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Lower Back Pain

Injury Prevention

Arm Muscle Pain

BackPain:PreventionandTreatment
SarahSerres,AmandaMarsh,JennaForal&AllenJacksonofChadron
StateCollegeexplorerthepreventionandtreatmentofbackpain.

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The human body is the entire physical structure of a human organism. Ones
phenotype (physiological properties) is first determined by genetics and
secondly by postnatal factors such as diet and exercise. By the time the
human reaches adult-hood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells.
Each is part of an organ system designed to perform essential life functions,
and as we progress through the developmental stages of life we are
[3]
challenged by many conditions that can be prevented - (Dunbar 2008) One
of the most common sites of injury, regardless of the sport, is the lower back
[2]
region - (Dunbar 2008) .
Everyone knows someone who experiences back pain or may be suffering
from back problems themselves. Many Americans suffer from acute or short
term pain which generally lasts a few days, to a few weeks. It can interfere
with a person's daily routines, exercise activities and careers. There is a large
number of causes for lower back pain; for example, weak or inflexible
hamstrings in runners can often create problems with the most common
cause, muscular strains. This happens when an unexpected force, twist, or
pull is applied to one or several of the lower back muscles. Ligamentous
sprains, another cause of discomfort, occurs when the ligaments of the back
[9]
are unduly stretched - (Inverarity 2007) .

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[9]

Inverarity (2007) stated; four out of five adults

experience symptoms of lower back pain. The
back is made up of "33 vertebrae, over 30
muscles, numerous ligaments, multiple joints,
and inter-vertebral discs". As seen, there are
many structures that can cause discomfort if
injured or affected.
Back pain causes limited flexibility and mobility
as well as limiting ones range of motion, so
conditioning of the muscles that maintain posture
should form part of everyone's training program, regardless of the discipline
[3]
or sporting standard. (Dunbar 2008)
Throughout this article we will provide information which will allow for a better
understanding of the likely hood of suffering from back pain, and how many of
these conditions can be treated or prevented.
Nearly everyone is at risk of having back pain at some point in their lives.
Approximately 70-80% of adults suffer from some sort of back pain. Studies
conducted in Atlanta, Dallas and Seattle showed that 37% of males
experience back pain compared to 63% of females (McPhillips-Tangum 1998)
[11]
. For both genders, back problems often occurs between the ages of 30 to

50 years of age, usually after most competitive activities are far behind us
[12]
with the blame being placed on the normal aging process. (Ninds 2008)
.
We strongly dispute the hypotheses that back problems are mainly due to the
ageing process. In many situations the occurrence of back pain is a direct
result of muscular imbalances. If such imbalances are left unchecked the
discomfort may inhibit activity thus contributing to a sedentary, inactive
lifestyle. By strengthening and stretching the muscles of the lower back and
abdominal regions you can help reduce or prevent many problems leading to
[9]
back pain - (Inverarity 2007) .
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Muscular Pain
Neck Pain Injury

MuscularFunction
Not only do muscles move bones, they hold the skeletal systems together and
maintain balance through dynamic tension in the musculoskeletal system.
Muscles act much like guy wires by maintaining the integrity of the skeletal
system and. skeletal balance is maintained by opposing muscles. When a
muscle is weaker than the one opposing it, the opposing muscle becomes
tight and the body segment controlled by those muscles will be out of balance
[6]
- (Cuthbert 2008) .

Muscle Balance

Out of Balance

Studies have shown that a high percentage of people with back pain have
nothing more than tight back muscles as a result somatic dysfunction, or
more easily understood, a muscular imbalance between the lower back and
abdominal muscles in correlation with the origin of a the muscle, and
[4]
mechanical postural dysfunctions (Duvall et al. 2008) . Physical dysfunctions
develop over time and are the direct result of imbalances between various
muscle groups, what we call "muscle imbalances".

Muscle Balance

Muscle Imbalance

Back pain is real and in all probability the most common job related injury or
disability occurring in the United States and is a leading contributor to missed
[12]
work (Ninds 2008)
. Four out of every five women experience back pain
sever enough to keep them from work. An estimated 72% of Caucasians living
in the U.S. suffer from back pain while Black Americans rated second highest
with 18%. Pacific Islanders were next with 7.4% and Hispanic Americans
[11]
came in last with 1.9% (McPhillips-Tangum 1998)
.
We have already discussed some causes of back pain with muscle strain being
a leading factor. Strains often result from participation in sports, housework,
lifting of children or simple overuse. We feel that through a well designed
training program designed to address the strength and endurance of the
anterior and posterior core and hip area muscle strain can be greatly
minimized.
Injury is another cause; this includes a direct injury to the back or spinal
column, or a sudden jolt sustained in a car accident. Other causes include
stress, pregnancy, inappropriate posture and poor sleeping positions. Again,
proper conditioning that would include addressing both the lower back and
abdominal areas would minimize the occurrence of back problems relating to
the factors just mentioned.
[12]

Weight gain and obesity also contribute to back pain (Ninds 2008)
but, the
main reasoning, regardless of overuse, injury, stress or pregnancy, is that
muscles acting in unison (agonists vs. antagonists) are typically out of balance
in regard to strength and endurance. These Imbalances occur when certain

muscles are overdeveloped in one area of the body while the opposing
muscles (antagonists) are weak and stretched out of their normal position.
Muscular imbalances happen anywhere on the body and often develop due to
improper training of the muscle groups, thus affecting our daily routine. There
are many treatments available for all kinds of back pain; surgery, antiinflammatory drugs, over the counter pain relievers, hot and cold
compressions, or even deep tissue massage. While some of these treatments
may cure back pain, the best way to reduce or stop back pain is through
exercise programs that address a balancing of the muscular system.
Muscle balance is a vital component to injury prevention. Regardless of your
choice of exercise one must focus on muscle balance. Muscle groups work in
pairs and there needs to be a balance in training both the agonist as well as
the antagonist muscle group for each body segment, resulting in equality in
regard to strength and flexibility. As an example, we flex the elbow by using
the biceps muscle while the contraction is controlled by the antagonistic
muscle, the triceps. The triceps muscle must be willing to stretch for the bicep
[2]
muscle to contract for flexion to occur at the elbow - (Delzeit 2002) .
The focus of muscle balance involves eliminating the strength imbalance
between two opposing muscle groups. For the young athlete this may also be
a limiting factor in the development of overall speed. As coaches and trainers
one must be cognizant of Muscular balance testing to compare the strength of
opposing muscle groups. It is extremely important to the prevention of injury
and assists in the development of maximum speed and improved
performance. If not addressed through a well thought out and disciplined
training program muscle imbalances can slow down and possibly result in
[10]
injury to the young athlete - (Mackenzie 2008)
.

MinimizingtheRisk
Anyone can benefit from stretching the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft
tissues of the human body. Anyone who suffers from back pain should focus
on stretching the neck, back, hips, glutes and hamstrings All of these areas
are important in the support of the spinal column. It is important to stretch
properly by moving into all stretches slowly and avoid bouncing. You should
feel the muscles stretching but it should not cause pain. Hold the stretch for
30-45 seconds allowing the muscles and joints to become loose. It may take a
few weeks or even months of stretching to notice the change in spinal
[13]
mobility, but back pain relief should follow (Ullrich 2007)
(Ullrich 2007a)
[14]
.
Flexion exercises stretch the muscles and ligaments in the back and neck, as
well as strengthen stomach muscles. These types of exercises are best for
[13]
[14]
people who find relief by sitting down (Ullrich 2007)
(Ullrich 2007a)
.
An example of a flexion stretch is the chin-to-chest stretch. Begin in a
standing or sitting position, gently bend the head forward while bringing the
chin toward the chest until a stretch is felt in the back of the neck (Ullrich
[13]
[14]
2007)
(Ullrich 2007a)
. The back flexion exercise is another example;
begin lying on one's back and pull both knees to the chest simultaneously,
while flexing the head forward until a comfortable stretch is felt in a balled up
[13]
[14]
position (Ullrich 2007)
(Ullrich 2007a)
.
Low impact aerobic exercise is another way to improve function of the back.
Performing 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercises can release endorphins, a
biochemical of the body that is a natural pain killer. This can help reduce the
pain and also help decrease the dependency of prescribed pain medication.
Recommended low impact aerobic exercises are; walking, elliptical trainer,
[13]
swimming, water aerobics and the stationary bike (Ullrich 2007)
(Ullrich
[14]
2007a)
. However, when anyone starts an aerobic exercise plan, they

should start off with shorter, easier workouts and then increase the time as
[7]
they proceed and back pain lessens (Erstad 2006) .
The importance of doing any strengthening exercises for back pain is to help
relieve the pain as well as help make the recovery process quicker and
strengthen the back. The first thing to remember when performing any
exercise is to use proper form to prevent any further injury. Never perform an
exercise where the back is not supported.
Strengthening exercises can include extension and flexion exercises.
Extension exercises strengthen back muscles and help to stretch the tissue
along the spine. These exercises are best for people who find relief by
standing and walking. Some examples are the press- up back extension and
[7]
alternating arm and leg exercise (Erstad 2006) . The press-up back
extension can be performed on a machine with weights, or with one's own
body weight. The alternating arm and leg exercise can be done by lying flat on
one's back and bringing up the right arm and left leg together for a count of
one, then repeat the step with the opposite side.
There are many everyday things to take into consideration to help decrease
back pain. Simple and effective techniques are discussed that can prevent
pain as well as preventing a trip to the doctor's office. First each person
should consider the positions of their spine which should be in a neutral
position. Practice standing with your back, shoulders and heels against a wall.
Second, make sure you a sitting properly with back up tall, and your hips and
knees at a 90 degree angle. Women should take into consideration the
amount of weight they have in their purse, decide what is really needed and
what is not. If women are carrying around more than 5 to 10 pounds in their
purse, they have a greater chance of back pain.
Keep in mind that there are many remedies to help reduce and relieve back
pain and many steps one can take to reduce the risk of developing chronic
back pain. The bones, muscles and ligaments in our backs are needed in order
for us to function in our everyday lives; it is important that they are not taken
for granted. Take some of these exercises and examples that we have
provided for you into consideration, however please consult your doctor
before attempting any exercise.

References
1. ALEXANDER (n.d) Precision muscle balancing technology-in brief. The
Institute of Precision Muscle Balancing
2. DELZEIT, L. (2002) Aqua aerobics class. [WWW] Available from:
https://wellness.lattc.edu/aquatics/aqua.html
3. DUNBAR, J. (2008) Abdominal muscle exercises, lower back pain
exercises and injury prevention. Peak Performance
4. DUVALLl, R. et al. (2008) How to finally get lasting pain relief. The
Healthy Back
5. COHEN, I. (2002) Aggressive exercise as treatment for chronic low back
pain. Sports Med, 32 (1), p. 75-82
6. CUTHBERT, S. (2008) The Professional use of Applied Kinesiology
manual muscle testing. Applied Kinesiology: Rationale, Science and
Evidence
7. ERSTAD, S. (2006) Low back pain: exercises to reduce pain. [WWW]
Available from: https://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthyliving/fitness/injuries/back-pain/lower-back-pain
8. GLUCKMAN, G. (2008) Muscle balance and function development.
[WWW] Available from:
https://www.musclebalancefunction.com/biography.html
9. INVERARITY, L. (2007) Common causes of back pain. WWW] Available
from:
https://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/backpain/a/Causesbackpain.htm
10. MACKENZIE, B. (2008) Muscle strength and balance checks. [WWW]
Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/sambc.htm
11. McPHILLIPS-TANGUM, C. (1998) Reasons for repeated medical visits
among patients with chronic back pain. J Gen Intern Med. 13 (5), p.
289-295.
12. NINDS (2008) Low back pain. National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke
13. ULLRICH, P. (2007) Low-impact aerobic exercise. [WWW] Available
from: https://www.spine-health.com
14. ULLRICH, P. (2007a) Stretching for Back Pain Relief. [WWW] Available
from: https://www.spine-health.com

PageReference
If you quote information from this page in your work then the reference for
this page is:

 JACKSON, A. et al. (2009) Back Pain: Prevention and Treatment [WWW]

Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article052.htm
[Accessed 3/11/2016]

AbouttheAuthors
Sarah Serres, Amanda Marsh, and Jenna Foral are upper level students at
Chadron State College and plan on going into exercise related professions.
Allen Jackson is an assistant professor with the department of Health, Physical
Education, and Recreation at Chadron. He encourages learners to voice their
opinions and share ideas with the educational community.

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