Back Pain: How to Prevent

Posted on October 15, 2008
Filed Under Disease |

We understand that pain back pain affecting the back of the trunk, ie, from the neck to the sacrum or the end of the spine. Of all the backaches, the most common (affecting 7 or 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives) is for the lumbar area or region and then we speak of back pain or lumbago. Next in frequency cervical pain or neck and, last but also quite frequently, pain or dorsal half of the back.

Man on a stretcher getting a massage
Back pain is, among others, with warmth and gentle massage when there is muscle contracture.

Why is it so important to back pain?
Few health problems such as back pain have an important impact at the individual, employment, and socioeconomic costs of health care costs in any country. From a labor and cost, low back pain is a major cause of low employment and disability and absenteeism from work in our environment.

The response to treatment and prognosis as to the problem involves not only physical but also psychological, social and labor, which play a major role and often are difficult to assess and resolve.

What are the causes of back pain?
There are many causes of back pain, but the most common (up to 90% of cases) are due to mechanical disorders of the spine, either by degenerative or wear and tear on bones and joints of the vertebrae, and by alterations of the muscles and ligaments of the back (overload, contracture, trauma). Overall, the degenerative changes predominate in the elderly, while the involvement of the muscles and ligaments are more suitable for teenagers and adults.

The remaining 10% of cases are due to specific diseases or disorders, diseases of bone metabolism, infection, tumors or bone metastases from other tumors, trauma, or various rheumatologic diseases. In any case, it is very important to always rule out the existence of any of these cases because the approach and treatment may be very different.

How the doctor knows what is causing my back pain?
As in many other facets of medicine, the doctor will perform a series of questions about pain (way to start, time of evolution, location and possible radiation, rate, factors that mitigate or aggravate, etc…) Examine the patient detail and, if necessary, request certain tests such as x-rays, blood tests, etc… Or refer the patient to the appropriate specialist.

How do you treat a back pain?
Once established, the back pain is, in general, beginning with the first few days rest, warmth and gentle massage where there is muscle contracture and medication type simple analgesics such as paracetamol or calculates, no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.

How can I prevent the onset of back pain?
The prevention of back pain is one of the mainstays of treatment. In recent years in Spain have developed various programs to prevent back pain that highlights the school called back.

This is an educational program aimed at patients who provides general information on spine, posture and physical activity recommendations, as well as preventive measures and exercises for your back. This is to involve the patient in the care of your back so that mild cases become chronic and to achieve social reintegration and employment of more serious or chronic.

Action or advice of Hygiene Postural
* It is advisable to sleep or rest in the fetal position known. Alternatively proposes Sleep with a pillow under your knees.
* When you’re standing and moving, it is advisable to support one of the feet, slightly more advanced on a small stool or block of wood 15 to 20 cm. high. A practical example would be the use of the stool for the task of ironing.
* If necessary bend, it is advisable to do so by bending the knees with your legs open (squat position), but keeping your back as straight as possible. To help the knees in this task is very helpful to seek support (a chair, a chest of drawers, a wall, etc…), both in bending and to join again. If you find more comfortable, you can crouch to support one of the knees. As a simple domestic example, it is preferable to the higher load in the washing machine.
* When you get out of bed, come to its edge, drop the legs and, leaning with both arms, join the slowly contracting muscles of the abdomen. Once seated on the edge of the bed, use your hands to support lifted.
* At the time of making the bed kneeling recommend keeping you’re back straight.
* When dressing, you must sit. Footwear, place the leg on the thigh side. The back straight.
* Regarding the shopping cart, it is better to push it and drag it to avoid forced rotation. The handle must be high (up to the height of the elbows) and are better cars with four wheels to two.
* To lead, you should support your back completely on the back. The arms should remain slightly bent at the knees and higher than the hips.
* When getting up from the chair must do so with an eye to the front. Support arms on the chair, move to the edge of the seat, move the head forward and a delay of the feet, which serve as the impetus and support to get up.
* When the scan, you must side with the broom near the body, legs open and semiflexionadas and back straight. Fro movements are made based on no legs and tilt-rotation of the trunk.
* Washing should do just as sweeping. To wring the mop bucket placed between the feet. Drain mop press, making the rotation with the arm, not turning the column.
* In office work, the height of tables and chairs must be adequate to keep the back straight. The arms should be at right angle to the table. The knees higher than hips. The upper edge of the computer screen at eye level. When working with documents, located on a lectern. The chair should ideally have armrests, 5 legs on wheels, reclining backrest and adjustable height and seat should also be adjustable. The feet should be supported on the floor or footrest.
* To take a high order are advised to climb a stool instead of forcing the back stretch.
* To take the weight of soil is necessary to bend properly and place the object as close to the body. Slowly lift with your back straight.
* To carry weight, load weight always as close to the split between body and both arms.