From swinging golf clubs to weeding the garden, popular sports and weekend activities can take a toll on our backs. Even daily chores like lifting heavy groceries or carrying a hefty load of laundry can cause back pain.
Millions of people suffer from back pain every year. Though most back pain is acute or short term and doesn’t last more than a few days or weeks, other types of back pain can be chronic, lasting for three months or more.
At times, the activities you most enjoy can cause back pain.
Causes
Back pain has a variety of causes, many of which are mechanical:
- Sprains and strains: A strain of the muscle or ligament in the back is a common cause of acute lower back pain. Lifting heavy objects, twisting, or moving abruptly can all contribute.
- Disc degeneration: As we age, back pain can become more commonplace. Intervertebral discs can lose fluid and flexibility. As a result, there’s a decrease in the discs’ ability to cushion the spine and prevent unobstructed nerve communication.
- Sciatica: When the sciatic nerve is compressed, back pain, along with pain down the leg, can be common.
- Traumatic injury: Falls, automobile accidents and sports injuries can result in severe back pain.
Prevention
Shedding extra pounds and maintaining a healthy weight is important when it comes to preventing back pain as excess weight can cause back strain. Maintaining good posture while walking and sitting is important as well. Planning to move furniture or another heavy object? Assume a squatting position and let your legs do the work, not your back. Also, enlist the help of one or two others as sharing the load means less wear and tear on your body.
Regular chiropractic checks can help you keep your back strong and healthy and less likely to experience pain.