backpainAccording to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time1.  In most cases, back pain is not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, fracture, cancer, etc.—rather, it is caused by lifestyle.

If your profession requires you to bend over frequently, you most likely have back discomfort. This causes missed work and out of pocket costs to alleviate the pain. In fact, Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain—and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.2

Why does your back hurt when you bend over? Chiropractor, Dr. Michael Noonan shares that his patients who come in with back pain are looking for an answer to what causes their back pain. The answer is that the pain is usually a result of a problem that builds up gradually over time and then seems to come out of nowhere when the damage and pain becomes more acute.

Medically speaking, the answer lies in the nerve supply to the spine—you can feel some things when they are happening, but the pain threshold is pretty high. It’s like being able to taste and feel food when we chew it but by the time it gets to the digestive tract we are not really aware of it at all. Thus, an ulcer can develop without any symptoms at all.

Most people think that your back gives out as a result of tension that has been building up in the muscles. This is partially true, but the root of the problems usually stems from the joints. Stress and inflammation can build up in them without any signs or symptoms until what seems suddenly, you feel the pain and your body forces you to protect that joint. Bending over frequently is a prime example of activity that builds up over time.

According to Dr. Noonan, most patients try to wait it out when their back goes into spasm, or just get a prescription for a painkiller. But one episode tends to lead to another, and each episode makes it more likely that another will occur. If this cycle is not stopped, it will lead to chronic low back pain, which is so common it’s estimated to have the highest “chronic disease burden” in the world3.

What are some of the symptom of chronic lower back pain that is worsened by certain positions and movements?

Symptoms may include any combination of the following4:

  • Low-level of constant lower back pain punctuated by episodes of severe pain/muscle spasms lasting a few days to a few months
  • Chronic pain that can range from nagging to severe
  • Back pain worsened by sitting
  • Walking, even running, may feel better than sitting/standing
  • Changing positions frequently relieves pain

If you could help eliminate or even decrease the frequency or severity of back pain, would you want to try? The DoorPRO Doorstop is one way to eliminate the need for bending over. When you need to keep the door open—particularly when you are in a profession that requires you to hold a door open several times a day—you need a solution that is easy and effective. For questions on how DoorPRO Doorstop works, contact: info@doorprodoorstop.com.

References:

  1. Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116.
  2. In Project Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville, MD.
  3. DR. MICHAEL NOONAN- Why your back ‘goes out’ when you bend over
  4. Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD, Orthopedic Surgeon (retired) Lower Back Pain Symptoms and Causes