Recently I have had people ask me more about LBP (lower back pain)
LBP has been found to be the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence around the globe.
It can last for a couple of days through to a few years, but most cases seem to be sporadic in nature with no set time frame.
Age is the most common factor influencing LBP. Many studies have found the 30 to 40 age group to be the most commonly affected.
Factors which are found to increase the risk of LBP
• stress
• anxiety
• depression
• job dissatisfaction
• low levels of social support in the workplace
There is growing evidence, that some of the above factors can help turn this back pain from an acute issue into a chronic problem.
It isn’t just job dissatisfaction that can cause LBP, but also whether the work is monotonous and how demanding the work is.
The impacts of LBP
Firstly it is painful for the individual, this is a given.
This pain then limits activity.
If you start trying to accommodate the pain by changing your movement patterns, you will do more long term damage.
Muscles that shouldn’t be doing a specific movement take over, and the muscles that should be doing the movement get weaker.
This can then cause a whole host of issues and injuries. The quicker you get treatment, the less likely you are building up bigger problems for the future!