A large portion of the population will succumb to lower back pain at some point in their lives. The onset of such damage can be attributed to a number of factors, from a sports injury in youth that comes back to haunt a person as an adult to natural alterations to the body as one gets older. A new report takes a look at some of the risk factors that leave one susceptible to lower back pain.
The report notes that around four in five people will have to face lower back pain. It goes on to show an eye-opening statistic from the National Institutes of Health that shows low back pain treatment leads to $50 billion in expenditures a year. When the American Physical Therapy Association conducted a survey a couple years ago, they found that 69% of people had the quality of their lives compromised by such pain.
Back pain will typically result when persons put too much strain on the area or attempt to use the muscles of the lower back too often. If a person asks too much of their back or twists in the wrong way, the ligaments can pull away from their rightful place in a condition known as a lumbar sprain. Or, they could strain or tear the muscles in that vicinity.
Age can produce a number of conditions that can create lower back pain. It’s pretty common for our muscles and vertebrae to lose strength over the course of time. This lack of strength can be compounded when a person suffers from either spinal stenosis or facet joint osteoarthritis. The former involves the spinal cord’s travel spaces contracting while the latter will find the cartilage that protects the sections of the spine from harsh treatment breaking down.
The onset of each of these conditions is more likely if a person has a job that requires them to sit throughout the day. When you’re sitting in a chair for an extended period of time, pressure is placed on your lower back, and that takes its toll. Being overweight can exacerbate the issue, as can smoking and sitting in a hunched manner.
Of course, the opposite also holds true: those who are required to move around a lot to transport heavy loads are also put at risk. It’s important to learn how to push, pull, and lift in a manner that doesn’t place undue stress on the lower back.
When it sets in, back pain should prompt a visit to the doctor. It could be general wear and tear that’s easy to correct, but it could be indicative of more serious issues like a spinal tumor, an aortal enlargement, or spondylolisthesis. The latter of these may require a spinal fusion procedure to correct, and it's important to seek help quickly in order to improve the chances of successful treatment.
About the author
