Your Posture Is Very Important

According to The American Academy of Family Physicians, “back pain is a very common problem affecting millions of people at any given time.” “The economic toll of chronic low back pain (three months or longer) has been estimated to be between $12 to $90 billion from loss of work productivity, cost of treatment, and disability payments”. “In the United States, approximately 90 percent of adults experience back pain at some time in life and 50 percent of persons in the working population has back pain every year”. The good news is most causes of lower back pain can be treated successfully through non-surgical means.

Back injuries are the most common cause of back pain and a common cause of back pain is muscle spasm. Muscle spasms are generally caused by the fatigue or overload of the back muscles and can result when a muscle is torn or overworked. Back pain symptoms can also develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or injury. Back problems and injuries often occur during sports or recreational activities, work-related tasks, or home projects and are often referred to as back sprain-strain injuries.

Back problems can also take place in activities that you do not do very often, such as lifting a heavy object or even doing yard work. Back injuries can also occur from a trip and fall or excessive twisting of the spine. More severe back injuries can result from car accidents, falls from significant heights or direct blows to the back or top of the head.

Since back injuries can occur at anytime or any place, it is essential to understand and follow back safety prevention guidelines. Today, most employers provide workplace safety training programs. These types of programs contribute to a safe workplace, and some of the safety programs are specifically designed to provide information and guidelines on how to prevent back injuries from occurring by emphasizing, for example, how to safely place and pick up objects off the floor. Companies such as UPS, Walmart, Home Depot, Continental Airlines, Marriott Hotels, and FedEx, use employee safety incentive programs to prevent workplace injuries, especially back injuries, since there is repetitive heavy lifting which is a common cause of back injury. In general, it is necessary to always be aware of your surroundings and think about the risks involved since back injuries can occur at any time. Always try to analyze your surroundings to find activities, equipment and related risk factors which could contribute to a back injury.

Your posture is very important while awake and even while asleep. You should sleep on a firm mattress and use firm pillows. You should stand tall and sit up straight to alleviate some of the stress and strain on the back muscles. Don’t shrug or slouch your shoulders, this causes the back ligaments to start to hurt by putting too much pressure on the vertebrae. Good posture is even important while driving. While you are driving, place your back against the seat and sit close enough to the wheel so that your knees are bent slightly higher than your hips; some people use small seat cushion rolls to help prevent sagging back into the base of the car seat.

Traditionally, the family doctor or the general practitioner were the primary choice for receiving medical care and treatment for back pain; however, today many people are now visiting chiropractors for a variety of medical conditions. According to an ehow article -Chiropractic vs. Medical Doctor Education, The American Medical Association (AMA), for years dismissed chiropractic medicine as quackery. The organization’s official position has changed considerably over the years. Today, AMA’s code of medical ethics permits “a physician to associate professionally with chiropractors provided that the physician believes that such association is in the best interests of his or her patient.” This allows medical doctors to refer their patients to chiropractors when they deem it appropriate.

According to WEB MD, “Among people seeking back pain relief alternatives most choose chiropractic treatment. About 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually”. “Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body's musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery:” “Manipulation is used to restore mobility to joints restricted by tissue injury caused by a traumatic event, such as falling, or repetitive stress.” “Chiropractic adjustments are very popular in the United States, with as many as 40 million Americans receiving regular treatment.” Other methods to treat back pain include infrared Light therapy, Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS), ultrasound therapy, using heating pads and/or heat and massage therapy chairs.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends a series of exercises that are specifically chosen to help strengthen and condition the muscles that support the spinal column. Exercise has many benefits because the process of stretching and strengthening the muscles of the back produces a feeling of relaxation and well being similar to that produced by many muscle relaxants and pain relievers. Alternatively, patients may be referred to work with certified physical therapist or an Acupuncturist, or to engage in conditioning programs such as yoga or Pilates. Lastly, Tai-chi can be used as a form of exercise to attain healing qualities rather than combative methods. These conditioning programs do not involve any jarring motions that would create impact to the back. However, committing to a physical conditioning program must always be approved by the chiropractor and/or the physical therapist as the correct method to relieve chronic back pain.