Each day you twist and turn your way through your normal activities, using your back thousands of times in an infinite combination of moves. With the arrival of spring weather, there are now even more ways you use--or misuse--your back. How many of these activities on your spring agenda? Yard work, gardening, golf, softball, and baseball.

Low back pain is common and costly. Common, because many people abuse their backs, jumping into spring activities without any conditioning. And after an Iowa winter, even a mild one, most people need to do some stretching and strengthening exercises before tackling spring projects.

Costly, because back pain affects more than 65 million Americans each year and that pain can mean doctor visits, physical therapy, medications, and time off work. After cold and flu symptoms, backaches are the most common reason for doctor visits.

The irritation of a nerve near the spine is the most common cause of back pain, not problems with the muscles, ligament, or bone. When a nerve gets irritated or pinched between the openings of the bones of the spine, the surrounding muscles tense up and the result is lower back pain.

Low back pain is widespread in our society, but the good news is that in most instances the pain ends within a few days. More serious cases of back pain are treated with anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and muscle relaxants. Surgery, a common treatment a generation ago, is now considered necessary for only a very small percentage of back pain patients.

Back to top

Your mother was right when she told you to "Sit up straight." "Don't slouch." "Walk with your shoulders straight."

Good posture is the backbone (excuse the pun) of a healthy back. In addition, it can help you avoid many musculosketal disorders, including low back pain, as well as repetitive motion injuries.

Good posture is simply maintaining the balance between the back's three curves--cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. Are your ears in line with your shoulders? Do you shoulders line up with your hips? If your ears, shoulders, and hips are in line, the three curves of your back are probably balanced. Good posture takes minimal muscular effort and is the least fatiguing--and it makes you look thinner.

Good sitting posture

• Don't slouch or hunch forward when you sit.
• Use a chair that supports your back in a slightly arched position.
• Sit tall, with both feet on the floor and your whole back against the chair.

Good standing posture

• Don't lock your knees.
• Don't stand bent forward at the waist when working in a low position.
• Don't stand in one position too long.
• Keep your stomach muscles tight and flat.
• Keep your head erect.

Good lifting posture

• Visualize the lift. Can you safely do it by yourself? Can you get an easy grip on it?
• Tuck in your pelvis, tighten your stomach muscles to keep your back's curves in balance.
• Bend at the knee instead of waist. Allow the large muscles in your legs to do the work.
• Hug the load by holding it as close to your body, between your shoulder and waist, as possible.
• Gradually straighten your legs until you are standing straight. Use slow, smooth movements.
• Avoid twisting your body while you lift or carry the load. Keep your knees and torso moving the same direction.

Back to top

Your back consists of vertebrae (bones that support your weight) that are stacked on top of each other to form your spinal column. The adult spinal column consists of 26 bones--seven cervical vertebrae in the neck; 12 thoracic vertebrae that connect with the ribs; five lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, one sacrum which is a fusion of five sacral vertebrae; and one coccyx or tailbone which is the fusion of four coccygeal vertebrae.

The vertebrae are separated by fibrocartilage discs, that absorb the shock of your movements. The spinal cord runs from the base of the brain through the hollow canal formed by the vertebrae, branching out through spaces between the vertebrae, connecting the brain with the rest of the body. The muscles and ligaments of the back hold it all together.

The lower back supports most of the body's weight so even a minor problem in that area can cause pain. The amount of force you put on your back under certain conditions can be surprising. The human back operates on a 10:1 ratio. Bending over to lift a 10-pound object puts 100 pounds of pressure on your lower back. When you add in the 105 pounds of the average human upper torso, you see that lifting a 10-pound object actually puts 1,150 pounds of pressure on the lower back.

Back to top

Your stomach muscles provide a lot of the support your back needs to stay in balance. Weak, flabby stomach muscles don't give your back the support it needs, especially when you're lifting or carrying heavy objects. Good physical condition in general is important for preventing strains, sprains, and other injuries.

Back to top

You can do a lot of small, seemingly unrelated things to help your back do its job for you. (Good posture and good lifting techniques are addresses on page one.)

• Maintain the proper weight for your height and build. Excess weight, especially around your middle puts additional strain on your back.
• Develop strong stomach muscles to help support your back.
• Do regular stretching and toning exercises, such as yoga or piliates, to help with flexibility.
• Stop and think about your back before you begin an activity or chore.

How can you hurt your back?

• Improper lifting
• Strenuous physical activity without proper conditioning
• Accident or sports injury
• Lack of muscle tone
• Sitting or standing in one position too long
• Holding the telephone between your shoulder and ear
• Improper posture while sitting at your desk using your computer
• Sitting with a thick wallet in your pocket
• Daily stress and tension
• Normal weight gain during pregnancy
•  

If you hurt, it's a message from your body to slow down, prevent further injury, and begin to heal. If your back pain hasn't noticeably improved within 72 hours, contact a UI Family Care physician.

Back to top