Back Pain 101: Causes and Preventive Measures

Back pain is an all-too-common problem that most people will experience at some point in their life. In fact, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) claims that it's the world's single most leading cause of disability, affecting as much as 80% of the population. While back pain may manifest itself with minor aching that tends to go away on its own, some individuals may experience severe, debilitating back pain that restricts their mobility. To understand some of the most common causes of back pain, along with preventive measures to stop it, keep reading.

To put the importance of preventing back pain and injuries into perspective, it's estimated that Americans will spend over $50 billion on medical treatment related to their back pain. And unfortunately, many of these people will only mask their pain with medication rather than finding the root cause of the problem. This is why it's important for individuals to take preventive measures towards protecting their back from injury.

Strained Back

A strained back occurs when there's damage to the ligaments, muscles and/or tendons. The damage can be from direct physical trauma, such as being in an automobile accident or on-the-field football injury, or the damage could be the result of overexertion. When a person lifts in a heavy object in the wrong manner, the additional strain placed on his or her back could stretch the ligaments and tendons beyond their normal capacity; thus, resulting in a strained back. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) states that one out of every two people will stain their back at some point in their life.

Here are some of the most common causes of back pain:

• Lifting heavy loads improperly
• Overexertion
• Bending over
• Reaching
• Sitting down for long periods of time without lumbar support
• Standing for long periods of time

Lifting: Back To The Basics

Nine out of ten times, the root cause of back pain is from lifting heavy objects the wrong way. When you're lifting a box, pallet or any other object, try to be aware of your spine's curvature. Ideally, you want to keep your spine as straight as possible, which means lowering your legs to lift rather than bending over. This places a greater strain on your leg muscles, essentially taking much of the force away from your back. It may take some time getting used to, but lifting with your legs is a key preventive measure towards protecting yourself from back pain.