The Male Health Center - Back Pain in Men

Overview | How to avoid back pain

Back Pain Overview

Self-help for a very aggravating problem that most of us will face.
Among ailments, only the common cold is more common. Over the course of our lives, four out of five of us will suffer from back pain, and more than a quarter of us will miss work because of it. Tremendous sums of money are spent on back pain. In the U.S. alone, it eats up $16 billion dollars each year for treatment and compensation for missed work.

All that pain and expense is so unnecessary. As is true for many, if not most, ailments, prevention is far better than a cure.

As many as half of all back problems are caused by improper lifting. You've heard it before, but I'll repeat it anyway: When you lift, don't bend over. Keep your back straight and lower yourself by bending you knees. If the object is heavy, don't be a hero. Get help! (Is it any wonder that males 20 to 24 years old are the most likely to hurt their backs?)

If you work at a job that stresses your back—medical work, warehousing, mechanical occupations, and garbage collection are top contenders—you may need to do more than just practice good lifting technique. Talk to your employer about changing the way you do your job to reduce the stress on your back. Companies don't want disability payments any more than you want a bum back.

Treatment of back problems is surprisingly simple. Although many people think of the spine as a complex and fragile collection of bones and mysterious tissues that form the weak link in the human anatomy, most cases of back pain are actually caused by muscle strain. For that reason, medical treatment usually isn't called for. Unless the pain continues to worsen, you can do as much as your doctor to help you feel better.

The basic approach to do-it-yourself treatment is to take aspirin or ibuprofen, spend a day or two in bed (more probably won't help and may hinder recovery), and return to activity slowly. Some other things that may help include an ice pack for the first 48 hours and heat thereafter, a gentle massage, and getting some exercise as soon as possible. You'll also do better if you avoid sitting for long periods and use a a chair with a firm, straight back when you do have to sit.

Finally, just as you can build strong muscles in your arms, you can build a stronger, more injury-resistant back. Talk to a trainer at a local fitness center about the appropriate exercises, or read a book that demonstrates exercises for people with back pain. It may be the best way to beat a back attack.
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How to Avoid Back Pain
It's not just lifting heavy objects that conspires against your spine

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 40 percent of workers' compensation claims are for back injuries—amounting to more than $30 billion per year. And while the workplace may be most hazardous to your back, injuries in the home add significantly to the toll. Back injuries are among the most debilitating, and they are frustratingly difficult to treat. It's another case where prevention is the best policy.

Conventional wisdom about protecting your back centers on how you lift heavy objects. But new research from Ohio State University—while reinforcing the recommendation that you not bend over at the waist to lift heavy objects—has revealed other important tips for proper back protection.

The Ohio State researchers found that repetitive lifting can risk back injury, even if the objects aren't especially heavy. Dr. William Marras says that most back injuries are probably a result of cumulative wear and tear, rather than a sudden injury.

And some of the motions that bring on that wear don't involve bending forward or even lifting. Marras found that workers who bend rapidly to the right or left at the waist are also prone to develop back problems. Likewise, twisting quickly at the torso can apply stresses to your spine that will damage the sensitive tissues.

At least as important, the results of this study have made it more clear how the mechanics of lifting influence your risk of back injury. Simply how far your bend over at the waist has a direct impact on your likelihood of injury. And there's also new and straightforward way to rate the risk of lifting a particular object.

Don't think in terms of weight alone. Think also about how far away that box or piece of furniture will be from your spine. The stress on your back is equal to the weight times the distance the object will be from your spine. That's why bending your knees to lift helps prevent injury. It places the weight closer to your back.

We can all use Dr. Marras's advice to reduce our risk of back injury in the home. And if you work in a situation where your back is at risk, show this column to your supervisor. Most companies want workers' compensation claims no more than you want a bum back.
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