The lower part of the spine is called the lumbar region and starts just below the ribcage. It’s the part of your back that is subject to a lot of stress and strain. When we stand, it’s the lower back that supports the weight of our upper body. When we bend over or turn at the waist, it’s the lower back that gets involved in the movement.
Just about everyone, at some point in their life, will experience lower back pain. In fact, it is one of the top causes of missed work. Today, we’re going to look at some causes of lower back pain but first you may want to know …
…is your back pain acute or chronic?
Low back pain symptoms can range from a dull ache to a stabbing pain. The pain can make it difficult to easily move or even stand up straight. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and lasts less than six weeks. Back pain that lasts for more than three months is considered to be chronic.
Causes of lower back pain
Most of the time back pain is going to be caused by an injury due to sudden movements or not lifting heavy objects correctly. But low back pain can also be caused by certain diseases, like cancer of the spine, Lumbar osteoarthritis, and pelvic inflammatory disease, just to name a few . Here is a list of the most common causes of lower back pain:
Lifting incorrectly – if you lift or pull heavy objects and don’t use your legs, you could cause your muscles and ligaments in your back to be stretched or torn which in turn causes lower back pain.
Carrying too much day after day – even though you may carry your backpack, purse, or computer bag over your shoulder, it’s the lower back that has to support the upper part of your body that carries it.
Bad posture – sitting for a long time with bad posture, also known as slouching, puts a lot of strain on your lower back. Your back will support your weight better if you don’t slouch and keep your weight evenly balanced.
Muscle strain – the muscles and ligaments in your lower back help keep the bones of your spinal column in place. When you strain these muscles by stretching them too far, you can weaken the muscles so they aren’t able to keep your spine in alignment causing lower back pain.
Sciatica – this kind of lower back pain can be caused by a bulging or ruptured disc that presses on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve connects the spine to the legs. As a result, pain from sciatica may radiate down a leg.
Neck misalignment – when your neck is in misalignment, it can throw off the alignment in the rest of your spine causing lower back pain.
Prevent Low Back Pain
You know the saying “an ounce of prevention”? Well here are some tips to help prevent lower back pain.
- When picking up something heavy, bend at the knees, not at the waist.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Instead, sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees or sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees.
- Stand up straight with your weight evenly distributed.
- Sit up straight in your chair with your shoulders back.
- Lose weight. Remember, your lower back has to carry the weight of your upper body.
If you are experiencing lower back pain, come in and see us at Dawn of Health. We would love to help you feel better.