Spring/Summer 2008 Newsletter
WHAT IS CAUSING THAT PAIN IN YOUR BACK?
Low back pain (LBP) is extremely prevalent in our society. Chances are either you suffer from LBP or know someone who does. Approximately 80% of adults will have LBP at some point in their lives.
There are many different causes of LBP, but by far the most common dysfunction that we treat in the workplace are disc problems. For this type of injury the old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is particularly true. Fortunately, some very simple measures can help prevent disc problems. To understand how you can reduce the risks of your back “going out” we will need to briefly review low back anatomy.
The spine of the low back is made up of a series of bones (vertebra) stacked on top of each other. Discs are found between each of the bones, they act as a cushion between the bones and a pivot point from which the spine can move.
The disc moves like a ball bearing. When you bend forward, the disc material moves backward. Likewise, when you bend backward the disc material moves forward.
Now, think about it! How do you spend most of your day? Most of us spend a large portion of the day bending or reaching forward. Every time you bend forward to pick something up or reach across a table, your disc material is moving toward the back of the spine.
To make matters worse, sitting is the same as bending forward. Unless you are one of only a few people in this world who sit with proper body mechanics, you are essentially bending forward for extended periods of time whenever you sit. This is why truck drivers have a greater percentage of low back injuries than any other profession. This is also why, when your back hurts, it can sometimes be difficult to stand all the way up after sitting. You know what I am talking about if you have ever felt like an old man (or woman) when you have tried to stand up straight after sitting through a baseball game on a bleacher or in one of those handy (but disc crushing) sling back chairs.
Disc problems may cause a sudden onset of pain, but they are rarely a “one time” injury event. Discs usually move backward, slowly, over time without causing much pain until one day they move back quickly and stay there. It could occur with a sneeze or while bending over to tie your shoe. Although the pain is sudden and intense, rest assured, you have been setting yourself up for this injury for many years!
OK, now you know the cause of disc-induced back pain. What can you do about it?
• First of all….start watching your body mechanics EVERY time!
• When sitting, use a lumbar support cushion and sit up straight.
• Avoid sling back camping chairs. There is no way to protect your back in these chairs.
• Change positions frequently. Whether sitting or standing, make sure you change positions often.
• After sitting or bending, gently stretch backward several times to pull that disc forward and into place.
Keeping your discs healthy is a matter of maintaining good body mechanics and stretching frequently to keep the discs in place. These stretches should be done very gently. Do not perform any stretch that causes pain.
Finally, keep in mind that disc problems are only one of several potential causes of low back pain. If you have frequent or reoccurring problems with low back pain you should seek the assistance of a physical therapist or healthcare professional.
SmartWork Solutions, Inc offers a lively interactive Low Back School to educate the workplace on this and other issues of the back that drive work comps costs. Feel free to contact us for more information on this and/or other musculoskeletal disorders.