Back Pain

Pain is an unpleasant experience that results from your body's reaction to signals that are being transmitted all over your body. The signals originate from the source of pain where they are perceived and are being communicated to you through an unlikable sensation.

Back pain is a common complaint that compels many people to seek medical attention with the hope that it will be eradicated. It affects up to about 90 percent of the Americans at one point or another with 50 percent of those who are experiencing back pain had more than one pain episode.

Although it is a widespread condition, back pain is not disease in itself. It is a symptom that occurs due to a variety of disease processes. In fact, approximately 85 percent of people inflicted with this undesirable condition have no identified specific cause even after undergoing a thorough medical examination.

How To Prevent Back Pain?

Back pain is a very unpleasant sensation but the good news is that there are ways to prevent this from happening. The foremost to keep in mind in order to avoid back pain is to practice good posture while standing or sitting.

To determine whether you have good posture, stand with your back against a wall. The back of your head, shoulders, buttocks, and calves should touch the wall but make sure that you are able to slip a hand behind the small of your back. After that, step forward and stand the way you normally do. If you find that there is a change in your posture, correct it right away. You must maintain a posture as if you are standing against a wall. If you were to stand for an extended period of time, wear a pair of flat shoes that provides a good arch support and stand with you're a few inches apart. Get a box or a step of about six inches high and alternately rest one foot at a time.

When sitting down, your posture is even more important than while you are standing. The angle of the back of your chair must be at approximately 10 degrees while the bottom should comfortably support your hips and cradle the small of your back but without touching the back of your knees. Your feet should be able to land flat on the floor while your forearms are able to rest on top of your desk with the elbows at a right angle.

If it is necessary for you to pick an object from the floor, do not just bend from the waist level. The right way to do is to squat with your legs while keeping your back upright as you take hold of the object, then stand upright again after. Let your legs to provide the force in lifting a heavy object rather than your back. It is also important to ask for assistance if the object is to heavy for you to handle alone.

Apart from observing proper body mechanics, it is also important to do exercise routines that could help in strengthening this area of your body. Also, you may go for some forms of tai chi and yoga in order for you to learn good posture as well as improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. They could help in the prevention of strains and sprains.

Understanding Back Pain Recommended Resources:

University of Maryland Medical Center

University of Michigan Health System