Why is Back Pain so Common Today? – And How to Avoid it...
by: Steven Bednarek
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Word Count: 483
Around eight out of ten people in the UK will, at some point during their lives, be affected by back pain – making this condition worryingly common. Anybody at any age can fall victim to acute or chronic back pain, (the latter term describes pain lasting more than 3 months, whereas acute back pain is the term used when symptoms last no longer than 3 months) however it is more likely to appear in people aged between 35 and 55 years old.
What Causes Back Pain?
There are many things which can cause the occurrence of back pain, but it is thought that people are suffering more frequently today due to their increasingly demanding lifestyles. People are working longer hours and, more often than not, using up their free time to perform potentially strenuous leisure activities (going to the gym, jogging, looking after children) which all leaves very little time for relaxation. Stress and tension, brought on by leading such an arduous lifestyle, can also instigate and/or prolong back pain.
Specific causes of back pain include:
• Bad Posture (not standing / sitting / laying with your spine in a natural position)
• Having your spine in an unnatural position (standing / sitting) over long periods of time
• A bad fall or trip
• Manoeuvring heavy loads incorrectly
• Sitting on a chair / lying in a bed which doesn’t provide adequate back support
Preventing / Curing Simple Back Pain...
Simple back pain is the term given to soreness related to the way the bones, ligaments, and muscles around the spine work together, and this can usually be prevented, or even cured, through self-therapy. Trying to avoid any of these named activities will greatly reduce the chances that you will suffer from back pain. Obviously there will be times when sitting or standing for long periods of time is unavoidable, however, there are simple exercises one can perform to minimise the strain on one’s spine. It is important to try and maintain movement, either by stretching or regularly shifting between comfortable positions, to avoid stiffness.
The only time that it is not possible to perform activities which will help to keep your spine flexible is when you are sleeping, which is why it is vitally important that you rest on a comfortable mattress which adequately supports your back. Lying down on a mattress which does not allow your spine to rest in a natural position for around eight hours per night can be devastating for ones posture, which in turn could lead to long-term back problems. If you don’t work with heavy loads and you haven’t suffered an injury which justifies back pain, and you are scratching your head as to what might be causing your back to hurt, then it is probably down to where you lay your head at night (or how you sit in your chair at work!)
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