Treat your back right and it'll pay you back many times over
The statistics are stacked against us -- eight out of 10 of us will suffer from back pain at some point in our lives. And it gets worse. The trouble with back pain is that once you get it, it's likely to recur. Back pain adversely affects your quality of life, as it's difficult to live with all the pain and discomfort that it can cause. The best way to fight back pain is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. To know your back, you need to know its anatomy before understanding how to keep back pain at bay.
Make-up of the back bone
Your spine or your back bone is made up of 29 individual pieces of bone and two fused pieces of bone called vertebrae. These vertebrae collectively support your entire body and bear the weight of the body during movement. Cuashion-like discs, filled with a gel-like fluid between vertebrae,act like shock absorbers. Vertebrae are connected to one another by facet joints. There are small openings within each vertebrae where spinal nerves are connected.
Lower back pain
The most common type of back pain is lower back pain. This is because most of the body weight is supported by the five lowest and largest vertebrae of the spine. The lower spine also experiences the greatest wear and tear, as most of the bending and twisting motions involve the lower back.
Causes of lower back pain
Lower back pain may be caused by conditions that affect the discs, facet joints or the spinal nerves. As we get older, the discs that separate the vertebrae from each other may lose some of is shock-absorbing properties. Under sudden stress, the ring of fibres that hold the discs together may give way and cause the disc to slip out from its alignment. This may press on a nerve and cause discomfort and pain. Another cause of lower back pain can involve the facet joint. As the disc between the joint gradually wears away, the gap between the facet joint is reduced and there is more friction between the two connecting bones. This may also cause pain. Poor posture and improper back care can also exacerbate the wear and tear of the facet joint. Additionally, anything that presses on the spinal nerves (e.g. disc) or a narrowing of the facet joint (compression on the spinal nerves) can also cause pain.
Treat your back right
Always keep good posture whilst standing, sitting and sleeping. This will reduce the stress that is put on your back. Always keep your head, shoulders and hips in a straight line with your head held up and stomach pulled in. This will not only make you look taller, it will also save your back from misery in the long term. Most cases of back pain can be attributed to years of poor posture. Maintaining good posture all the time will take some time, but once you get used to that, it'll come naturally to you.
» While standing, try to move about. Keeping still in one position can put undue stress on the back. If you have to stand for long periods at a stretch, make sure you wear shoes that are flat and alternate your standing postures.
» While sitting, adjust your sitting posture that gives you the most comfortable back support. Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Stand up and walk about. Choose chairs with arm supports as this will take some stress off your back when you use the arm rests. If possible, use low back support (e.g. a small pillow) and sit with your knees just a little higher than your hips toa void arching or bending your back.
» When sleeping, have your shut eye on a firm mattress, one that does not give you a backache when you wake up. If necessary, use a support pillow.
Another way of avoiding back pain is to make sure that you lift objects safely. If you have to lift objects from the ground, do so by bending your knees to reach the object rather than bending from your waist. Keep the object close to your body, keep your back straight as you stand up when lifting the object. Ask for help if the object is too heavy. Also avoid twisting at the waist when you have to bend or lift objects from the ground.
Of course exercise is another way of maintaining good back health. As the spine is supported jointly by the back and abdominal muscles, making sure that both sets of muscle groups are in good condition will help protect your spine from exertion-induced injuries. Abdominal curls and prone leg lifts are excellent exercises for keeping your abdominal muslces and lower back muscles in good condition. Low impact activities like walking and swimming are also good aerobic activities that are back-friendly. Practise good back care habits today. You will live to enjoy it.
