Back pain is the second most common reason for a trip to the doctor.
But what causes back pain . . . and more importantly . . . what can you do to relieve it?
The good news about back pain is that the vast majority of the time it is NOT life threatening and it responds very well to conservative care. I will get to that in a minute.
So what causes back pain?
Most commonly back pain is caused by strains and sprains to the ligaments, tendons and muscles of the back. The problem is that some of our daily habits leave us susceptible to these strains and sprains.
Here are some things that make you more susceptible to back pain:
- Growing older than 30 years of age. (Not much you can do about this one)
- Obesity/Being over-weight. The structures of your spine are mechanical in nature and like with any mechanical structure, if you put too much weight on it, it will become strained. In your back, that looks like pain.
- Weak abdominal/core muscles. Your spine is comprised of 24 bones that stack on top of each other. Movement and stability of those bones is the job of a variety of muscles which surround the spine. If those muscles become weak, typically from lack of use, the spine become prone too injury.
- Depression and anxiety can cause back pain.
- Sitting too much. Excessive sitting leads to not only weak core muscles but also stiffness, which also leads to more back pain.
- Over-use or repetitive use. Jobs that require you to bend and twist a lot, like mine as odd as that sounds, could be setting you up for back pain.
NOW, the good news.
Drugs and surgery are generally NOT the best first option.
What is?
2 things. Exercises to strengthen the core and spinal adjustments from a chiropractor.
The following exercises are great for strengthening these stabilizing muscles and thus reducing instability and degeneration caused by that instability:
- Plank
- Side Plank
- Bird Dog
- Bridge
Next week I will create a video demonstrating how to perform these exercises. . . so be on the lookout for that.
Of course, maintaining proper alignment and inter-segmental movement by having your spine adjusted by a chiropractor is also important for minimizing back pain and dysfunction.
If you or someone you care about is having back pain, we would love to help . . . Give us a call.
If you are an existing patient, you can schedule online HERE
If you are a new patient, you can schedule an appointment online HERE.
If you want to schedule the old fashioned way, give us a call at (417) 598-0080.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
