It is estimated that eighty five to ninety percent of people in the US will experience and suffer from back pain at some point during their lives.
Upper respiratory infections are the number one reason why people visit their family doctors. Back pain in general and lower back pain particularly is reason number two. Any day of the week, 2% of our entire work force is disabled by back pain. For people under 40 years old, lower back pain is the most common reason for inability to take care of daily chores. Back pain also is the direct cause of enormous healthcare expenses, with estimates as high as $60 billion annually.
What is acute back pain?
Acute back pain refers to a brief episode of pain that comes on suddenly. Most people recover from acute back pain within two to three weeks with minimal treatment including using over-the-counter pain relievers, and therapeutic massage therapy.
What is chronic, persistent back pain?
Most back pain is relieved within a few days to a couple of weeks with manual therapy. When back pain persists beyond 2 to 4 weeks, it is considers chronic. Chronic, persistent back pain requires further medical evaluation by a physician. These evals consist of careful assessment of the patient’s medical history, and thorough physical examination to identify the cause of the pain. Commonly back pain is related to issues of spinal joints, discs, muscles, and other soft tissues.
Mechanisms
The onset of acute lower back pain most often is the result of mechanical damage due to excessive and prolonged poor posture, poor mechanics, sedentary lifestyle, deficient conditioning and athletic overuse.
People in sedentary occupations have a higher risk of disc herniation. During constant flexion that occurs with prolonged sitting, intradiscal pressure is greatest, which causes wear and tear.
This is why for people with sedentary lifestyles and also for regular gym goers ongoing clinical and sports massage therapy should be a preventative strategic approach for lifelong back health.
Keep In Mind
Your overall physical fitness contributes favorably towards your back health. Competitive athletes and individuals who exercise regularly are less prone to lumbar spine injuries and problems due to the strength and flexibility of supporting joints and soft tissues. Strong and flexible abdominal, lumbar and paraspinal muscles, gluteal and hamstring muscles provide greater support with ease of movement and endurance.
Education, training and conditioning, rest, preventative clinical therapies, as well as ergonomic interventions will reduce your incidences of lower back pain issues, and will insure a much higher quality lifestyle.
So, don’t wait for the problem to arise. Prevent it from happening. And if you already have back pain, get it checked out by licensed clinicians, and get on with the program.
Thank for you for reading, and I hope youfound the article helpful, useful and relevant. For any questions please contact me directly.
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