Standing For Long Periods

As of today, approximately 20% of the world suffers from chronic back pain (MedicalNewsToday) and according to the American Chiropractic Association, low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. Back pain refers to pain felt in the back that usually originates from the nerves, muscles, bones or joints; it can be chronic (long-term) or acute (more short-term), radiate to other parts of the body or remain in one location of the back. This illness affects people of every age and all states of physical fitness and can develop in a number of ways, however, there are several measures that we can use to ensure that we do not fall victim to back pain, many of which are available programs at your nearest chiropractor.

All of my life, I have been surrounded by back pain, and have watched it come from three different places. As a teenager, I was obese and morbidly unhealthy and I compounded this with a poor posture. Standing for long periods of time at my summer job, slouching, overstretching, twisting, bending for long periods and sudden awkward movements always led to acute back pain shortly after the activity. My father suffered from back pain in his mid-forties but for a different reason; he took up building cabinets and dressers as a hobby. He frequently complained of back pain because of an injury he had incurred. Often times, these injuries, causing acute pain, were strain-related: I would catch him lifting very heavy items or pushing them far distances without help, lifting things improperly, picking things up carelessly and carrying things in awkward positions that made the objects’ weight on his body unbalanced and strenuous on one side. Finally, I watched back pain creep into my mother’s life via structural deficiencies. I later learned that millions of people worldwide are born with or develop structural problems of the spine. Some examples of these include: a bulging disk whereby one of the disks which cushion the spine ruptures, putting more pressure on the nerve and resulting in pain; sciatica which is a sharp, shooting pain that travels from the lower spine to the leg as a result of a herniated disk; osteoporosis whereby bones become brittle and porous leading to an increase likelihood of fractures. My mother suffers from osteoporosis and avoids tasks such as pulling or carrying weighted things in order to avoid putting unnecessary strain on her weak bones. Other examples of structural causes of back pain include: arthritis, cancer of the spine, bulging disks and abdominal curvature of the spine. These issues are more likely to affect people aged 35 to 55 and are more likely to lead to chronic pain. (MedicalNewsToday). Three common causes of back pain include: a poor posture, injury/strain and structural problems.

I have learned through my experience surrounded with this illness, that it is largely a preventable one. According to orthopedic surgeon Michael Hisey, a major method for preventing chronic back pain is physical exercise. When I learned this fact, I began a strict workout regime; I jogged for half an hour each day, used exercise balls to stretch out my back, strengthened my core with stomach exercises and did yoga twice a week to make my back more flexible. These exercises were very effective in reducing my back pain and, according to my doctor, helped prevent further pain. The method that worked to reduce and prevent further back pain for my dad was to observe proper postural habits when constructing things. Lifting with his knees and not his back was the first step. He also prevented injuries by keeping his back straight as much as he could, sat with an erect spine at all times, observed healthy sleeping positions, lessened bending from the waist and restricted the items he lifted to 20% or less of his body weight. By engaging in safer movement techniques, he has significantly fewer back pain and injuries. Unfortunately, my mother could do nothing to prevent her chronic back pain, apart from surgery, medication and chemotherapy, but many people can avoid chronic back pain by adjusting their fashion sense. According to WEBMD, sitting on an over-filled wallet can create discomfort and back pain and so, this practice must cease in order to prevent future, long-term pain. Using messenger bags that strap across the body is also a healthier practice as opposed to carrying a bag on one shoulder or in one hand; the messenger bag distributes the weight more equally along the body and puts less pressure on the back. Using fewer and shorter high heel shoes will aid greatly in ensuring a pain-free future for your back. Shoes with heels higher than one inch shift one’s center of gravity and puts pressure on the lower back which can develop into chronic pain if left unchecked. Other methods like wearing fewer tight, skinny jeans which limit bending and tight belts can prevent long-term pain. Three common methods for preventing chronic back pain included exercise, better posture and movement practices and using less strenuous clothing and accessories.

Many structural back issues like my mother’s cannot be cured, but the pain experienced can be reduced using several methods performed by a chiropractor. To help increase her mobility, my mother visits a chiropractor every two months and undergoes electro-muscular stimulation (EMS). This treatment involves using external electrical impulses to elicit muscle contraction. This contraction mimics the normal response of muscles to brain signals and not only helps to stimulate the muscles and encourage movement but also helps with healing muscle damage that leads to back pain and reduce. My mother also goes to the chiropractor to get ice/cold therapy to reduce her back pain. This therapy is performed using cold packs and massages, decreasing blood flow and fluid in the area it is applied to. The result is a decrease in swelling and subsiding of the pain (ORTHONC.com). Finally, every fortnight, mom goes to the chiropractor for physical therapy, which helps her the most in reducing her pain. Physical therapy involves a personally tailored workout regimen that seeks to improve mobility or reduce pain in a specified area of the body. These hourly sessions, helped to reduce the number of falling accidents mom had, increased her flexibility, bones and muscles, improved her co-ordination and balance. In accordance with the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s report, she walks daily and lifts weights; her posture has also improved and there has been a significant reduction in her back pain as a result of her exercise regime. Chiropractors use electro-muscular stimulation, ice therapy and physical therapy, among other methods, to reduce and prevent future back pain.

In conclusion, though many people suffer from back pain, measures can be followed to reduce future pain and current discomfort; many of these methods can be performed by a local chiropractor, whether it be in person, or by simply following their online recommendations.