Most Common Causes of Back Pain

An individual’s abilities to do daily tasks depend on their well-being, decision-making based on safety in surroundings, and how they will complete the task(s). When one is deprived, the remaining are seriously affected and this can arouse health problems leading to injury. Injury prevention in an environment reflects on many aspects affecting an individual’s capabilities. Being aware and focussed on the task is important as to how safely it will be completed. If injury does occur, physical health is just as important in the healing process as seeking and receiving immediate treatment. Identifying and resolving the source of injury through treatment is more important when the individual is faced to complete the task again to avoid future incidents. There are many factors that make people experience back pain but there are also many strategies that can treat and avoid future back pain.

Of all possible causes of back pain, there are three most common factors. Poor posture in the spine, joints, and/or vertebrae is one reason why people experience back pain. The second most common reason why people experience back pain is due to having weak muscles/ligaments. Work habits are the third most common reason why people experience back pain. People are not as active as they should be to strengthen their muscles to do daily tasks. Having poor dietary choices leads to many health problems leading to injury. Life throws various amounts of stress with the tasks people experience each day but accommodating and managing how they deal with the stress affects their food intake, amount of exercise, and quality of rest. Ineffectiveness in any of these areas leads to poor strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. A person’s health is the fuel to how well they handle daily tasks and injury recovery.

Avoiding future back pain can be summed to three important solutions to ensure good health.
One solution to ensure an individual will not experience future back pain relies on their personal well-being. Eating healthy food provides an individual with more energy to do the task(s) and aids in faster recovery upon injury. Adequate sleep provides energy to do daily tasks and allows the mind awareness of the decisions the individual must make as to whether they can do the task(s). Attitude affects how an individual performs a task as their focus is on something else and not on the task, thus increasing the risk of an injury. An individual can avoid future back pain by wearing suitable clothing required for the task(s) they must do. Tight fitted clothing hinders the individual to move the way the tasks requires them. Loose fitted clothing can snag on something and cause a trip, slip, or fall, thus creating an injury. Proper footwear and gloves spares an individual of injury from dropping objects or slipping/falling. A large amount of stress creates lack/gain of appetite and lack of sleep. Possessing more stress initiates a less effective healing process and poor decision/focus performance.

Assessing ones surroundings and physical limits when completing a task, and the decisions based from their assessment, is the second solution to ensuring they will not experience future back pain. An individual should determine their capabilities when assessing the task as to whether they can physically do it. If a task is impossible to do, an individual should attempt to do it a different way and if it is too demanding beyond their capabilities, they should ask for assistance. When doing a task, an individual must make sure the environment is free of objects that can cause injury by slipping or falling. An individual must be cautious when doing the task so that they can move freely without harming themselves (in cluttered or tight spaces) during the task. Having proper training with accessible equipment to complete demanding tasks hinders possible future injury. If a task requires lifting and moving an object(s), having a strong grip and keeping it close to the body while shifting the weight (to maintain proper posture) is a safe strategy. Finding alternate ways in which a task can be done either by pushing versus lifting or moving one object at a time versus moving too many at once safely relieves joint or muscular stress. When injury occurs, seeking immediate treatment and resolving the source of injury for future avoidance is crucial. Postponing treatment and continuing the same task incorrectly can arise a more aggravated and serious condition which will take more time to heal.

The final solution to avoid experiencing future back pain depends on how an individual moves before, during, and after a physically demanding task(s). Maintaining a proper posture decreases the stress on muscles and the spine so when a task needs to be done, a person can do it by not throwing off their natural balance and cause injury. Dividing the task in smaller movements instead of doing it in one fast motion lessens the chance of injury. Doing a task with awkward movements/positions forcefully and repeatedly for a long period of time can increase risks of injury. Doing a warm up exercise before preforming a physically demanding task is just as important as changing positions, stretching, and walking around during and after the task is complete to decrease the chances of injury. Taking breaks during the task relieves the amount of physical stress the individual experiences. Practising daily exercises strengthens muscles and ligaments so when it comes to doing physically challenging tasks, muscles, ligaments, and joints will not experience great amounts of stress/pain.

Chiropractors use three main methods to treat back pain. Massaging is the first method to treat back pain. The chiropractor massages affected muscles and/or joints so they are not tense. The second method to treat back pain is manipulation. The chiropractor slightly moves the affected muscles and/or joints, which are no longer tense from the massaging, to prepare for the next treatment. Mobilization is the final method that treats back pain. The chiropractor prepares the muscles and/or joints to move when doing regular or modified exercises/activities that the individual will do in daily life.