You may or may not realize that back injuries affect nearly 2 million people annually in the United States, with most (80%) people having experienced a back injury at one point in their lives. It has remained one of the top causes of job-related injuries and reasons for calling out sick from work. Many people will eventually develop chronic back pain problems if they do not consider injury prevention and spine health. Our bodies are in constant states of breakdown, so it is in our best interest to do all we can do to keep them healthy – including our backs! The Doctor and Dietitian are no exception to these stats – we have experienced back injuries from our various athletic events and from improper lifting or twisting. Thankfully we have been able to keep our backs healthy and continue to work on keeping them that way!
Some patients are told they have bulging discs or arthritis in their backs. They receive MRIs that do not reveal the cause of the pain. Patients are offered steroid shots to “help the pain for a short time.” Then the pain returns, and they are offered oral pain meds. Eventually, this may lead to back surgery that has very low success rates. All the while, that patient remains in pain. So the thing about the above scenario is that many other treatment modalities exist that can help the above scenario and keep people out of the surgical suite, including Caring Medical’s regenerative treatments, such as Prolotherapy, PRP, and stem cell injections, as well as concurrently utilizing skilled physical therapists for manual therapy, dry needling, and gentle adjustments.
Before you must go down the road described above, we want to encourage you not to take your back for granted. Are you slowly losing your ability to bend down to put your shoes and socks on your feet? Do you find yourself looking for a chair to sit down in? Are you less able to walk around the grocery store, work, or even at home? Are you doing a lot of sitting and not a lot of activity? You could be headed for some back trouble!
Tips for maintaining a healthy back:
- Lift properly. If you are hauling dirt to the backyard, make sure you squat down and contract your abs and push with your legs.
- Work on keeping your weight within normal limits. Carry around an extra 25–50-pound pack for a while and see the effect it has on your back!
- Keep your abdominals, core, and back strong. A strong core protects your back. Marion knows this all too well, having suffered that bike crash a few years ago that caused her not to be able to feel her abs for a long time – and she is still working on getting them back! Weak abdominals pull your back out of proper alignment.
- Do not sit for long periods of time. If you work at a computer, find a way to remind yourself to get up every hour and walk around. When you are sitting, make sure you have proper posture and do not slouch, engage your core. Try using a standing desk for some of the day.
- Eat a healthy diet. Consuming bone-degenerating and non-strength-building foods only makes matters worse. Soda, especially colas, cause degeneration. Time to dump.
- Get outside and move around! Not only will getting outside provide you with sunshine and vitamin D, but it will give you energy, make you smile, and keep you moving. Try to take at least a 30-minute walk per day.
- Maintain your flexibility by performing stretches, Pilates, yoga, or pool workouts. Utilize a qualified trainer or PT to keep you on the right road.
We only have one body and one life. Let’s make the most of it!
