By Tony Oliveri, DPT
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to the physician or physical therapist. The causes of back pain are too numerous to list here, but most cases are caused by poor posture, repetitive minor strains or awkward movements or positions.
Doing an activity you are not accustomed to can easily cause back pain, even in a very fit person. A fair weather example is gardening, or yard work. Bending or stooping repetitively, or for prolonged periods often leads to back pain. Repetitively rotating, even slightly, such as while raking can also lead to back pain. It is the repetitive nature of the activity, not the force, that generally causes the back pain. Stretching prior to getting into the activity, just as in sports, can help prevent problems.
Apparantly simple activities such as those mentioned above can lead to back pain either because the movement is unfamiliar (you are “out of shape for it”), or the position itself causes muscle or joint stiffness. Since muscle and joints thrive on movement, holding a position or posture for a prolonged period of time leads to stiffness and pain. Learn to interrupt the activity, even briefly, to avoid the stiffness. A non-activity that can lead to back pain is slouching. When slouching becomes a habit, the relaxed muscles become weak, and other muscles become tight. Eventually, back pain can develop, since the muscles are not holding the vertebrae of the spine in proper alignment.
Although you may not be able to totally prevent it, you can reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of low back pain. Along with many types of pain-relieving treatments, physical therapists can provide instructions on improving posture, proper lifting techniques, and specific exercises and stretches to decrease and help prevent back pain. When the back pain is associated with sciatica, or leg pain, a careful evaluation by a health care professional should be done prior to initiating back exercises. The wrong exercises can easily make the problem worse. Regular exercise, such as walking, swimming, and weight training has also been shown to reduce the occurrence of back pain.
