Poor alignment that is causing pain in their backs

A third cause for back pain is poor posture and improper lifting techniques. Bending at the waist to lift or move a large object can result in back injuries that lead to pain. Individuals often proceed through daily life without a second thought about their movements and how they are impacting their spine. This is especially true or the modern desk worker who spends hours at a computer working with poor alignment that is causing pain in their backs.  These little movements often go unnoticed, and many individuals are unaware of the dangers that lifting, typing and sitting pose to the health of their backs. 

There are many steps one can take to be proactive and prevent back pain from occurring. First, take the proper precautions in sports and athletics to ensure back health. This includes using proper equipment, warm ups and stretches. For example, weightlifters often use belts to protect their back when lifting, and gymnasts must complete the proper warmups to protect their backs from injury during performance. Not taking these important precautions will put athletes at risk to develop back pain due to not properly preparing for their sports. Second, individuals who are overweight can greatly reduce their risk for back pain by exercising, dieting and losing weight. The excess weight puts them at higher risk for irritating their backs and by reducing the strain on their spine they will be less likely to suffer from pain. Committing to a health plan is a great way to establish an exercise and diet routine to minimize risk for back pain. Lastly, by being mindful of your alignment and posture in everyday movements, individuals will reduce their risk for injury and strain. Committing to sit in a more ergonomically appropriate manner, slowly moving heavy items with the proper body orientation, and sleeping on your side will all contribute to better back health and less pain in the future. Taking breaks from sitting in static positions for long periods of time will also help the mobility of the back muscles and reduce the risk for pain.

Although there are many treatment options for back pain, chiropractors frequently use manipulation, activator, Cox methods. Manipulation is known as the most conservative treatment option that incorporates a high velocity, low amplitude thrust to restricted joints while the body is oriented in a specific position.  The activator method uses a small instrument to rapidly apply forces to specific locations to ensure the body’s muscles do not tense in reaction to the treatment. Finally, the Cox method incorporates pressure to certain joints while on a specific table that helps separate the three sections of the spine. This helps to decompress the irritated areas and reduce inflammation.

Since back pain is such a prevalent issue in today’s society, chiropractic therapies in conjunction with nutritious diets, exercise, and greater awareness regarding spine and back health will help reduce the frequency of back pain in the population. Education and smart lifestyle choices will help reduce the number of people suffering from back pain in the future.