NEWSLETTERS

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Welcome to our new quarterly newsletter — featuring information and news about the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation's community activities and events!

ARTICLES

November 7, 2024

Back Pain and Prevention

By Leigh Hanke, MD; MS, Nutritional Science | Trustee, East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine

If you have experienced back pain, you are certainly not alone. It is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work—even children get low back pain. Most people are familiar with it, but not all back pain is created equal. Low back pain is a symptom caused by a wide variety of underlying problems. The cause of low back pain is important to determine because it can help guide proper prevention and treatment.

Low back pain is often mechanical in nature, meaning pain is triggered by the working (mechanics) of the spine, typically spinal movement. It can be due to various aspects of spinal anatomy such as strained muscles; injured intervertebral discs (discs are the cushion between the bones in the spine); nerves being pinched by bone, disc, or ligaments as they leave the spine; arthritis in the joints in the spine; or a combination of the above. The spine can be injured by heavy lifting, trauma, and repetitive abnormal stress as with more poor sitting posture and frequent bending forward. With aging comes the development of degenerative conditions, namely the loss of normal structure and function in the spine. In women, it is important to remember symptoms of back pain can also stem from female reproductive anatomy such as menstrual cramps or endometriosis. Even less frequently, back pain may be due to an underlying medical condition such as kidney stones or stomach ulcers. In some cases, it’s a matter of seeking help from a health care team to find the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.

There are many ways to prevent low back pain, even with a family history of conditions associated with it. While 80% of people will likely experience at least one episode of back pain at some point in their lives, the severity, frequency and duration of such pain can be minimized with proper preventative measures. Modifying your behavior in the following ways can help to maintain or improve your posture, prevent injury and keep your back healthy.

• Exercising regularly with aerobic activity, stretching and strengthening keeps muscles strong and flexible. This helps avoid injury and prevent recurrence of back pain.

• Maintaining a healthy weight helps keep the stress to your back at a normal level and decrease the risk of developing painful arthritis and degenerative changes in your spine.

• Eating well balanced meals ensure adequate levels of calcium and Vitamin D to promote healthy bones.

• Avoid prolonged positioning, such as sitting, with walk breaks or gently stretch your muscles. This can promote good posture and relieve tension.

• Optimize your work environment with lumbar support or a small stool for your feet.

• Good lifting mechanics can prevent injury: Lift from the knees, engage core muscles, keep back straight, and avoid twisting when lifting heavy objects.

• Staying hydrated, maintaining good sleep hygiene, and managing stress have all been shown to play an important role in pain prevention.

• Quit smoking. Smoking can reduce blood flow to the spine and contribute to chronic degenerative conditions and increase risk of osteoporosis. Heavy smoking can also lead to chronic coughing which may trigger acute back pain or exacerbate chronic pain.

Prevention of low back pain is key, even if you’ve already been symptomatic or are at high risk. Behavior modification plays a large role in reducing back pain among people of all ages, so don’t forget about the little things you have control to change. Correcting your posture throughout the day and avoiding prolonged sitting are good places to start. Find a way to make time for your back every day with a regular short home exercise program (combine stretching and strengthening) to maintain good spinal health. Above all, be mindful of improving your overall health with regards to nutrition, weight, sleep and stress levels (aspects often overlooked). This can make a big difference in preventing pain, but also helping both acute and chronic back pain.