Back Pain? 7 Surprising Causes

Most Americans (8 out of 10) will experience back pain at some point in their lives. But while that dull ache or sharp pain is an all-too-common problem, many of the causes are a mystery to us until the discomfort kicks in.

"Wear and tear on your discs is cumulative -- it all adds up," says Arya Nick Shamie, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and an associate professor of spine surgery at the University of California - Los Angeles.

Watch out for these surprising culprits to keep existing pain from getting worse.

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"Weekend Warriors"

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Irregular exercise is a big contributor to back pain, and the "weekend warriors," those who are sedentary during the week and push hard on the weekends, are the face of this contributor to pain. "If you take on something tough after being relatively sedentary, you can seriously hurt yourself," explains Arya Nick Shamie, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and an associate professor of spine surgery at the University of California - Los Angeles. And it's not just the risk of injury while you're doing the activity you have to worry about. "If you are doing high-impact sports without cross-training first to strengthen your core, your spine won't have strong enough muscles to support the impact," says Robert S. Bray, M.D., the founding director of DISC (discmdgroup.com) and a neurological spine surgeon. He recommends dedicating as little as 15 minutes three times a week to basic core exercises and stretching to help prepare your core for more intense workouts later in the week.

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Irregular exercise is a big contributor to back pain, and the "weekend warriors," those who are sedentary during the week and push hard on the weekends, are the face of this contributor to pain.

"If you take on something tough after being relatively sedentary, you can seriously hurt yourself," explains Arya Nick Shamie, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and an associate professor of spine surgery at the University of California - Los Angeles.

And it's not just the risk of injury while you're doing the activity you have to worry about. "If you are doing high-impact sports without cross-training first to strengthen your core, your spine won't have strong enough muscles to support the impact," says Robert S. Bray, M.D., the founding director of DISC (discmdgroup.com) and a neurological spine surgeon.

He recommends dedicating as little as 15 minutes three times a week to basic core exercises and stretching to help prepare your core for more intense workouts later in the week.

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Comments

[CowboySandtoes]

08:35 PM on 09/20/2011

a preventative and pre hab article would have been nice.
FOAM ROLL. check it

[one1byke]

04:57 PM on 09/19/2011

Sitting and Bending : Bingo! Fetal position while Sleeping: Bingo!

Thinking you can just gyrate your body in order to "loosen it up:" BINGO!

[Tazirai]

07:57 PM on 09/16/2011

Stupidity.. Lime me climbing a free climbing wall, when i was clearly too tired and falling 15 feet. 2 weeks of back pain is my punishment. lol

[MaryfromIL]

02:43 AM on 09/15/2011

I went to a chiropractor for years for neck pain, it did help much of the pain and stop me from needing muscle relaxants 5 times a year. However, it didn't increase my flexibility at all.

Then I had rough treatment on my head from a technician, and got physical therapy to loosen my upper shoulders and back. I realized how stiff I had been all those years, and this loosened it up wonderfully. They also taught me much about posture and other things, like heavy purses.

I'm sure chiropractic is useful, but explore physical therapy as well. Each have their separate uses.

[SiobhanLandis]

06:35 PM on 09/14/2011

Interesting article - I had no idea, for example, that smoking was related to spinal health (I don't smoke, so it's not an issue for me, but it IS interesting). I hurt my back lifting something heavy back when my kids were little (so my back should have been in great shape, from lifting my kids so much) - when I was able to move again, several weeks later, I became a huge proponent of core-conditioning (surprisingly, this article doesn't mention lack of core strength as leading to lower-back pain).

I still (years later) make a point of doing daily core exercises. Five minutes a day - anyone can find that much time - is all it takes to develop stronger core muscles and, ideally, prevent pain and/or injury to the lower back.

The exercises I do have been posted on my website - give them a try, and let me know what you think

http://www.naturallyradiant.info/site/core-workout-2/211

[Fletch55]

03:39 PM on 09/14/2011

Ummm where was the surprising causes? These were all common sense thing we know cause back pain...Bad title for an article thats not related to it.

[Integrity4most]

07:37 AM on 09/14/2011

Yikes! I sit around 10+ hours a day at my job - and I regularly twist both ways to "crack" my lower back. I guess I'm in for a world of hurt as I get older. I also guess I need to get a new job (and yes, take more frequent breaks).

[robert horwitz]

05:09 PM on 09/13/2011

How long have you had a weak back? Oh about a week back. This is what you should really do if you have back pain. Retire and buy the most comfortable chair that you can afford. When it arrives sit down in it and never move again. This is what I did. I don't know if I cured my back pain but even if I didn't I don't notice it anymore.

[siegfried728711]

10:30 AM on 09/13/2011

want -2-get rid of back pain , sex is the answer.
when that moment comes , no more pain

[Pras Srinivasan]

08:14 AM on 09/13/2011

Building some abdominal muscles helps straighten the posture plus ease the effort on the back muscles. But good advice of preventing back pain and stresses.

[Barry Clarke]

01:24 AM on 09/13/2011

As a person who is 68 years old, back surgery 45 years ago on the L4 and L5, I know what back pain feels like when it occurs. May I offer a little more information and possible ideas that helps me and maybe you as well. When severe back pain hits, I immediately drop and get myself into the Williams position for about 15 minutes. This is where you lay on your back, elevate you head about 20 degrees, and bring your knees towards your chest in a 45 degree angle preferable resting them and your head on a support. In this position the muscles in your back are the most relaxed. If my wife is nearby, I ask for an icepack and I put under my back. If not, I get on the ice ASAP after I relax myself using this technique. It is not a cure all, but helps me with the onset of severe back pain and makes it much more manageable…..

[williamg]

01:16 AM on 09/13/2011

Not a single mention of people being deconditioned.

[Katiepdx]

09:41 PM on 09/12/2011

It's remarkable that the #1 cause of back pain is always overlooked. It will be a wonderful day when doctors finallyrecognize the essential role of an aligned skeleton as discovered by all healthy toddlers everywhere in the world. This video illustrates the real cause of most back pain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsY7y_BoVkk

[EddieNM]

07:15 PM on 09/12/2011

Under spinal health conditions, hypothyroidism isn't listed. DUH! Why do these writers not understand that the endocrine system is essential to health of the skeleton and connective tissue? If you are sufficiently hypothyroid, your metabolism is so low, that you can't repair your spinal discs. If you are hypothyroid, boosting your free T3 will have a surprisingly positive effect.

[mashtatopopcorn]

06:32 PM on 09/12/2011

Sugar and carbohydrates should be listed here (doesn't surprise me that it isn't, because diet is NEVER listed as the cause of disease). Sugar causes inflammation and can cause pain.