Recurring back pain is one of the most common ailments that people deal with. As a chiropractor, I’m used to hearing from family members and patients that claim they’ve thrown their back out. We may bend down to pick something up or tie our shoes and end up feeling something like a pop, click, or shift in our back, as if something got moved out of place. In actuality, it’s not as if your back really just ‘goes out’. Let’s discuss recurring low back pain a bit more in-depth to get a better understanding of what actually happens.
Like ripping a bandage off an injury, the feeling of your back ‘going out’ is really the instant that all the events leading to an underlying problem are brought to the surface. It could be your occupation (many of us sit for extended period of time), and we might not have the best posture. Some jobs require repeated bending or twisting, and we may not be staying in biomechanically ideal positions. All of this cumulative trauma from day to day puts pressure on the body, continuing to wear it down over time.
What part of the body is obtaining this cumulative trauma? Is it the muscle or the joint? Actually, it’s typically a combination of the two—most of the time, the patient will overload a joint in the lumbar spine (low back). One of the five lumbar vertebrae in the lumbar spine will become overloaded, resulting in inflammation and pain. It is similar to a localized joint sprain, and even the disc between these vertebrae can become sprained. Secondary to that, there is often some soft tissue injury in the form of a muscle spasm or tightness.
Next thing you know, you may be bending over to pick some laundry off the floor and feel your back ‘going out’. In reality, you are experiencing acute (quick, intense) back pain. It is typically localized in the low back, but it may be extremely debilitating for some patients. I’ve had patients visit my office who are hunched over in a flexed position, unable to move normally. All the underlying accumulated trauma led up to making a certain movement that resulted in this acute pain.
We’ve just talked about how what you do causes cumulative trauma on the body, but what you don’t do plays a big part as well. What is it that we’re not doing? Exercise. Core trunk stability, proper ergonomics, and good posture are also important practices that we often neglect. If your job involves lifting or bending throughout the day, try to make sure you’re hinging at the hips while keeping a relatively neutral spine. (To learn more about this, talk with a physical therapist or chiropractor. They can show you what it means to have a neutral spine.)
Secondly, if you sit behind a desk all day, make sure the computer, chair, and desk are all set up in an ergonomically correct position. The computer’s display should be at eye-level in front of you. The office chair should provide adequate lumbar support and keep your body in a neutral position. Once again, you should be making sure that your spine is neutral.
Most importantly, there are a few easy exercises related to trunk and core stability. (The core is the area in your midsection, including your hips and glutes.) Imagine tightening a corset around your spine. We’re not going after six-pack abs, but instead we are more focused on stability in the midsection. This will prevent shifting and overloading the spine, widening the margin of error and preventing injury. By maintaining good stability around the spine, you can perform daily activities while preventing acute pain.
If it’s too late and you’re already experiencing acute pain at home without being able to see a chiropractor, I recommend placing some ice on your back while lying on a flat surface. Get your legs elevated with hips and knees bent to around 90 degrees. If possible, elevate the legs by placing them on an ottoman or chair, keeping the knees and hips flexed. This will unload your body, decompress the spine, and provide a bit of instant relief. Be very careful when lifting, bending, or transitioning from seated to standing positions. Of course, be sure to see a qualified professional as soon as possible, especially if pain persists for more than a day.
The quicker you can see a qualified professional, the sooner you will obtain a proper diagnosis and effective treatment plan. If you’re suffering from back pain, contact us today or give us a call at (918) 743-3737
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