Back Pain and Back Pain Exercises - By: Rod

What is Back Pain?

It is among the most common complaints and usually originates from the spinal structures such as muscles, nerves, bones and joints. Studies show that 70%-85% of individuals in our society will experience low back pain and that over 80% of these individuals will report recurrent episodes. See References.
Non-Specific Back Pain. For most people suffering from back pain, the specific source of the pain cannot be determined. These individuals are said to be suffering from “Non-Specific Back Pain”.

Common Types and Causes.

The following table from “Low Back Pain” published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” (Richard A. Deyo, M.D., M.P.H., and James N. Weinstein, D.O) shows the frequency of different diagnoses for low back pain.

Type Percentage
Lumbar strain / sprain 70.00%
Degenerative processes of disks and facets, usually age related 10.00%
Herniated disk 4.00%
Spinal stenosis 3.00%
Osteoporotic compression fracture 4.00%
Spondylolisthesis 2.00%
Traumatic fracture 1.00%
Congenital disease (Severe kphosis, Severe scoliosis, Transitional vertebrae) 1.00%
Spondylolysis
Internal disk disruption or diskogenic low back pain
Persumed instablity
Neoplasia 0.70%
Infection 0.01%
Inflammatory arthritis 0.30%
Scheuermann's disease (osteochondrosis)
Paget's disease of bone
Visceral Disease (Disease of pelvic organs, Renal disease, Aortic aneurysm,
Gastrointestinal disease) 2.00%
While there are many different diagnoses for people who suffer from back pain, we can see that over 70% are diagnosed as “Lumbar strain or sprain” which is also called “Idiopathic low back pain”, or back pain for no clear reason. However, it has been identified that the lack of control of the deep trunk muscles causes instability of the spine, which is the main cause of pain in the majority of individuals suffering from non-specific back pain.

Diagnostics.

Back pain diagnostics can be very challenging. Medical diagnosis usually focuses on ruling out serious conditions, such as cancer and infection, and involves a thorough evaluation of the medical history and the nature and frequency of the pain. Use of advanced imaging technology such as MRI is helpful in ruling out cancer or as a preparation to a surgery. For most people who suffer from non-specific low back pain, however, the use of imaging technology usually provides no clear connection with the patient’s symptoms.

Treatment Options.

It appears that there is no single treatment that works for all individuals suffering from non-specific back pain. The current common options include:

- Physical Therapy
- Back Exercises
- Manipulation (e.g. by a Chiropractor)
- Massage Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Surgery
- Injections
- Vertebroplasty (bone cement is percutaneously injected into a fractured vertebra in order to stabilize it)
- Cold Compression Therapy
- Inversion Therapy (hanging upside down, allowing gravity to naturally decompress disks and nerve roots)
- Electrotherapy
- Education
- Return to Normal Activities
- Bed Rest

According to academic studies (see References), rapid return to normal activities is the best approach to overcome the acute phase of non-specific low back pain. For the longer term, exercising is the best approach in order to prevent recurrence.

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