Low Back Pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent condition associated with significant disability and work absenteeism worldwide.        Back pain is never caused by just one problem, it is quite a complex issue with many factors playing a role.

According to WHO and The Spine Journal risk factors of LBP are: 

• age - the risk of LBP increases as we get older
• poor general health caused by lifestyle - smoking, obesity, low physical activity levels, poor sleep patterns are all risk factors
• physical stress on the spine (e.g. vibrations)
• psychological stress (e.g. depression).

Did you know, that statistically every 3rd adult suffers from lower back pain at least once in their life? 30 to 70 years olds are mostly affected, and the prevalence increases with age (up to 80 years).

The spine does not like to stay in one position for a long time, so sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time is very tiring for the back. One recommendation is to change your sitting position frequently. It is suggested that at least once every 30 minutes you should stand up and stretch your muscles by walking, swinging your arms or just stretching your back. There are lots of techniques for stretching your back to chose from and whilst it might be overwhelming to chose one, it is always better to do any gentle exercise than nothing at all.

Few interesting points:

• Disc prolapse or bulging is not irreversible; it can actually heal over time (the bigger the bulging the bigger possibility, that it will heal)
• The degree of disc displacement on MRI does not correlate with any subjective symptoms
• symptoms of "slipped disc" can often self-resolve