Walking reduces back pain
Almeria/The spine is an anatomical region that is quite often injured both at work and in personal life. Not all of them are predisposed equally. Those who are most prone to back injuries These may be those who carry the load and exert significant effort. but also those activities in which, even if no significant effort is exerted, poor posture is the normal norm. Low back pain is the most common cause of sick leave among the world’s working population. 80% of the population suffers from lower back pain at least once during their lifetime.
How is it produced?
The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae. Between each vertebra there is a disc, which is a kind of cushion whose function is to cushion stress or shock, as if it were a shock absorber. Aging of the intervertebral disc This causes a decrease in the height of the spine with a tendency for said disc to migrate backwards as said “pad” has lost water and elasticity and with it its ability to cushion weight and stress. This represents stress on the articular surfaces of the spine and premature aging of the spine.
If you continue to do the same incorrect activities, your lumbar discs will chronically deteriorate and you will experience lower back pain. When this situation continues, a herniated disc may occur. More than 90% of hernia cases occur in the posterolateral direction at the vertebral level. L4-L5 And L5-S1followed by compression of the corresponding nerves L5 And C1.
Clinical manifestation
Low back pain (lumbodynia), whether or not related to leg pain, is particularly common. This pain is caused by changes in the structures that form the spine at this level: ligaments, muscles, intervertebral discs and vertebrae. We will call this pain acute if it lasts for a short time, a few days or a few weeks. Pain is defined as chronic if it lasts more than three months. The lumbar spine is the last segment spine and the area that supports the most weight. Therefore, injuries occur more often.
In the first phase of the disease, pain is localized only in the spine and surrounding muscles. It usually does not spread to the legs. The patient is very rigid. Pain can disrupt your sleep.
The pain is worse with activities such as lifting heavy objects, bending forward, sneezing or coughing, or sitting.
When low back pain is caused by a herniated disc, the patient notices lower back pain that radiates to both buttocks or just one and can reach through the back of the thigh to the foot. Depending on the level at which the hernia is located, the patient will notice pain. The pain worsens with activities such as lifting heavy objects., leaning weight forward, sneezing or coughing, or sitting and decreasing while resting and resting in bed while a pillow is placed under the knees to keep them bent. When a damaged root L5The pain radiates to the posterolateral aspect of the thigh, the back of the calf, and the inside of the foot. When is it affected C1, sciatica has a similar distribution in the thigh and calf, but radiates to the lateral part of the foot. Recurrent episodes of pain are very common, meaning that a patient initially treated with intramuscular corticosteroids improves significantly. However, very often the pain returns if the patient does not change his work activity or continues to “rape” his back.
Diagnostic methods
The next step is to check for a herniated disc using Nuclear magnetic resonance. Interesting to spend reception spine to evaluate and exclude the presence of associated injuries such as tumors, fractures or rheumatic processes. With both tests, we can assess the size of the hernia, if any, its location, and damage to adjacent structures. This is also important when planning a possible operation. Very often in NMR you can see some dark-colored disk, although it is normal for it to be light. This indicates the chronic nature of the injury.
Care
Most patients respond to pain management with anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and rest. To reduce disc pressure on the root, patients usually sleep on their side, avoiding standing or sitting. The most effective treatment consists of intramuscular injections of corticosteroids, which cause a very powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It is not advisable to overdo it with repeating injection cycles, no more than two or three cycles per year. If the pain gets worse, other analgesics such as tramadol can be added.
When the pain has subsided significantly, physiotherapeutic treatment. The goal should be to reduce muscle contractures and relieve symptoms.
When at least two months have passed since conservative treatment based on medication and physical therapy treatment, and the pain has not subsided, you can consider several options:
-Surgical treatment is reserved for cases where pain is not controlled in the above manner, or if there is progression or worsening symptoms such as nerve root palsy, urinary retention or loss of sphincter control, in short, when the patient’s quality of life suffers.
The purpose of the operation is to reduce blood pressure. The procedure involves a small “scraping” of the posterior facets of the vertebra, called a laminectomy, to remove the compressed disc fragment. Symptom relief is impressive and the result is satisfactory in 85-90% of patients. Recurrence of the hernia is observed in only 5% of patients who have undergone surgery.
/ Javier Alonso
Walking helps reduce back pain
In a study recently published in the journal Lancet, two groups of people suffering from chronic back pain were compared. The first group was recommended. walk for at least 30 minutes several times a week, accompanied by exercises under the supervision of physiotherapists. For the second group – nothing.
The former reduced the number of episodes of low back pain, both in the number of days each crisis lasted and in the time between them, which was 208 days. In the second group, a pain crisis occurred every 112 days and lasted an average of five days longer. It also halved the amount of sick leave in the first group.
Apparently, both walking and exercise have a beneficial effect on the muscles of the so-called BASIC (abdominal, pelvic floor and quadriceps muscles) also relieve stress and release dopamine and oxytocin – hormones of pleasure and well-being. Walking helps reduce the risk of back pain.