A healthy spine is essential to lead a healthy life. Your spine is the anchor for almost all movement patterns in life, holding your body upright, protecting your spinal cord, and absorbing the force from the lower body to the upper body, preventing undue stress on other tissues. So when an injury arises, it can set you back.
If you’re in the thick of low back pain (LBP), know that you are not alone. Research shows that up to 80 percent of adults will experience an episode of LBP at least once in their lifetime, and the chances of developing LBP increase as you age. The Centers for Disease Control list LBP as the most prevalent source of pain in adults in the United States, with one study even finding LBP rates nearly tripled between 1992 and 2006 alone.
Not only is LBP common, but it can also significantly impact your everyday life. Increasing the risk of disability, individuals with LBP often experience limitations at work, diminished quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. With the rising prevalence of LBP and its associated adverse effects on your health and everyday life, the first step towards a healthier back is learning more about it. Here’s what you need to know.
Low back pain can be acute or chronic. More specifically, acute LBP lasts from a few days to a couple of months, and chronic LBP continues for over three months. Here are several of the underlying causes of low back pain and injury.
Mechanical: A majority of LBP is considered mechanical or non-specific LBP. Diagnostic imaging detects a cause of LBP in only about 5 to 10 percent of cases. Mechanical LBP is commonly due to some injury to the spine, intervertebral discs, or soft tissues. These injuries can be due to improper lifting, poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, disc herniation or rupture, pregnancy, and more.
Degenerative: As you age, degeneration of connective tissue can cause spine osteoarthritis, including facet joint osteoarthritis, sacroiliac joint osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease. Age-related reductions in bone density can also lead to osteoporotic compression fractures in the spine.
Inflammatory: Inflammatory low back pain, commonly localized to the lumbar spine and buttocks, can be acute in some cases or chronic when systemic inflammation is present. Common inflammatory reactions include ankylosing spondylitis, sacroiliitis, psoriatic arthritis, and other forms of arthritis.
Oncologic: Oncologic low back pain typically presents itself as a fracture. However, healthcare providers can pinpoint the etiology of spine lesions, marrow cancers, or compressed nerves from adjacent cancerous lesions.
Infectious: Infections of the spine and surrounding tissue are rare, but can occur. Often, this acute reaction is accompanied by other symptoms of infection, like fever or chills, and will be treated with antibiotics or another medication.
Once you’ve had an episode of LBP, the chance of recurrence increases by as much as 44 percent in the next year and 85 percent in your lifetime–making prevention and early intervention a priority. Focusing on these healthy habits and movement patterns can keep your back strong, supported, and injury-free.
