Back pain is ranked second to headaches as the most frequent location of pain. Four out of five adults will experience at least one bout of back pain at some time in their lives. It is almost next to common colds in the list of common diseases.
The most common site for pain is the lower back because it bears the brunt of our weight and hence is more prone to get affected.
Back pain is a major ergonomic issue that is becoming increasingly common owing to changing work pattern.
Back ache is more prevalent between the age of 35 and 55. The most frequently cause of our back pain are:
Back pain, especially low back pain, is often associated with functional disability as well as economic and social consequences. It is one of the most expensive diseases in the age group of 25-50 years as it leads to serious loss of productivity. It is estimated that the loss of work resulting from backache costs 30 billion dollars annually in the US. Backache ranks second to cold and cough as a cause of loss of work. Individuals with chronic back pain usually suffer from physical impairment, behavioral changes, hopelessness, de-motivation and lethargy.
Structurally backache is a condition that usually is caused when one or more structures of the back gets affected and these includes muscles, cartilage, bones or spinal cord.
People who are in the desk job most of the day are prone to non-accidental back injury. Our working style has changed and it is more technology dependent now. Many of us end up working on computers for as much as 15 hours per day! Prolonged periods of sitting or other sedentary activity is not good for back health and may cause muscle fatigue since the back and abdominal muscles have to work really hard to maintain the body in a single position for prolonged periods. Added to this the joints involved - knees, hips and intervetebral joints – have to remain stationary or in a bad posture for long hours. Incorrect posture and muscle fatigue are partly responsible for initiating osteoporosis at a very early age and put such people at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.
One must remember that backache is only a symptom of innumerable other causes besides spine related problems. The back pain maybe related to cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urological or gynecological problems. Besides injury and straining, the backache originating from the spine can also be due to tumor, infection, inflammation, metabolic disorders, degenerative disc conditions, spondylosis, and spondylitis.
The most common site for pain is the lower back because it bears the brunt of our weight and hence is more prone to get affected.
Back pain is a major ergonomic issue that is becoming increasingly common owing to changing work pattern.
Back ache is more prevalent between the age of 35 and 55. The most frequently cause of our back pain are:Back pain, especially low back pain, is often associated with functional disability as well as economic and social consequences. It is one of the most expensive diseases in the age group of 25-50 years as it leads to serious loss of productivity. It is estimated that the loss of work resulting from backache costs 30 billion dollars annually in the US. Backache ranks second to cold and cough as a cause of loss of work. Individuals with chronic back pain usually suffer from physical impairment, behavioral changes, hopelessness, de-motivation and lethargy.
Structurally backache is a condition that usually is caused when one or more structures of the back gets affected and these includes muscles, cartilage, bones or spinal cord.
People who are in the desk job most of the day are prone to non-accidental back injury. Our working style has changed and it is more technology dependent now. Many of us end up working on computers for as much as 15 hours per day! Prolonged periods of sitting or other sedentary activity is not good for back health and may cause muscle fatigue since the back and abdominal muscles have to work really hard to maintain the body in a single position for prolonged periods. Added to this the joints involved - knees, hips and intervetebral joints – have to remain stationary or in a bad posture for long hours. Incorrect posture and muscle fatigue are partly responsible for initiating osteoporosis at a very early age and put such people at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.
| Our Erect Posture and flexibility of our body-The erect human posture has made our back adapt to withstand the forces of gravity over our lifetime. It also has made this region more easily vulnerable to wear and tear, strains and fractures. To keep us mobile, the flexibility of our back is important. This is determined by various factors such as joint structure, muscle elasticity and connective tissue fiber material made up of collagen, elastin and titin. Disc that are interposed between the vertebra, acts as a shock absorber and gives joints their strength, stability and flexibility but limits movement. Vertebrae and discs provide a protective tunnel that allows the spinal cord and its spinal nerves to pass through. These nerves running down the center of the vertebrae, branch off to various parts of the body. The collagen fibers help the disc withstand the tension of the erect posture and our weight. Disc protects the spine and keeps it stable during strenuous activities that puts strong force on the spine, such as jumping, running, and lifting. Anatomy of our Back - The back region of our body is made of interconnecting structures like bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. The spine of the back itself is made up of 24 small bones (seven cervical, twelve thoracic and five lumbar) and is the major support structure of back. These small bones are called vertebrae and they are further attached to sacrum and coccyx as we go from top to down. The sacrum attaches itself in front to the bones of the pelvis Back pain at workplace results either from non-accidental injury, where pain arises as a result of poor body mechanics such as slouching in chair, prolonged sitting and fatigue; or it results from accidental injury or accidents such as slipping, falling from a height and even hitting one’s head against a cabinet door. Workers undertaking physically demanding jobs such as repetitive lifting of heavy objects are at greatest risk for both non-accidental and accidental back injury. Back pain may be sudden and sharp or it may be dull and if persistent for more than a week it might result in tension, soreness or stiffness of back muscles. Pain may aggravate with slightest of movement or even with coughing and sneezing. It may also be accompanied with numbness and tingling in the arms or legs. The pain if limited to the back can be treated by simple remedies at home but if radiating to the lower abdomen, groin, leg or foot, needs medical attention. Back pain is a common reason for seeking disability benefit from governments and insurance companies. However as pain is subjective and difficult to quantify, the process for such claims is tedious and not everyone who makes a claim gets the necessary benefit. |
One must remember that backache is only a symptom of innumerable other causes besides spine related problems. The back pain maybe related to cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urological or gynecological problems. Besides injury and straining, the backache originating from the spine can also be due to tumor, infection, inflammation, metabolic disorders, degenerative disc conditions, spondylosis, and spondylitis.
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