Working On Proper Lifting Techniques

Our backs are like trees... strong, powerful and play multiple roles to our body, just like a tree does to nature. But similarly to trees being exposed to internal rot, we are susceptible to injury that can have effect on our daily lives. In order to understand and maintain proper back strength, we must understand the most common ways people develop back problems, how we can ensure that we will not be exposed to chronic back pain and the primary methods chiropractors use to treat back pain.

Backs are temperamental and it is easy to injury something that is a vital function to our everyday lives. Poor physical fitness and obesity is one of the main attributors to back pain. Our backs are made uniquely to our physiological components. If you add too much weight for long periods of time, it will put additional strain on the joints, ligaments and muscles. According to the CDC, more than one-third of U.S. adults are overweight and obese, roughly 34.9% of our current population. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 and preventable back pain costs more than $30 billion annually in medical bills and lost work time (Harris 1).

Age is a large factor for back pain. As we age, our spines change due to the normal wear and tear effects, ultimately leading to spinal narrowing of the spinal canal (AAOS 1). According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, degenerative changes of the spine are seen in up to 95% of people by the age of 50. This does have a trickle down effect, as another common way of back injury is injuries and accidents. Because the back is a complex structure, the simplest task or jerk can strain the back. “Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic,” meaning genetics or heredity does not cause it, mentions the American Chiropractic Association.

Since experts estimate that as many as 80% of the population will experience back problems at some time in their adult life (ACA 1), there are three specific ways that you can ensure that you will not have chronic back pain. Maintaining an active lifestyle is the key component to relief. As mentioned above, our bodies cannot sustain additional weight on our backs for long periods of time. “Overweight and obese adults are more likely to have disc degeneration in their lower back than normal-weight adults,” according to a new study published in the Journal of Arthritis & Rheumatism (ABC 1). Thus by exercising and getting proper blood flow, it will not only feel better and help keep the weight off but it has positive psychological effects. Walking, swimming, and bicycling are great examples of cardio for people beginning a workout regime, while adding weight training to the whole body because the legs, abs and chest all support the back muscles as well.

Good posture is another component to back strength. According to the New York Times, “80% of jobs are sedentary and require only light activity,” which means a vast majority of the population sit for more than 40 hours a week. Sitting can have more damaging effects on our bodies compared to standing. Using a stack of books or footstool under the feet will help alleviate any strain on the lower back, while sitting upright with the chest proud. A small pillow behind the lower back can be effective because it follows the natural curve of the spine (UW 3).
Proper lifting techniques are vital to ensure you will not have chronic back pain. It has been said many times before, when lifting, squat to pick up the item using the lower body to support the weight, instead of hunching over and using the back. As powerful as the back may be, the ligaments that support it are not. When a person rounds their back, the ligaments are stretched to their maximum length trying to hold the bones together while supporting your hanging upper-body and the additional item you are trying to pick up.

Roughly, 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually (WebMD 1) and below are three methods chiropractors use when treating back pain. Spinal manipulation is the most common practice that chiropractors utilize to properly align the body’s musculoskeletal structure. These practitioners believe that alternative treatments will allow the body to heal itself without surgery or medication. By adding quality of motion through force and range, this will allow the muscle memory of the body to restore itself to a normal state. Spinal decompression treatments are popular among chiropractors through the Axiom DRX9000. This non-invasive spinal device is primarily used to treat herniated, bulging or degenerative discs and provide patients with pain management. By applying spinal decompressive forces, it allows the lumbar vertebrae to expand receiving water, nutrients and oxygen to the damaged disc.

Lastly, therapeutic stretches and exercises are performed in the office and recommended as take home steps to assist in alleviating back pain. Practitioners will demonstrate how to stretch the areas that needs the most relief and why. These stretches include the: hamstring, piriformis, back, and core. Exercises that mimic yoga poses are used to help build some additional muscle to assist the back in everyday function (ACA 4). By doing these stretches and exercises daily, it should support in pain management and the pain should diminish over time.

In conclusion, most people will experience back pain in their lifetime. Physical fitness, age and injury play large roles in how we encounter chronic back pain. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle with physical activity, good posture and proper lifting techniques, we may never experience back pain. Chiropractors practice alternative medicine without the cost of medication or surgery. Spinal manipulation, decompression and therapeutic stretches are common methods practitioners use to help alleviate back pain. At the end of the day, the decisions and lifestyles we choose for ourselves can have lasting implications on how our body treats us in the future.