appears to lead to the sudden feeling of pain.

Low back pain is most commonly caused by:

• strained back muscles and ligaments, from improper or heavy lifting, pushing, twisting, bending or after a sudden awkward movement
• repetitive motion such as sitting at a desk for a prolonged period of time, standing in one position too long or awkward positions
• minor problems with a disc or facet joint between two vertebrae
• muscle spasms

But in many cases there is not an obvious cause.  

More specific causes of lower back pain include:

• Herniated disk:  A disk herniates (ruptures) when part of the center pushes through the outer edge of the disk putting pressure on the nerves. Spinal nerves are very sensitive to even slight amounts of pressure. Symptoms include: a burning pain centered in the neck, weakness in one leg, tingling or numbness in one leg or buttock, loss of bladder or bowel control.
• Sciatica:  Occurs when a herniated disk comes in contact with the sciatic nerve causing sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and back of the leg.
• Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal cord that causes nerve pinching leading to continual pain in the buttocks, limping, and lack of feeling in the lower extremities
• Myofaciitis: Pain or other dysfunctions in the network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments and other soft connective tissue that holds our bodies together. The pain may start abruptly or gradually.
• Arthritis (osteoarthritis): a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage.  It may only strike one joint or may affect any joint in your body, including those in your fingers, hips, knees, lower back and feet.

Foot problems may also be leading to your back pain. 
Your feet provide a foundation for your body, supporting everything above them. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, overpronation, or ball-of-foot pain, it’s possible that you have consciously (or unconsciously) changed the way you walk to avoid or lessen the pain in your feet. This modification could be contributing your back pain.

How can back pain be prevented or treated?

Prevention
No one wants to live with back pain.  And while it is statistically likely that you will suffer from back pain at some point in your life, taking preventative measures may help reduce the severity of the strain and may even positively impact recovery time. 

• Strengthen your core:  Exercises that target your back muscles are called "core strengthening" exercises because they work both your abdominal and back muscles increasing your strength and flexibility.  A person in good physical condition will generally reduce their risk of back injuries. However, if your fitness level is sub par, the risk of your injury is nearly doubled.  Additionally, be sure to stretch and warm-up before you start your day or any activity. 

• Increase flexibility:  By stretching the muscles in the core as well as those above and below the core, you can maximize your flexibility and drastically reduce your risk of injury.  Key muscles to target above the core would be the latissimus dorsi (lats) and the trapezoids (traps).  Key muscles to target below the core include the gluteus maximus (gluts), piriformis, the hamstrings and the iliotibial (IT band).

• Work on coordination and balance: Just walking regularly for exercise can help you maintain your coordination and balance. Perform balance exercises will also help to keep you steady on your feet and reduce the risk of falling.

• Stand up straight:  We all should have listened to our mothers on this one. Poor posture puts added stress on your back. When you slouch or stand with a swayback, you exaggerate your back's natural curves causing muscle fatigue and increasing the risk for injury. But good posture relaxes your muscles and requires minimal effort to balance your body.  And while you’re at it, sit up straight as well.

• Evaluate your work space:  It’s likely that this is where you spend the bulk of your day.  And it’s even more likely that it’s contributing to your back pain.  So look around your work area for ways to decrease force on your back and repetition.  For example,  make sure your monitor and chair are positioned properly and identify ways to take some of the stress off of your back.

• Break the repetition:  On average, your body can tolerate being in one position for about 20 minutes before you feel the need to adjust. So, if you must sit or stand for a prolonged period, change your position often. Take a 30 - 60 second timeout every 15 minutes or so to stretch or move around.

• Lift properly:  There's a right way and a wrong way to lift and carry.  So be sure to let your legs do some of the work, keep objects close to your body and ask for help when lifting or moving extremely heavy items.

• Check the foundation:  Your feet are designed to protect you against the shock your body feels when you take a step. Every time the heel of your foot hits the ground, a shock wave travels up through your body, all the way to your head. A healthy body will absorb this shock. But if your feet are not in their correct functioning position, more of this shock is allowed to move through the body to weaken other joints including the hips and spine. So be sure that your feet are healthy, that your arches are properly supported and your shoes are providing maximum shock absorption.

Treatment
Your doctor is the best prepared to help you determine the most appropriate treatment for your back pain.  Some recommendations could include:

• Medications: A wide range of medications are used to treat chronic back pain. Some you can try on your own. Others are available only with a doctor’s prescription. Talk with your doctor about the right treatment for you.

• Physical therapy and exercise: A physical therapist can apply a variety of treatments to ease the pain and can teach you specific exercises that help you to increase your flexibility, strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, and improve your posture. Stretching and improving the extension of muscles and other soft tissues of the back can reduce back stiffness and improve range of motion. Sticking with the program will help pain from recurring.

• Heat or Ice: While it does not cure the cause of chronic back pain, hot or cold packs (or a combination of the two) can be soothing to sore backs.

NOTE:  Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.  A fitness assessment may be necessary prior to choosing certain activities.

These products have proven helpful in providing support, enhancing shock
absorption and increasing muscle strength and flexibility: