The effect of microtrauma is felt

Back pain has the ability to limit an individual’s lifestyle tremendously from keeping someone from being physically active to limiting simple daily tasks. In the United States 31 million people experience low back pain at any given time. Back pain is the most common reason an individual will miss work and is the single leading cause of disability worldwide1. Protecting your back is a concept that everyone should be familiar with. The spine is an intricate structure that allows movement, passage of nerves, and protection. When an individual’s back is injured often times they will avoid activity to prevent feeling the sensation of pain.
Back pain is primarily caused by improper lifting techniques, unhealthy lifestyles, and trauma. Improper lifting can affect everyone from manual laborers to individuals taking care of household duties. When lifting objects many people tend to bend at the waist instead of bending their knees and engaging their core to protect their back. Unless an individual has received structured training on lifting or actively sought out the information on proper lifting for themselves most people do not know how to properly lift objects. Individuals also subject themselves to hurting their back by lifting excessive weight and not seeking additional help to lift the object. In addition, people practice improper lifting techniques at the gym. Most times when people start working out they use improper posture and body mechanics while doing deadlifts, squat lifts, bent over rows and planks which puts more stress on their back resulting in back pain. Improper lifting can lead to microtrauma that is initially not felt by the individual. The effect of microtrauma is felt after the build up of numerous accounts of microtrauma that lead to an acute injury such as a herniated disc.
An unhealthy lifestyle is also a common culprit of back pain. The increase in the obesity within our country subjects these individuals to back pain. With an unhealthy increase in body weight more stress is put on the spine causing back pain. Also, the lack of physical activity contributes to added weight and a lack of core strength to support the spine. Individuals who are not active on a regular basis and execute a more sedentary lifestyle subject themselves to back strains and sprains when they become “weekend warriors” by playing aggressive sports such as football and basketball, yet are not conditioned to play these activities at the level they attempt to.