Lower back pain: STRESS is most common cause, claims Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
BACK pain - especially in the lower back - is a common problem that will affect about 80 per cent of people at some point in their lifetime. But, most of the time there’s absolutely nothing to worry about, said The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).
Back pain will often clear up by itself in a matter of weeks, and is nothing to worry about in “98 per cent” of cases, the CSP said.
Slouching, and lifting heavy objects with your back, wouldn’t give you back pain either, it added.
There’s no such thing as a perfect posture, and simply varying your position is enough to prevent a bad back, the CSP claimed.
Stress and worrying about a bad back is ironically the main cause of back pain, said the CSP Clinical Lead of Occupational Health Physiotherapy Services, Ashley James.
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There’s no good evidence to suggest you get back pain from lifting or bad posture
“There’s no good evidence to suggest you get back pain from lifting or bad posture,” said James, who is also a spokesman for the CSP.
“It’s fine to slouch, and there’s no perfect posture. Just make sure you change position fairly regularly.
“The back is very strong and robust. In almost all cases of back pain, there’s nothing to worry about.
“The best thing to do to reduce the pain is to go back to work, get out and about, and exercise.”
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Only in two per cent of back pain cases is there an underlying, severe problem, James said.
Even then, the patient “would know about it”. They would simultaneously experience pins and needles in the groin, weakness in both legs, or a severe pain in the back when lying down flat, he said.
The best way to ease pain is to exercise, he added. There is no single best exercise to do, just lots of different workouts.
But, avoid massages, acupuncture and electrotherapy treatments, James warned. They may provide short-term relief, but wouldn’t reduce pain in the long term, he claimed.
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Back pain could be prevented by regularly doing back exercises and stretches, according to the NHS.
Avoid sitting for too long in the same position, and ensure the mattress on your bed provides satisfactory support.
Being overweight could increase the risk of back pain, it added.
Contact your GP, or phone NHS 111, immediately, if you have back pain and experience difficulty urinating, chest pain, or if you lose control of your bladder or bowel.
