Unlike animals that walk on four legs, humans who walk upright have difficulty avoiding pain in the spine and joints. As the curve and alignment of the neck and waist collapse, pain in the shoulder, pelvis, and knee naturally appears. Even as we enter an aging society, it is expected that more people will suffer from pain disorders in the future.
However, according to the recently released data, the number of patients with spinal and musculoskeletal disorders decreased compared to last year. Really? The actual situation is the opposite. Although the number of patients seems to have decreased due to the increase in patients reluctant to visit hospitals due to COVID-19, media usage time has increased as telecommuting, non-face-to-face classes and video conferences have increased. More and more people are suffering from the disease.
Pain disorders should not be taken lightly just because they occur frequently. If left unattended, it can make daily life difficult, as well as significantly reduce the quality of life. Our body has a certain amount of resilience when there is a health problem, so the symptoms of mild muscle pain that appear temporarily can be expected to improve even with sufficient rest.
However, if the pain that was thought to be muscle pain does not get better following 4 to 5 days, or if it worsens or is accompanied by other symptoms, it is necessary to find the root cause of the pain and treat it.
Musculoskeletal disorders in various areas, such as disc disease caused by the dislocation of the disc between the vertebrae, spinal stenosis caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal, frozen shoulder or rotator cuff tear, and degenerative arthritis of the knee If only passive measures such as steaming are taken, it is no different from pouring a bucket of water on the roof of a house on fire.
It should be borne in mind that if the pain is left unattended, the degree or intensity of the pain may worsen and the treatment period may also be prolonged if the surrounding muscles or the overall body balance are disturbed and the pain becomes chronic pain.
Treatments for pain disorders include injection therapy, drug therapy, posture correction, and rehabilitation exercise therapy. However, pain caused by the accumulation of bad postures and habits for a long time is not easily resolved with drugs and there is a possibility of recurrence.
In order to enjoy my favorite exercise for a long time without injury, it should be accompanied by regular stretching or muscle strengthening exercises. I also went through changes in my body before and following giving birth, and experienced injuries while playing ballet or swimming. After experiencing the pain directly, I was able to broaden my understanding of the body by directly acquiring a Pilates instructor license. As the years go by, the skin becomes wrinkled, and the bones age and the joints wear out. However, you cannot take a break from exercise for the rest of your life. When acute pain occurs, exercise is stopped and focused on pain treatment, but following that, exercise therapy tailored to each patient is provided. If you want to enjoy the rest of your life in a healthy way, visiting a medical institution regularly and discussing appropriate exercise methods with a medical team with abundant clinical experience can be one way.
(Writing: Lee Hye-yeon, President of Sky Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic)
