Make Sure You Are Lifting Properly

According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 80% of all Americans will experience back pain at least once during their lives. Originating in the structures of the spine, back pain can have a hugely detrimental effect on a person's life, as it can lead to work absences, increased stress, and medical bills that just keep piling up. Thankfully, however, with a few simple lifestyle changes, back pain is easily prevented, and in the case that it does occur, chiropractic can successfully treat it without the usage of pain medications or invasive surgeries.
The first step in understanding back pain is to look at where it comes from. The spine, which is comprised of a series of 24 vertebrae, protects the spinal cord, the structure that delivers nervous impulses both to and from the brain. The spine also has secondary functions of support for the other structures of the body, as well as providing motion. Surrounding the spine are numerous muscles, which provide movement. Back pain can be related to any of the structures that I just mentioned, making it a complex medical issue. The causes, however, are sneakily simple. A primary cause of back pain is physical overexertion by people who normally aren't active. This could be something as trivial as cleaning out the garage over the weekend after spending the weekdays stuck in the office, or playing a game of racquetball with some buddies when you haven't played in a long time. The sudden physical exertion can lead to muscle spasms. An additional cause of back pain is improper lifting of heavy objects, including bending at the waist instead of the knees, and picking up items that are too heavy for the body to properly support. This can cause muscle and ligament strains, and even vertebral disk herniations, when the fibrocartilage disks of the back slip out of place or rupture. A final cause of back pain, which most Americans are guilty of today, is sitting for lengthy periods of time, either in the car or at work. This compresses the spine, and slows the movement of fluids within the vertebral disks, depriving the chondrocytes (the cartilage cells living inside the disks) of nutrients. The problem becomes exaggerated when people fail to sit up straight in their chairs, with their feet on the floor. This increases the amount of pressure on the discs, increasing the risk of one rupturing.
Thankfully, there are some very easy lifestyle changes that can prevent a lifetime of back pain. First off, regular diet and exercise are very important. Keeping your body healthy as a whole reduces the likelihood of obesity, which increases pressure on the spine. Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet better provides your body the nutrients that it needs, preserving the health of your bones, muscles, and nerves so that you can continue being active. When exercising, it is important to strengthen the muscles of your back as well as areas that are more traditionally focused upon, such as the abdominals and the biceps. By strengthening these muscles, you reduce the likelihood of physical overexertion. A second lifestyle change that can help to prevent back pain is the implementation of proper lifting technique. Making sure to bend at the knees, keep your back straight, and avoiding lifting objects that are too heavy greatly reduces the risk of back injuries that can cause years of back pain. And finally, it is important to avoid sitting for extensive periods of time by taking short breaks to go get water or stand up to stretch. This reduces the strain on your back, and allows the fluids in the vertebral disks to circulate, providing nutrients to your cells. If sitting for a long period of time is unavoidable, such as during long examinations, sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor can reduce the pressure on your spine, making you feel more comfortable, and helping to preserve the health of your spine.
In the event that back pain does develop, chiropractic offers several forms of treatment that do not rely upon prescription medication or surgery. The first and most common form of chiropractic treatment is referred to as spinal manipulation, also known as chiropractic adjustment, which involves a high-velocity thrust onto abnormal vertebrae, with the intention of correcting the alignment of the vertebrae, and thereby improve its functionality. A second common chiropractic treatment is referred to as mobilization, involving low-velocity manipulation and movement, with the intention of improving the mobility of a particular muscle or joint. This method is commonly used for patients with deformities or physical conditions that render manipulations impractical, such as osteoporosis. A final technique used by chiropractors is referred to as the Activator Method. In this technique, the chiropractor uses a tool that delivers a quick, gentle pulse to target the vertebra being treated. This instrument delivers such quick impulses that the body's muscles do not tense in response, making treatment more effective. The benefit of all of these methods is that they are all drug-free, reducing cost to patients, and also alleviating the risks of nasty-side effects and drug-dependence.
Back pain, though a constant source of agony for millions of Americans, does not have to continue to plague our culture. With a little effort to understand and prevent this illness, we can stop it altogether, and build healthier lifestyles in the process.