Many of us experience back pain at some point in our lives.  It turns out that back pain is the second most common reason for a doctors visit. Amazingly it is also the leading cause of disability in those under 45 in America!  Of people who work in America, half of them say that they experience back pain.

When people go to the doctor they may find out that they have a fracture or arthritis, but the majority of people who have back pain find out that their pain is caused by less serious conditions that are either mechanical or non-organic.

Here are some of those mechanical or non-organic back pain causes:

Slouching:

Did you know that when you slouch you put an extra 100 pounds of weight on your spine?  You spine can be very strong and stable if you practice good posture.  However, when you slouch your spine is not aligned properly and the muscles and ligaments are stretched and struggle to keep you balanced.  Finally your muscles get tired and soon you start to experience back pain.  Ten more pounds is added to the stress of your back for every inch your head drops forward.

Using your back to lift:

When you lift things with your back instead of your legs, the same mechanics come into play as when you slouch.  Bending and then twisting the back while lifting is the absolute worst thing you can do to your back!  Parents should be extra careful when lifting their children out of strollers since many parents hurt their back by lifting their children out incorrectly.  When you twist and lift at the same time it leaves your discs with little support and makes them more likely to pinch or slide.

Extended Sitting:

Your body can tolerate one position for about 20 minutes before it needs to reposition.  Extended sitting can lead to back pain and tasks that are repeated constantly can cause your muscles in your back to fatigue.

Commuters commonly have back pain as well because they sit for extended periods of time in the same position.  Of those who commute, those who drive for 4 hours or more are 6 times more likely to request time off from work due to back pain.  If the commuters drove 2 hours or less the statistic went down. Drivers who have bad posture can put as much stress on their back as carrying a 40 pound backpack. If you are sitting in a car for a commute or you are traveling, you should stop every 9- minutes to stretch to insure you dont develop back problems.

Wearing High Heels/Carrying Heavy Bags:

Of those women that wear high heels, 40% of them will experience a foot injury that will cause back pain.  If a woman wears shoes that are higher than three inches, the heels will put 7 times more pressure on their feet.  This causes a disruption to their center of gravity and spine alignment.  Heels shorter than 3 inches are much less likely to cause injury or pain.

Another thing women do that can cause back pain is carrying heavy purses and bags.  Women carry bags that are on average 16 pounds.  This creates an improper balance, strains the back and shoulder muscles.  It is a serious health risk for your back.

Men have this problem as well, just on a smaller scale.  A wallet placed in a mans back pocket should be no thicker than a so it doesn’t disrupt spine alignment when they sit.

If you are guilty of any of these, or if you are having unexplained back pain, give us a call at Family Chiropractor  at (704) 489-2273