By Kyle Hamblen & Austin By Kyle Hamblen & Austin IcazaIcaza

OverallOverall The spine is one of The spine is one of

the strongest parts of the strongest parts of the bodythe body

Back pain ranks Back pain ranks second only to second only to headaches as the headaches as the most frequent type of most frequent type of painpain

4 of every 5 adults at 4 of every 5 adults at some time in their life some time in their life will experience low will experience low back pain that causes back pain that causes them to see a doctorthem to see a doctor

Causes of Low Back Causes of Low Back Pain can bePain can be

Lifting something too Lifting something too heavyheavy

Twist too sharplyTwist too sharply Standing on your feet Standing on your feet

for long periods of timefor long periods of time Lack of physical activityLack of physical activity Poor posturePoor posture Being overweightBeing overweight Physical or mental Physical or mental

stressstress Or even the slightest Or even the slightest

thing like a sneezething like a sneeze Sometimes there is no Sometimes there is no

apparent reasonapparent reason

You should see a You should see a doctor if you havedoctor if you have

Severe painSevere pain Pain that Pain that

severely limits severely limits your day-to-day your day-to-day activitiesactivities

Signs or Signs or symptoms that symptoms that don’t improve don’t improve within 1-2 weekswithin 1-2 weeks

What it could beWhat it could be Most often back pain is caused by Most often back pain is caused by

straining a muscle or stretching a straining a muscle or stretching a ligamentligament

About 1% of low back pain is serious, the About 1% of low back pain is serious, the other 99% is related to every day wear other 99% is related to every day wear and tearand tear

Herniated DiskHerniated Disk SpondylosisSpondylosis SciaticaSciatica Spinal StenosisSpinal Stenosis

Muscle Strains/SpasmsMuscle Strains/Spasms The most often cause of low back painThe most often cause of low back pain Where the muscle is pulled or twisted in a Where the muscle is pulled or twisted in a

way it shouldn’tway it shouldn’t In spasms your back is designed to In spasms your back is designed to

immobilize you so you cannot further injure immobilize you so you cannot further injure yourselfyourself

Any movement of the back can cause very Any movement of the back can cause very sharp stabbing painsharp stabbing pain

About 90% heal within four weeks and the About 90% heal within four weeks and the other 10% take longer and can become other 10% take longer and can become chronicchronic

Herniated DiskHerniated Disk Where the jelly-like disk Where the jelly-like disk

between the vertebrae in between the vertebrae in your back bursts or your back bursts or rupturesruptures

Symptoms- numbness in Symptoms- numbness in buttocks or legs, shooting buttocks or legs, shooting pain when pain when coughing/sneezing or coughing/sneezing or straining, one arm or leg is straining, one arm or leg is affectedaffected

Cause- age or excess strainCause- age or excess strain Treatment- will usually heal Treatment- will usually heal

itself in 2-6 weeks with itself in 2-6 weeks with proper rest and no strain on proper rest and no strain on the back, in rare cases an the back, in rare cases an operation is neededoperation is needed

SpondylosisSpondylosis A disorder in which, over A disorder in which, over

time, the spine becomes time, the spine becomes stiff and loses its flexibility stiff and loses its flexibility because the disks between because the disks between the vertebrae narrow and the vertebrae narrow and they become so narrow they become so narrow that bone spurs may that bone spurs may developdevelop

Symptoms- difficulty Symptoms- difficulty moving, pain in the back of moving, pain in the back of your thighs when standingyour thighs when standing

Cause- excessive wear and Cause- excessive wear and tear or agingtear or aging

Treatment- Physical Treatment- Physical therapy, heat or cold, therapy, heat or cold, gentle massage, and pain gentle massage, and pain relieversrelievers

SciaticaSciatica Inflammation of a nerve or compression of a Inflammation of a nerve or compression of a

nerve root in the lower backnerve root in the lower back Symptoms- pain radiating from your lower Symptoms- pain radiating from your lower

back to your buttock to your lower leg threw back to your buttock to your lower leg threw your sciatic nerve, can also cause numbness your sciatic nerve, can also cause numbness or muscle weaknessor muscle weakness

Cause- torsion or a direct blow can cause Cause- torsion or a direct blow can cause abnormal stretching or pressure on the nerveabnormal stretching or pressure on the nerve

Treatment- usually it heals on its own with Treatment- usually it heals on its own with rest in 2-3 weeks, but if severe surgery may rest in 2-3 weeks, but if severe surgery may be necessary, inflammatory medicationbe necessary, inflammatory medication

Spinal StenosisSpinal Stenosis The narrowing of an area in The narrowing of an area in

your spinal canal that causes your spinal canal that causes compression on your spinal compression on your spinal cord and nerve rootscord and nerve roots

Typically affects people over Typically affects people over 50 years old50 years old

Symptoms- Pain in lower Symptoms- Pain in lower back, difficulty walking- back, difficulty walking- especially downhill, especially downhill, progressive progressive numbness/weakness in legs, numbness/weakness in legs, trouble with bladder/ bowel trouble with bladder/ bowel controlcontrol

Cause- Wear & tear, Cause- Wear & tear, osteoarthritis, a previous osteoarthritis, a previous injuryinjury

Treatment- Medication, Treatment- Medication, physical therapy, and bed restphysical therapy, and bed rest

PreventionPrevention The best way to deal with back pain is The best way to deal with back pain is

to prevent itto prevent it Exercise daily!! This is the key to Exercise daily!! This is the key to

prevent low back painprevent low back pain Practice posturePractice posture Lifting correctlyLifting correctly Sleeping properlySleeping properly Avoid stiffnessAvoid stiffness Maintain a healthy weightMaintain a healthy weight

Knee to Chest StretchKnee to Chest Stretch

Lower back Rotational Lower back Rotational StretchStretch

Bridge ExerciseBridge Exercise

Seated Lower Back Seated Lower Back Rotational StretchRotational Stretch

Good PostureGood Posture

Lifting ProperlyLifting Properly

Sleeping ProperlySleeping Properly

On your side On your abdomen On your back

ReferencesReferences Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Mayo Clinic Family Health Book

33rdrd Edition Edition www.mayoclinic.comwww.mayoclinic.com Essentials of Athletic Injury Essentials of Athletic Injury

Management 7Management 7thth Edition Edition