Lower Back Pain Causes and risk factors
Author: Mr. Sanand Kumar (MPH) | Published on July 8th, 2017
Have you ever wondered why we are prone to get the lower back pain very often? What could be the probable reasons? Here is the answer..
The human is quite complex as compared to animals particularly in relation to spinal structure. During the pre-historic period the humans were also just like animals walking on four legs.Over the years man started walking on two legs and started using arms for more useful other purpose. The great boon of evolution comes with significant difficulties and weaknesses. Yet walking upright has its downside. The whole body weight has to bear on legs and the spine. The change in the life style from hunting-gathering to desk job, prolonged sitting, prolonged standing, obesity are the major risk factors of back pain. Humankind is paying for its lofty vision with backaches and neck pain.
Risk factors of back pain
1.Sedentary Life Style: 1/10th of the world workforce working with computers in this era. You are stuck with your chair and computer for long time. Prolonged sitting is definitely a one reason which causes back pain. The poor posture maintenance while working will cause pain in the back.
2.Obesity: It is one of the specific risk factor which will lead to back pain. The overweight will increase pressure on your joints and spine and cause back pain in some part of life.
3.Aging: As the Individual age there are increased chances of getting backache due to weakening of the bones. After 30 years individuals are prone to disc prolapse, slipped disc etc. After 60 years of age the pain will due to osteoarthritis.
4.Due to occupation: The few category of occupation are having high risk of causing lower back pain. Few jobs which include lifting weight, prolonged standing, prolonged sitting, will cause injury to the back.
5. Lower back due to pregnancy: The pregnancy will alter the body posture. Due to increase in the size of belly and sudden weight gain.
Causes of Back pain
1.Lumbar herniated disc:- When the disc in the lumbar region of the spinal cord inflame and break through the tough layer surrounding it will irritate the nerve root which is nearby. The herniated disc will compress and irate the nerve root leads to severe pain. This herniation may happen due to a sudden injury or prolonged pressure on the disc.
2.Degenerative disc disease:- When we age the inter-vertebral disc become weak and loses the water content. And also due to lose of calcium in the body will leads to develop tears and disc may become herniated. If left untreated the disc will collapse and cause stenosis.
3.Facet joint dysfunction:- The discs in the spinal cord are covered by two facet joints from behind at motion segment. These facet joints contain cartilage between the bones which are encircled by capsular ligament. These joints are richly supplied by the nerves. When the joint are get inflamed due to many reasons cause pain in the back.
4.Sacroiliac joint dysfunction:- The sacroiliac joint is one of the major joint in the body which connects the sacrum and spine. This joint basically a strong and low motion joint which absorbs tension and shock between the lower body and the upper body. The prolonged sitting leads to less movement of the joint also cause pain and when it is too much in motion also cause pain due to inflammation.
5.Spinal stenosis:- It is a condition caused due age factor and arthritis. The spinal canal will become abnormally narrowed affecting spinal canal movement leads to pain and numbness in the lower back.
6.Spondylolisthesis:- It is displacement of one vertebra over the other. This displacement mainly occurs in the fifth lumbar vertebra. This condition may occur due to degeneration, traumatic, isthmic, pathological or postsurgical complications. This condition leads to stiffening of the back and hamstrings associated with lower back pain.
7.Osteoarthritis:- This is one of the degenerative conditions of the joint mainly associated with aging, lack of nourishment, injury which results from break down of the cartilage in the joint. The degeneration of the joints in long term causes inflammation, instability and stiffness
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