LOWER BACK PAIN

Have you been hurting your back for years with no regard to posture, repeated action and poor care? Your weakest part of your body is the lower back. The lower back's position is extremely susceptible to support and overuse issues. Let's take a look at some of the lower back problems: Back sprain is the back pain associated with quick movements or tweaks to the back. It results from underuse of muscles, lack of a physical exercise and then a sudden burst of movement. It is evident if you notice your back hurting more on one side.

Hip Pain - results from sudden movement much similar to back sprain, but involves the hip joints. The hips are connected to the back in several locations. The pain location can be shooting nerve pain or radiating pain centering on your lower leg mobility.

Herniated (slipped) discs are brought on by a sudden movement, often lifting. They usually affect the lower legs and hips and often feel a heaviness when you wake up the next day on your lower back. Muscle strengthening and chiropractic adjustments are critical in aligning and maintaining proper form for long-term care.

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) is an ailment that affects patients differently. With the right treatment and aggessive maintenance, you can align and adjust your back to not affect your daily routine. Long-term effects of not treating scoliosis include hip, joint and muscle deterioration.

What are the lower back pain symptoms I may not be aware of?

• Sudden giveout of legs while playing sports such as soccer, football, or basketball
• Foot weakness in movement and bending
• Leg pain with numbness, tingling
• Back or leg pain
• Morning joint stiffness
• Pain in the hip, buttock, thigh, knee or foot

What are herniated discs?

A large majority of people (70-80%) will experience lower back pain. There are 24 vertebrae of your spine are separated by plates of cartilage called discs. Sometimes called a slipped or ruptured disk, a herniated disk most often occurs in your lower back. It is one of the most common causes of low back pain, as well as leg pain (sciatica).

Herniated Discs Risk Factors

Aging has been the largest risk factor for herniated discs, but lifestyle, gender, and weight factors play a large role. Men between 30 and 50 are the most at risk. Using poor form while lifting extremely heavy objects such as using your lower back muscles instead of your leg muscles after a long day of work can directly lead to a herniated disc.

Some patients have larger weight imbalances and this factor alone leads to increased risk of lower back injury due to the force applied by the extra weight. Repetitive activities have been shown to cause lower back injury and workplaces that require lower back usage such as heavy lifting and sudden movements can lead to a direct injury.

What are some of the typical symptoms of herniated discs?

• Back pain
• Leg and/or foot pain (sciatica)
Numbness or a tingling sensation in the leg and/or footWeakness in the leg and /or footLoss of bladder or bowel control (extremely rare)

Can chiropractic help?

Chiropractors are perfectly suited for treatment of lower back pain from disc bulging, nerve impingement and weak lower back, hip or thigh muscles. Through x-ray and clinical examination, a chiropractor can locate the source of the problem and take corrective action.

Need Help Finding Info?

Our Hours/Location