It’s a leading cause of disability in the United States.
Low back pain is common, and it’s estimated that up to 80% of people will experience it at some point in their lives.
From overdoing it at the gym to sitting at your desk all day, you can strain your back from doing too little, or too much, and it can have a significant impact on daily life.
Dr. Trishul Kapoor with Cleveland Clinic says muscles support your spine and take weight off your joints.
That’s why strength training is so important.
“Prevention is key, and the way we do it is activity,” said Kapoor. “When patients say, well, I walk every day, I do other activities, it’s not enough. You have to focus on doing specific exercises that strengthen those core muscles in your back.”
Kapoor says when you do experience back pain, pay attention to persistent symptoms.
Don’t wait to seek treatment if the pain is still there after a couple of days, especially if it’s a new pain you’ve never experienced before.
He says it’s important to be evaluated so that you know what’s causing the pain.
“It could be the muscle, it could be the joints, it could be the ligaments, nerves, or even the central canal where the spinal cord and the nerves are,” said Kapoor.
Once a doctor evaluates you, Kapoor says appropriate imaging can be done, and once the problem is pinned down, you can get the treatment you need.
“Education in terms of the treatments that you’re getting and the condition you have is super important, and taking the time to read and having access to the appropriate resources is important,” said Kapoor.
Kapoor says certain conditions may also put stress onto your low back, including being overweight or having an abnormal weight distribution.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can also cause problems, so experts suggest taking breaks and standing up, walking or stretching some during the work day.