2023-04-20 01:38:08
Although not talked about too much, it is one of the most common and limiting problems. When it appears, even if the body asks us to, staying still is not usually the best option.
got us doubled over in pain. 18.5% of the Spanish population suffers from lumbago, an ailment that affects women more (17% of Spanish women claim to suffer from it) than men (the percentage, in the case of them, is around 10% ), as reflected in the European Health Survey in Spain 2020.
According to the Association of Mutual Accidents at Work (AMAT), back ailments represent 25% of sick leave in Spain -with the economic impact that this implies- and it is estimated that between 60 and 80% of the world population will have some type of back pain throughout their lives.
So far the data that show that too little is said about the subject for how much it affects us and how important it is for our quality of life. «The back supports our entire body and the habits that we follow on a day-to-day basis can harm us, causing discomfort that, although on many occasions we do not attach much importance, will endanger us. prevent you from performing daily activities and with the time, become chronic pain», explains Ata Pouramini, chiropractor and health counselor.
Daniel Porroosteopath, rehabilitator and director ATRIO3is more than used to dealing in his practice with a problem that, as he himself explains, “has suffered, at some point in their lives, between 70 and 80% of the population.”
Lumbago (many of us know this well from our own experience) “is characterized by a pain in the lower back (which sometimes becomes limiting) and does not have to be due to the existence of a specific lesion”, explains Porro.
What is popularly known as low back pain “he will nag us for sure, sooner or later,” says Antonio Ríos Luna, a specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery. Here is his explanation. “The lumbar spine is made up of five vertebrae. Between each vertebra, there is a disc that is a kind of pad whose function is to cushion loads or impacts. Over the years, this ‘pad’ is losing water and elasticity and, therefore, its ability to cushion the weights and loads that we lift or pick up. If the lumbar discs are chronically deteriorated, the pictures of low back pain will appear and, if this situation lasts, the herniated disc”.
what are those ‘bad habits’ that they are making a dent to damage our back? Daniel Porro clears our doubts. “It is estimated that about 40% of back pain is attributable to risk factors such as: poor posture in daily life or sleeping; sedentary lifestyle; long hours of work at the computer; execution of exercises with poor technique , etc.”.
It also influences, and a lot, our physical form. “Normally, low back pain is caused by a lack of tone in the abdominal girdle that affects the lower back by ‘forcing’ it to take on anatomical tasks for which it is not prepared; lack of joint mobility in the hip or psoas; problems in the coccyx and the rest of the area attached to the hip; disc degeneration, neural or nerve problems, etc.”.
In the same way, he continues, “we must take into account a factor that, until now, had not received the attention it deserves: the emotional“.
What do we do if we get one of these painful attacks? “First of all, says Porro, it is convenient make an appointment with the therapist. Although, if the pain is strong, anti-inflammatories are usually prescribed, the most important thing is apply heat and mobility to the quadratus lumbar as soon as possible to, subsequently and gradually, begin to stretch slowly and gently. Standing still is not an option!”
This specialist emphasizes that, “during the first 72 hours, carrying weight is counterproductive but, once the trance is over, it is convenient to emphasize the strength work in the abdomen, lower back and buttocks“. Also, the importance “of continuing, for two or three weeks, with the treatment in consultation. It is essential to alleviate but, above all, to find out what is the origin so that it does not repeat itself or become chronic“
Similarly, it reminds us “to pay close attention to nutrition, because excess gluten or red meat can affect the functioning of our kidneys.” We all better take note!
Basic advice to take care of the back
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Having a healthy and pain-free back essentially depends on how we take care of it in our day to day. These are Ata Pouramini’s tips to achieve it:
1. Do not carry too much weight. “You have to avoid overexertion and balance well when you carry something heavy, either with a backpack or with shopping bags.”
2. Take active breaks during the workday. “It is convenient to get up every 20 minutes or so and stretch and unblock the body.”
3. Sit well. “If you spend many hours sitting working, remember to keep your back straight and upright. Do not bend forward to get closer to the table if you spend many hours working. Staying in this position for long periods of time could cause weakness in the back muscles and disc protrusions.
4. Take care of the posture. “When you are standing, you must maintain a good posture. The shoulders and hips are in a straight line with the head and neck.”
5. Do physical activity. “Inactivity and poor physical shape are the number one enemy of spinal health, the main causes of back pain. For this reason, you have to strengthen your back muscles. How? Well, for example, you can practice any sport like pilates, yoga, swimming, going for a run…”.
6. Do not abuse the heels. “Numerous studies have indicated that the use of high heels, by shifting the center of gravity and carrying the weight of the body forward, causes a decompensation that, in some people, affects the different curvatures of the back (lumbar, thoracic or cervical )”.
7. Choose a good mattress. “Not too hard, not too soft. If you sleep on your side, it is convenient to use a thicker pillow than if you sleep on your back, with both legs bent and another thinner pillow between the two.”
8. Lead a healthy life. “Tobacco and alcohol are enemies of healthy backs. Try to stay hydrated, the human body is made up of a very high percentage of water, which is why dehydration can cause cramps and musculoskeletal pain. It is necessary to drink a liter and a half of water at day”.
9. Take care of food. “It is essential to eat fresh fruits and vegetables in season; whole foods and low in fat; and foods rich in omega 3, such as oily fish or nuts. Ultra-processed foods should be avoided.”
10. Forget about tobacco. “If you reduce the supply of oxygen to your body, you are also reducing the regenerative capacity of the tissues, which, in turn, increases pain neurotransmitters.”
11. Adjust your spine. “Due to all of the aforementioned, imbalances are produced at the level of the vertebrae, called subluxations, which produce spasm and contracture of the muscles in the area.”
12. Practicar mindfulness. “An investigation published in the ‘Journal of Internal Medicine’ magazine revealed that practicing mindfulness for half an hour could have positive effects on the perception of pain. You have to take life easy: we have forgotten to stop, breathe and be happy. A A vital factor for good health is calm.
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