Most people experience Low Back Pain (LBP) at some point in their life. If you have never had pain in your back then you are one of the very few lucky people. LBP is one of the most commonly used excuses for skipping a day at work and unfortunately it’s often a cause of major discomfort and disability.
Causes of LBP vary and so do the symptoms. Every person experiences pain differently and has a different threshold for pain. I worked with patients who ignore their injury but also seen those who feel so traumatized that they can’t normally function.
Whether acute or chronic, pain usually appears for a reason. The body sends a signal to the brain about a less than optimal state, which must be acknowledged and respected. Individual reaction to LBP depends on its severity and frequency of reoccurrence. People often choose to wait for a single episode of back ache to pass. Pain killers, heat patches, and brief rest are the commonly available self-help options.
In case where LBP reoccurs regularly, patients are more likely to seek professional help. There are many specialists who deal with musculoskeletal issues. Evidence based practice as well as alternative therapies can both be very effective. A choice of treatment would usually depend on personal preference, previous experience, or recommendations from friends. Hopefully sooner rather than later the dysfunctional tissues will resolve and some form of self-maintenance interventions would be implemented to keep patients symptom-free.
I will not even attempt to provide generic advice for managing an existing LBP. Every case must be considered individually, based on the presentation, history, and other specific factors. Possible causes include orthopedic, systemic, or mental distress issues and these will greatly affect the individual treatment plans.
Regardless of etiology, for most injuries prevention makes the best cure. There are no guarantees for absolutely injury-free living but we could greatly decrease our risks by modifying a few lifestyle factors.
The general health and fitness status was shown to positively affect our muscular and skeletal condition. Our body weight and mind-set also seem to correlate with occurrence of LBP. Biomechanical factors that must be considered include daily body posture, flexibility, occupational ergonomics, footwear, manual handling and training technique.
I probably need not say that most of us have a power to modify a number of the points listed above. Proper diet and controlled exercise have a potential to change things around. Improved mental, digestive, and biomechanical functions will contribute to optimal condition of the lower back and vice versa. With a positive attitude, you are bound to win!
There are many schools of thought and methods regarding LBP prevention and a precise advice can be only given in one-to-one situation. The suggestions that I am confident to pass now are: keep moderately active, vary your activities as much as you can, dedicate time to train core muscles and stretch. Consult your physician or instructor to find activities best suited for you in case there are any concerns or doubts. Variety in training will limit a risk of repetitive strain and encourage your body to develop equally all over, in a balanced way. It would be ideal to target all major muscle groups in training and also mobilize all major joints.
In ‘desk-working’ population, the common muscle imbalances involve weakness of buttock, back and abdominal muscles combined with tightness in hips, shoulders and chest. The simple solution is to stretch what’s tight and strengthen the weak parts. Simple lunges, squats, pulling exercises and core training can have an amazing effect. Other forms of exercise such as Pilates and yoga can also improve alignment, flexibility, and tone. Make sure that you choose relevant exercises that agree with your training goals.
Enjoy your healthy bodies!
Lucja
