Why do we get back pain?
One question that never fails to turn up in clinical and social settings is: 'Why do we get back pain?' After all, we have many joints and moveable parts in our body, so why is it our backs are often prone to pain ranging from mild discomfort to excruciating and completely debilitating. Here, for your reading pleasure, are some basic answers to the age old question...
What are the common causes of back pain?
People can get back pain for a variety of reasons. These can include common bumps and falls, sports injuries, lifting and manual work, postural problems(work and sleeping posture) carrying heavy school bags etc. Most commonly the people who come to see me for back pain at Healthspace in Potts Point or Bondi Junction say that it started with no obvious incident but simply came on and did not resolve of its own accord.
This not knowing the cause accounts for over 70% of the clients who present to us with back pain. Often the cause of this type of onset of pain is due to the accumulation of many small (seemingly insignificant) incidents which build up and collectivly weaken the back.
Weakening of the back occurs when strain or sprain of the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding and supporting the spine are affected. Strain and weakening of the spinal discs and can also result in weakening and back pain.
Postural imbalance and misaligned joints in other parts of the body can also contribute to back weakening and pain. It is very common to see hip/pelvis misalignment, knee issues and foot problems (especially flat feet) in people suffering with back pain.
What are common treatments for back pain?
Resolving back pain is best achieved with a three-pronged approach:
Through a thorough examination identify where the pain is coming from. ie is it a ligament sprain, a muscle strain or a disc problem etc and then develop a treatment program to focus on the healing of that area. Treatment may include manipulation, muscle release techniques, massage, icing, ultrasound, etc.
Identification of contributing factors(eg: work posture and ergonomics, lifting and other manual work, repetitive strain contributors at work or at home or during sport and exercise) and giving advice and information on ways or minimising their negative affects.
Tayloring a specific home exercise program to rehabilitate, strengthen and stabilize the affected area to speed up recovery and reduce the incidence of future problems or repeat injury.
What are measures we can take to keep our back healthy as we get older?
The keys to a healthy back no matter what your age are strength, flexibility and proper spinal alignment. Many of the sports and hobbies that we love doing help maintain good strength and flexibility. Otherwise good gym routine or outdoor exercise with a personal trainer can be really helpful. Pillates and yoga are also fantastic for spinal strength and flexibility. To ensure proper spinal alignment I think it is essential to get regular adjustments from a chiropractor. I have seen that the people who get checked regularly, rather than just when they experience pain, have much better back health as they age and enjoy much more active and healthy lifestyle.
The best advice regarding back pain?
Don't ignore it, get it checked and find someone who can both help you manage the current problem but who will also show you how to help yourself. Learning effective exercises and ways to avoid re-injury that are specific to your problem is the key.
A few words about me..
After graduating from Macquarie University I traveled to Ireland where practiced for two years. I was lucky enough to work with a fantastic chiropractor who was the president of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland and had such a great reputation that people would travel half a day to see him. I learned a lot from him and even in just my first week in practice saw more weird and wonderful cases than in the 5 years at university and student clinic. It really was a fantastic experience.
Experiencing back pain? Come in for a visit!
