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| Watch that Back! |
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| abdul_aziz |
| 10/12/05 at 15:51:43 |
| [slm] Thought you'd like to read about this: _____________________ BACK PAIN Over 70 per cent of men suffer from back pain. It is the commonest cause of time off work, with 103 million work days being lost in 1993 in the UK alone. It seems to be more and more common, with some experts blaming this on the increased popularity of aerobics and exercise routines that are ineptly followed. Even when participants are skilled, contact sports such as motor sports, alpine skiing and climbing are associated with severe injuries such as fracture or dislocation of the spine. Weight lifters and those who play contact sports, volleyball or basketball often suffer tears in the long back extensors or the dorsal muscles due to overloading or direct trauma. Symptoms include pain and tenderness over the affected site; there may also be swelling and bruising. Athletes with tight hamstring muscles can suffer problems with low back pain, as can those with slight discrepancies in the length of their legs. The increased lumbar curvature seen in gymnasts increases the risk of an intervertebral disc prolapse and lumbar stress fractures from the repeated landings and front and back walkovers. Back pain can be due to: • muscle strain, spasm or tear • ligamentous sprain • damage to spinal facet joints (the small joints where vertebrae slide over one another) • prolapsed intervertebral disc • pressure on nerve roots • infection • arthritis • inflammatory disease of the spine (e.g. ankylosing spondylitis) • vertebral fracture • secondary cancers in the vertebral bones (e.g. from prostate cancer) In addition to any of the above problems, pain will trigger spasm of the paravertebral muscles. This will worsen the pain and may cause a temporary sideways curvature of the spine (scoliosis). Back pain due to a fall or accident must be thoroughly investigated to exclude the possibility of a prolapsed disc or vertebral fracture. It is the back pain that comes on after exercise which is difficult to diagnose and which can limit activity. Only one in five cases of back pain is precisely diagnosed. The others are labelled non-specific back pain or musculoskeletal pain; 90 per cent get better without any treatment other than painkillers. One in 10 men with backache will suffer from sciatica (pain in the buttock and down one leg into the foot) due to a prolapsed disc pressing on the sciatic nerve root where it leaves the spinal cord. Pressure on this nerve can also cause pins and needles, numbness and muscle weakness. The signs that back pain needs further urgent investigation include: • severe pain causing immobility • pains shooting down the leg • difficulty with or loss of bladder control • difficulty with or loss of bowel control • numbness or pins and needles at the base of the spine and between the legs (saddle area) • weakness or numbness in one or both legs. If any of these symptoms occurs, a doctor should be contacted without delay. ____________________ Treatment of Backache The best treatment for non-specific backache is analgesics (painkillers) and early mobilization. Bed rest should be restricted to 13 days, and then only if essential. If pain persists, manipulation from a physiotherapist, chiropractic or osteopath will hasten recovery. ____________________ Preventing Recurrent Backache Many cases of backache can be prevented by: • exercising regularly and maintaining a good level of fitness and muscle tone • giving up smoking the mechanism is not known, but it seems that smoking may reduce blood supply to vertebral muscles and intervertebral discs [WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO SMOKE IN THE FIRST PLACE] • lifting loads correctly by bending at the knees and hips, not from the waist. The back should be kept straight and upright as you bend. • maintaining a good posture with the spine straight when walking don't slouch your shoulders • sitting square on a chair with the bottom well back and spine upright. Using the support of the arms of the chair will take some of the weight off the shoulder girdle and lower back. • sleeping on a firm mattress and using only one pillow. ______________________ Well... Hope this was enlightening and educating. [slm] |
| Re: Watch that Back! |
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| bhaloo |
| 10/22/05 at 11:52:57 | [slm] I heard the kinds of shoes that one wears makes a difference. I guess some places even sell special soles for shoes, don't know how good they are. ??? |
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