Preventing Back Injury
December 12, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
Many doctors agree that the biggest cause of back injury is misuse of the back muscles and too much stress and strain without proper precautions.
The muscles of the back are some of the strongest in the body but that doesn’t mean they’re infallible. Unfortunately you don’t always get a lot of warning signs when you’re putting too much pressure on the back; the pain you feel is usually a sign that damage has already been done. So to keep yourself from injury, keep these things in mind:
Lifting with the legs
How many times have you heard that you should lift with your legs? There’s a reason why this is preached over and over again. The muscles of the legs are larger when used together and are meant to be used when you’re lifting heavy objects. When you use your back to lift you are putting tremendous amount of pressure on the smaller muscles of the lower back which are also working to move your entire torso and upper body at the same time.
One reason that many people avoiding lifting with their legs is that their knees are often damaged and worn out and rather painful when in use. If this is true in your case then the solution is not to just use your back but to realize that perhaps it’s time to use a dolly or some other type of tool that can assist you rather than just putting that extra strain on your back muscles.
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It’s difficult for some to admit that they just cannot lift the way they once could or to ask for help; this can even cause problems on the job if it’s required that you move heavy packages or do lifting of any type. But remember that back injuries can be permanent and can affect you in many ways so it’s best to consider your long-term health.
Proper posture
Why is proper posture so important when it comes to protecting your back? Simply put, the back muscles are designed to work a certain way and poor posture puts strain on muscles that aren’t prepared for the burden of posture and overworks other muscles as well.
The muscles of the lower back are designed to hold the body upright but when you slouch these muscles are overworked because they are contracted improperly and this causes injury. Think of what happens if you crook your fingers tightly around something for a long time, be it a pen or coffee cup handle. That finger begins to hurt after not too long. Your back is the same way. It’s not meant to be curled up, holding the weight of your body unnaturally, and this unnatural stance causes eventual pain and injury.
There are many reasons to watch your posture and back pain is only one of them. When you are slouched you are putting undue pressure on all of your internal organs, including your stomach and lungs. People with poor posture often suffer breathing and stomach problems as well as back pain.
You don’t want to overcorrect this problem by thrusting your head in the air and your back in a rigid stance; your posture should always be relaxed but upright.
Tip from the experts: Your posture is probably most important during the long hours you spend behind a desk or in your chair at work. Far too many are stretched or curved over their desk all day, putting stress and strain on the lower back for hours on end. No wonder they’re in pain at the end of the day! Learn to sit up straight and lean back when possible while still minding your posture.
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It May Not Be Your Back
December 11, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
Go back over the section that outlined the many muscles of the back and take another look at that. Notice how the many muscles of the back are connected to the muscles of the neck, shoulders, arms, hips, legs, and so on?
Every part of the body is connected in some way to every other part of the body. Loud noises can make your head hurt. Twisting your knee can make your hips hurt. The body relies on all the parts working and functioning as they should and when one suffers, many other areas can suffer as well.
Which means that sometimes a pain in the back isn’t even really a pain in the back. If you twist your neck or pull a muscle in your shoulder, the back muscles need to “step up” and make up for that injury or reduced ability of these areas to do their job. If you injure any part of your legs then your back needs to work that much harder to support the upper body and to make mobility possible.
Keep this in mind when considering what might be causing your back pain. You might not think you’ve injured your back but may remember twisting your neck or injuring your knees in some way. These can all lead to problems in the back area.
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OTHER CAUSES OF BACK PAIN
There can be many other causes of back pain, including:
- kidney infection
- diabetes
- cancer
- bone spurs
- poor circulation
- untreated compression fractures
- injury to other areas of the body including the feet, ankles, knees, and legs
And a list of other potential conditions as well.
Severe and chronic back pain should be addressed by medical personnel or at the very least it should be diagnosed by a medical professional so that other serious conditions can be ruled out. A thorough exam in the only way to rule out kidney problems, bladder problems, and so on. And while it’s very unlikely that back problems are caused by cancer or something as serious, of course it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis of these things just in case.
6 Common Causes of Back Pain
December 7, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
So we’ve looked at the major muscles of the back and have a better understanding of how each of those muscles or muscle groups are involved with movement and even with the functions of the body. But knowing how the back can cause chronic pain with every single movement doesn’t exactly explain how that pain originates in the first place. Let’s take a closer look at what causes most back pain and injuries so that we can have a better understanding of how to avoid that pain in the first place and how to treat it once it happens.
INJURY
Probably the most common cause of pain in the back area is an injury. This might seem surprising to many since they often have pain in their back but don’t think they’ve actually ever injured themselves in any way.
In reality it doesn’t take that much to injure any of the muscles of the back. While we’ve covered the major muscles and muscle groups that extend from your neck to your lower back, there are literally dozens of smaller muscles that can cause tremendous amounts of pain when injured or hurt.
What is especially important to remember about injuring your back is that when you hurt any of these smaller muscles they rarely have time to heal properly. Since the back is constantly in use even when we’re at rest, these muscles are always being stretched and strained. It’s much like having to go to work when you have a cold or the flu – it takes that much longer to heal when you can’t rest because your body can’t give the sick parts the attention it deserves. So it goes with your back – when you hurt any of those muscles, no matter how small, they just can’t be immobile for the hours and days needed to heal completely.
The injuries that you experience in your back that cause pain aren’t always as severe as a car accident or when lifting incredibly heavy objects, although of course those are typical problems as well.
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Here are some typical examples of actual injuries to the back that can cause pain long-term:
- Overuse of the back muscles. This can be from a job or hobby that uses the back muscles repeatedly, such as working in the construction trades, loading or unloading objects, and activities such as bowling or golfing. Repeated use of the back muscles actually causes injury over time. Think of lifting weights – you feel the pain in your arms when you’re at the gym and you know to quit, but when you’re on the job or out playing that beloved round of golf you often ignore those simple aches and pains that mean injury to those small muscles.
- Jarring from traffic stops and starts; even if you’re not technically in a traffic accident, slamming on your brakes means that the back must work suddenly and swiftly to protect the body from careening forward. This sudden stopping and starting makes the back work overtime in a way it’s not designed to work, which means injury.
- Overextending the back muscles from twisting side to side. These very small muscles that are located up and down the sides of the abdomen and rib cage are very susceptible to injury this way; when they’re overextended they are actually injured.
- Carrying weight. This can mean a very heavy backpack, purse, or other item that puts undue stress and strain on the back. The muscles work hard to carry and balance this weight and often suffer tears and strains without anyone even realizing it.
- Sudden stresses and strains. How many times have you gone to hug a child only to have him or her suddenly lift their feet off the ground so that you’re carrying their entire weight when you didn’t expect it? Or have suddenly slipped or tripped and have had to catch yourself without thinking? These types of sudden and unexpected stresses and strains can cause injury to your back as it’s not ready and prepared to handle these events. The muscles can be tense and caught off guard which means they’re more prone to tiny tears and stresses.
As said, people often don’t even realize that they’ve injured their back until much later, after the injury occurs. Muscles often knot up as a way of protecting themselves from further injury and as long as they’re knotted the body may not sense pain. It’s only later when they begin to loosen up that a person realizes something is wrong.
ARTHRITIS
We often think of those who have arthritis as being of a particular age and often assume that it only happens in the fingers or knees. In reality many people who suffer from back problems have arthritis that has developed in the back and they often don’t even realize it.
A slow burn.
Typically arthritis in the back develops over many years of physical activity and wear and tear on the back – overuse of those muscles, straining and stresses, improper posture, and obesity are long-term causes of arthritis in the back.
When a person has arthritis in the back there is a deterioration of the discs between the bones of the spine. This means that the bones are taking on more impact than they should and there is pain and stiffness, and eventually arthritis builds. A person does not need to be prone to arthritis to develop it in the back and may not realize that it is developing until it’s too late, and then they suffer from the chronic and constant pain.
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Chronic Back Pain
December 5, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
Do you have constant and chronic back pain? If so then you’re not alone. Most people today find that they have some type of back pain and it may vary from a dull ache to pain that is virtually debilitating.
Many visit their doctors and are prescribed harsh medications or have a very scary surgery recommended to them. While there are many medications that can do a lot of good when you’re in pain, and certainly getting some relief from that pain can be worth taking some medication here and there, a person can usually address their back pain more naturally and with less invasive procedures – if they know how.
Click Here to Get Your Free Back Pain Relief Guide
And this is where we come in!
If you’ve ever wondered:
- What are common causes of back pain?
- Why do so many have back problems and why does it hurt all the time regardless of what you’re doing – or not doing?
- What connection is there between stress, body weight, and aging and back pain?
- Why does the back often hurt even when you try homemade remedies such as sleeping on the floor or using back machines at the gym? Shouldn’t these things improve the condition?
- How can someone reduce the pain once they’ve suffered an injury?
We can help with these questions and more. While this website should never take the place of the advice of a health care professional, we can and will:
- Explain in simple terms just why it is that so many get back problems, even those who work behind a desk all day and that aren’t lifting boxes or training for a marathon for hours at a time.
- Explain how the muscles of the back work, where they interconnect, what causes them pain, and how this can happen even with everyday activities and events.
- Explain the connection between back problems and things you may not realize are causing it, including calcium deficiency, aging, weight gain, improper exercise, and so on.
- Tell you how and why it might not actually be your back that is hurting but another injury or overuse of certain muscles can actually be disguising itself as a back injury or pain!
- Explain in simple terms the common medications and surgical treatment options that are usually recommended for back problems so that you can make an informed choice if you are considering any of these options.
- Reveal to you the secret methods of addressing and treating back pain that your doctor or physician will never talk about or recommend.
Virtually everyone has a sore back from time to time, but for those who suffer from chronic and consistent back injury, help is available! You don’t need to assume that this problem is going to be with you for the rest of your life. You can address and treat it, and you can do so without harsh medications and painful surgeries.
The Functions of Back Muscles
December 4, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
The functions of the muscles in the back are many. Not only do they allow us to stand and sit upright but they allow for all major movements of the body as well. This includes moving the arm from the shoulder area, bending from the waist, twisting from side to side, moving the neck and head from one side or another, and any other movements along the upper body.
The back muscles also help us to walk as they support the leg muscles at the hip area. They also even help us to breathe, since the lungs themselves do not move but are made to push in and out by the muscles surrounding them, including the back muscles. This is why many with back injuries find it difficult or painful to breathe.
As a matter of fact, there is virtually no movement that a human makes that doesn’t involve the back muscles. When you move your head, your arms at the shoulders, your legs at the hips, and even when you breathe deeply the back muscles are affected and used. When you’re flat on your back or are sitting and need to change positions in any way, the back muscles are involved even if you’re just turning your head or curling your arms.
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When you go to sit in a chair, the back muscles actually control the body’s movement so that it doesn’t just collapse in a heap or slam itself into the furniture. Standing straight up requires the use of back muscles as they help to keep the body upright and not slumped over or squished down into a little heap.
When you realize the complexity of the back muscles and how they’re used and involved in virtually everything you do, you realize how even the slightest injury or imperfection can cause pain during any movement or activity, not just those that are particularly strenuous.
Realizing all these various functions of the back can and should give us a better appreciation for why someone with an injured back, with underdeveloped muscles, with strained muscles, or with certain diseases and conditions of any element of the back can be in extreme pain with even the slightest movement.
Everyday Back Protection
December 3, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
Preventing Back Injuries
Wearing out your back over time is very possible and something that many people don’t even think about. They can suffer injuries very small so that they don’t realize it is an actual injury; the pain just feels like stiffness and soreness in the back.
Unfortunately these small injuries usually happen during everyday activities that many people don’t connect with back problems. Here are some common scenarios and what you can and should do about them.
Your desk and chair at work
Too many people sit at a desk behind a computer all day, slouched over as they type away and don’t give much thought to their chair and desk arrangement.
Leaning forward for hours at a time means that you’re putting undue pressure on the small of your back as it needs to tense up and keep you in that position. This can also cause tension in your shoulders and neck and this tension will result in back pain.
Chairs at work are also a common culprit when it comes to back pain. While many chairs claim to be ergonomically correct, meaning designed for the shape of the human body, remember that not everyone is shaped the same. Most furniture is designed for an average frame and height. If you’re a bit shorter or taller than most, or have shorter legs than the average person, you’re going to feel undue pressure on the area of your hips. This will result in back pain as the back muscles will try to compensate for this.
Many people with back problems have found that straight or even plastic chairs offer them much more adequate support than even the most expensive office chairs. The ones that don’t move when you lean back are going to give that support to your back muscles as opposed to the ones that move with you.
You should also be able to lean back as much as possible when at your desk or sit as straight as possible rather than slouching over your keyboard or monitor. At the very least, get up and walk around as much as possible to alleviate this pressure. Put a footstool under your desk and use it – this will force you to lean back and alleviate that pressure on your back.
What you carry
The back works overtime when we’re lugging around anything heavy. Remember, the arm muscles are connected to the back muscles and so any movement or stress on the upper arms is going to cause stress on the back. Unfortunately we also have a tendency to sling things over a shoulder and this means the back is working overtime as well.
Click Here to Get Your Free Back Pain Relief Guide
There’s a reason that luggage manufacturers got smart and started putting wheels on suitcases. It wasn’t just for convenience but for the safety of those who had to carry them as well. Today you can find wheels on so many things – backpacks, briefcases, and just about everything else. Use these things! If your briefcase weighs more than a pound or two, get one with wheels.
Refuse to take the attitude that you should be tough enough to do whatever is asked of you or to think that if you could lift something when you were 20, then you should still be able to carry it now that you’re 45. Be aware of your limitations and remember that a few moments of carrying something too heavy can mean back pain that lasts for days or weeks.
What you carry during the day can mean your children, groceries, sporting equipment, and so on. Probably every parent looks forward to scooping up those kids and holding them close and sometimes it’s just easier to carry a child in some areas – and sometimes it’s even safer, such as in parking lots or areas where there are strangers – but you need to be mindful of your safety here as well. When we talk about lifting with your legs, this means when lifting your children or groceries. Know your limits even at home.
The Muscles and Ligaments
December 3, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off
Most parts of the body are attached to everything else and this includes muscles and ligaments which are attached to the bones; this is another function of the bones in the body, including the spine – to hold muscles and ligaments in place.
The muscles in the back are some of the most involved and developed in the body since they are required to do so much. Back muscles help to move the entire body and its frame, and no matter what you weigh that’s always going to be a lot of mass to move! If you weigh a hundred pounds, your back muscles are pushing that much weight when you go to stand up from a seated position – something need to push your entire body out of that chair, and it’s your back muscles that do that. When you go to sit from a standing position, those back muscles control that movement and provide a barrier that keeps you from just collapsing and perhaps injuring yourself. So no matter what you’re doing, even if you’re sitting still, the back muscles are on high alert and are being used at virtually all times.
The widest muscles in the back are the trapezius, the levator scapula, the rhomboids, and the latissimus dorsi. These muscles crisscross over the areas of the back and are joined by many other smaller muscles that stretch anywhere from the shoulder and neck area all the way down past the hips to the buttocks.
Back Muscles
- Back Muscles
The deltoid fascia is a thick muscle around the shoulder joint. It is attached to the collar bone and shoulder blade and to the upper arm. Any movement of the upper arm in the shoulder area involves the deltoid muscle. Bodybuilders usually try to develop their “delts” as they are very prominent muscles and can give a look of being lean and fit when properly developed.
The sacrospinalis is actually several muscles that form a thick mass that runs from the top of the neck to the small of the back. These muscles link the vertebrae together which then helps you to stand, sit, bend, and twist from side to side. These muscles are usually involved when there is pain in the sides.
The obliques are muscles that run along the side of the torso and envelope the rib cage itself. When these muscles are relaxed the rib cage can be seen through the skin. These muscles assist in flexing or bending when you spin or twist along the trunk area.
The gluteus maximum, or what we call the buttocks, is actually the largest and most powerful set of muscles in the body. This muscle is actually under the fat that makes up the buttocks and wraps around the pelvic area and stretches from the thighs to the lower back. The gluteus maximum is what we use when we walk or run and is also involved in moving from a sitting to a standing position, and provides guidance and protection when we go from standing to sitting. There are other muscles involved in the gluteus region, all of which help when walking, running, twisting, or any other major movement that involves the midsection.
The latissimus dorsi is a wide, flat muscle located on the lower half of the back. The levator scapula lies along the back and side of the neck. It originates deep in the side of the neck near the base of the skull, passes down and back and inserts in shoulder blade. These muscles help when we move our arms or make any movement that involves our shoulders.
The rhomboideus major and the rhomboideus minor form a flat muscle on the upper back and these muscles extend from the spine to shoulder blade. These muscles help to assist the head, neck and shoulders. Any movement of the head, even a sneeze or cough, involves these muscles. When you have pain in the neck or upper shoulders it is usually these muscles. They not only help with movement but are also working when you hold your head and neck steady and still.
The serratus anterior extends along the side of the ribs and is in the area of the armpit. This muscle is used every time you reach forward with your arms or extend them in any way. The sternocleidomastoid is a back muscle located along the neck and is used to tilt the head from side to side. The splenius capitis is used to turn the head from side to side.
There are many other muscles in and around the areas of the back, neck, and sides and all of which are necessary and vital for virtually every movement you might make, from a slight tilt of the head to stretching your legs and shrugging your shoulders.
The Vertebrae
December 2, 2008 by soreback · Leave a Comment
People often use the term “my back” when they could mean so many areas of the body; the back actually extends from the neck to the coccyx or tailbone, the area just above the buttocks. Any of these areas can cause problems and pain, and can even affect the shoulders, the stomach, the legs, and give a person headaches. The structure of the back and its connections to the rest of the body are typically to blame; let’s take a closer look at that.
The vertebrae
Vertebrae
The bones and joints of the back are referred to as the vertebrae. You may have heard of animals that are called invertebrates; these are ones that don’t have bones up their back such as jellyfish and other sea creatures like this. For humans, our spine or these bones help to keep us upright and hold everything in place, just like the bones in any other area of the body do.
Discs are between each small bone of the vertebrae and act as shock absorbers for when a person moves. While most people don’t really have that much of an appreciation for the discs in their back, imagine the spine being one long immobile rod – how would we bend, twist, lean forward, lean backwards, and so on? We need to do all those things in order to move around – we twist our back when we want to look left or right or over a shoulder; the back needs to curve in order for us to move from a sitting to a standing position; it needs to be flexible in order to allow the arms to reach forward without the entire body moving forward, etc. Oftentimes we just don’t appreciate how much the back needs to move throughout the course of our everyday activities.
The spine needs to be more flexible than any other part of the body, even more so than the fingers or knees. As much as we bend our fingers and knees throughout our daily activity, they don’t need to twist around the way the back does and certainly don’t need to be as flexible.
All of this bending and twisting means that the backbone or spine cannot be one long rigid rod the way we have long bones in the arms or legs. The spine is a serious of small bones about the size of tuna cans, and in between each one is a disc. These are spongy, squishy little globs not only help the back to be flexible but take much of the shock of our everyday movement. When you walk, sit, or do anything that involves contact there is pressure put on the body. These discs absorb that pressure so that the bones and muscles don’t feel it and so that there is less injury. Think of it this way – which is more comfortable, a hard wooden chair or one that is cushioned or overstuffed? Obviously the cushiony one. These discs act like those cushions whenever we move, absorbing the impact of not just jarring movements but everyday activities as well. Without those discs our bones, muscles and tendons would be in constant pain from the impact of even minor movements.
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When a disc is injured or damaged then there is usually back pain, and if the injury is severe then the pain is severe as well. We need every one of those discs in the back to function properly in order for the back to be protected and to function painlessly.
Why So Many People Have Back Pain
December 2, 2008 by soreback · Leave a Comment
Have you ever been in the situation where you had to tell someone that you just couldn’t do something – help them move their furniture, do the landscaping work in the yard – because you’re back was in so much pain? How many times have you heard other people say the same thing about their own back?
Maybe you don’t see it as much of a loss if you can’t help someone move or can’t address certain mundane chores because of back pain, but of course for many who have chronic and consistent soreness and stiffness in their back, they often miss out on picking up their own children, being able to walk or drive long distances, and may find that it even interferes with just sitting still and enjoying a movie or some television.
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And of course over and above all the things you cannot do because of a problematic back, the pain itself can often be unbearable!
Many people have problems with their back and this may be a reason why some who have never experienced this chronic pain may dismiss it as being just an excuse or being overrated. Since the back can hurt without there actually having been an injury or disease, they may assume that people are just making up their pain or that it’s not as bad as they say.
For those who do have problems with their back they of course beg to disagree. When your back is in pain, especially when the pain is severe, your entire body can hurt right along with it. Movement and mobility are limited, and even sitting still can become a problem! The pain may be constant and may seem to never go away no matter what your position or activity.
Why does the back react this way? Why are there so many problems with the back and what causes them? Why is this pain connected to everything else you do and every movement you make?
Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by “the back” and learn a bit about the muscles and other specifics of this area, and we can then better understand how back problems affect so many.
Why are Neck and Back Pain Connected
December 2, 2008 by soreback · Leave a Comment
You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered why neck and back pain seem to be connected? If you are asking the question it’s probably because you or someone you know has had a stiff neck or pain in their neck and eventually has experienced pain in the back as well. Or it might be vice versa – a pain in the lower back seems to travel until the neck is stiff and sore and a person can barely move their head. Why is it that neck and back pain are seemingly connected in this way, and is there anything you can do to address one or the other, or better yet, both at the same time? Let’s take a look at this subject a bit closer.
Why Neck and Back Pain are Connected
If you think that the pain in your neck leads to back pain, or the back pain you have can travel up to your neck, you’re not imagining things. The muscles in the back are actually a big bundle of muscles that are all connected to one another, and to the muscles in the legs, shoulders, and neck. This is why neck and back pain are often connected – if you have an injury or a problem with your neck muscles this will make the back muscles work overtime to support the movement that your neck muscles would normally handle. At the same time, if you have an injury or overextension of the back muscles this means that the neck muscles are not supported the way they should be. So neck and back pain are connected because the muscles are connected and rely on one another for movement and support. Any injury or overuse in one area will cause a problem with the other.
Addressing Neck and Back Pain
When you realize how neck and back pain are connected you might immediately begin realizing how to correct or address the situation. Think about when you have a problem or overextension of your neck and be aware of the fact that your back is going to be working overtime to move your head and upper body. Make sure your posture is upright and relaxed so that the muscles are not cramped and tense. If you have neck pain but don’t notice that your back hurts, still keep it relaxed at night with a heating pad and some support under your knees. If you have back pain for any reason, be gentle with your neck and upper body when it comes to movement. While you may not always have neck and back pain at the same time, you know that one can easily lead to another if you’re not careful about your movements.
Click Here to Get Your Free Back Pain Relief Guide
Sometimes just being careful about neck and back pain and realizing how they’re connected can be enough to keep you from suffering both. Make sure all areas of your back are supported, from your neck to the small of the back, and you’re sure to have at least some relief.
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