Included in this month’s issue…
After upper-respiratory infections, back pain is the second most common reason for visiting a doctor. It will affect 80% of us at some point in our lives, and half of all adults are estimated to suffer this every single year, with over 10% of people suffering ongoing bouts of low back pain.
The reason low-back injuries are so prevalent is that this is a highly unstable part of the spine, much like the neck. Whereas the thoracic spine is supported and stabilized by the rib cage, the upper and lower spinal areas are on their own, so to speak. It is to our benefit in one way because it allows us greater flexibility to carry out more tasks, but it also makes us vulnerable to injury.
Having said that, provided the low back is cared for, it is able to offer immense support and withstand great forces. If that were not so, power lifters would not be able to do what they do, hoisting hundreds of pounds of weights off the floor. On the other hand, if your low back is weak or misaligned, even the lightest of movements can create problems.
The old approach to low back pain and injury was to let it heal on its own, as it was assumed this happened naturally. Recent research shows that this is not the case; it may ease for a while but often returns. This points to the importance of promptly attending to any low back pain through chiropractic care to prevent a recurrence.
Please click here to view the rest of our August 2016 newsletter.
For Your Health,
Dr. Scott Van Dam