Most people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. It can either resolve on its own or become a long term-complaint. Whilst there are many underlying causes for this condition, the good news is that there is a lot that can be done to firstly prevent back pain and secondly treat it. Here are some of the causes of back pain and what can be done about it.

The vertebral spine provides the main support for your body and protects the spinal cord. Other structures around the spine that aid in the stability are: muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and discs and if any of these structures get injured or strained, you are sure to be in a lot of pain!  

The spine can be separated into different parts – the cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx. All five parts are unique and have their own characteristics. The cervical spine is the most moveable part of the spine, the thoracic spine has a limited range of movement and attaches your rib cage to your body and the lumbar spine bears the weight of the body. The sacrum connects the spine to the iliac bones and the coccyx provides an attachment place for ligaments and muscles of the pelvic floor.

Common injuries of the spine can include sprains and strains of the muscles and ligaments around the spine, herniated discs, and facet joint inflammation .The injuries can occur due to sudden overstretching of a muscle or ligaments in your back, a sudden awkward movement such as bending down and rotating or picking up a heavy object, or with constant strain on the back due to improper posture. A herniated disc usually arises due to a single, excessive strain or injury, or as one ages and the ligaments degenerate naturally, whilst facet joint inflammation usually occurs with increased loading, cumulative low-level trauma, or repetitive stress on the joints.

Your back is a very complex system and symptoms can often vary greatly. Common signs and symptoms of back pain include:

• Muscle ache
• Shooting or stabbing pain
• Pain that subsides with lying down
• Pain that radiates down the leg
• Tenderness upon palpation
• Radiating pain/tingling/numbness into shoulders or upper back or down the arm

Back pain can be treated by a physiotherapist who will provide the patient with education regarding his/her back pain, symptom relief, posture correction, and stretching and or strengthening exercises. As there is no “one-size fits all" solution, it is recommended that you go and see a physiotherapist for a full evaluation and an individualised, tailored programme for your treatment.

If you are battling with back pain, please make an appointment with one of the Campus Health Service Physiotherapists. Call 021 808 3392 to schedule a time.

References:

Teachmeanatomy.info. (2019). The Vertebral Column - Joints - Vertebrae - Vertebral Structure. [online] Available at: https://teachmeanatomy.info/back/bones/vertebral-column/ [Accessed 2 Sep. 2019].

Mayfieldclinic.com. (2019). Spine Anatomy, Anatomy of the Human Spine. [online] Available at: https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-anatspine.htm [Accessed 2 Sep. 2019].

Mayo Clinic. (2019). Back pain - Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20369906 [Accessed 2 Sep. 2019].