Seven Risk Factors for Lower Back Pain

Seven Risk Factors for Lower Back Pain

SAN RAMON, CA – Lower back pain affects hundreds of thousands of people every day. Most will see their GP, who will usually prescribe painkillers, anti-inflammatories and perhaps muscle relaxants. Some call their local chiropractor and receive chiropractic treatment. And then some will try to manage their pain themselves.

The medical literature is filled with case studies of low back pain. Why some people develop it and others don't is still open to debate. There are some risk factors associated with low back pain:

1. Obesity or gradual weight gain in the abdomen

2. Excessively sedentary lifestyle

3. Lower back injury history

4. Type A personality

5. Smokers

6. History of sports

7. Long torso

If you fall into one or more of these categories, you are at high risk of developing back pain. Let's go through the reasoning:

obesity— when you stopped growing, your skeleton stopped growing in your early 20s. Their long bones and vertebrae have adjusted to a size sufficient to support a naturally lean body weight. Well, the only way to gain weight after you stop growing is to gain fat or get pregnant. When fat settles in the abdominal area, it shifts the center of gravity of your stomach forward and pulls your lower spine forward. The extra weight compresses the cartilage (discs) in your spine as well as your hips, knees, and ankles. Over time, cracks in the cartilage occur. The increased pressure and spinal arch pinch the posterior vertebral joints (facet joints) together, making the vertebrae less mobile. This causes the muscles around the spine to atrophy or weaken.End result:Lower back pain and stiffness.

Excessively sedentary lifestyle.Many of those who work at a desk most of the day fall into this category. You need to move your spine frequently to keep your discs hydrated and healthy and to keep your spinal muscles trained and toned so they can support your spine from the back, sides, and front. Sitting and not exercising leads to weak discs and weak back muscles, which can lead to pain.

History of lower back injury.If you injured your back during high school or college, it may be healed. But healed tissue has scar tissue mixed in. Scar tissue is what your body uses to repair broken muscle, tendon, and ligament tissue. Scar tissue is not as strong or elastic as normal tissue. So if a previously injured area is subjected to a lot of stress or sometimes sudden movement, it can become injured again. And this time, since you are older, it may not heal as quickly as before and may even become chronic (permanent).

Type A personality.This means that you are often under stress, are aggressive and are always “on the go”. Type A personalities have a very difficult time relaxing. Studies show that this can increase heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. These physiological changes are not conducive to a healthy back.

Smoker. Smoking deprives the tissue of oxygen. When your job puts a lot of force on your back, the cells that make up your discs, muscles, ligaments and tendons need oxygen as their metabolism increases. Limited oxygen makes these structures vulnerable to injury. Additionally, cigarette smoke contains at least ten known carcinogens.

History of sports. No big surprise here. Any sport that requires jumping and landing will put a tremendous amount of shock on the spine. The spine is designed to handle such activities, but only so much. 4-6 years of this can overcome the body's technology and cause cartilage and bone breakdown.

Long torso.People with long torsos are often more prone to low back pain. The reason for this is that a long torso means a long spine. With the head at the end of the spine (a weight of 10-12 pounds), a lever arm is created. Gravity tends to pull the head forward. So if you have a long torso, more strength (larger lever arm) is required from your lower back muscles to stand or sit upright. To illustrate this, imagine holding a stick with a 10-pound shot put attached to the end and then tilting it slightly forward. You will notice the strength required to maintain it. Now imagine holding a broomstick with a 10-pound shot put attached to it - you won't be able to hold it due to the much greater force that will be generated.

By being aware of these risk factors, you can take immediate steps to reduce the likelihood of back pain.

Dan Perez, DC

Inspired by Dan W. Perez