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Ask Dr. Trupo of Cape Chiropractic

- Private group -
August 1, 2013

What can cause lower back Injuries?

Poor posture, improper lifting and the lack of body conditioning over the years can make your back, particularly your lower back, prone to injury. This can lead to excruciating, debilitating pain. Chiropractors can correct the subluxations which cause the pain using spinal adjustments and other techniques. Once the subluxations are cleared, the pain will go away and your body will function properly again.

Lower back pain is made up of several different low back problems including vertebral subluxations, injured discs, muscle strain and ligament sprain, scoliosis, and sciatica among others.

Back sprain, is often caused by a sudden movement, lifting heavy and /or abnormal positioning. The same movement in someone with a healthy spine would not cause problems, but in someone that has been abusing their spine for years, this movement can cause painful problems. Back sprain is felt as sudden pain in the area of injury, and can cause difficulty in changing positions or even walking. It is not unusual to see someone with this syndrome leaning to one side or another.

Sudden movements, often lifting, can bring on an injury also known as a herniated disc. Small, spongy discs cushion the bones that form the spine in your back. When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers and keep the spine flexible. The discs are subject to injury, disease, and degeneration with use over time and certain activities increase the risk damage or deterioration. When damaged, the disc can bulge or rupture. This bulging or rupturing causes severe pain in the back and legs.

Muscle and ligament problems are often caused by poor posture. It may also be due to an untreated back injury in the past. If you have this kind of problem, your symptoms will include chronic backaches and possible muscle spasms.

Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine. This is most common among teenage girls, but can be seen in all populations.

If you have pain in the hip, buttock, posterior thigh, calf, or foot, you may have sciatica – pain and numbness in areas supplied by the sciatic nerve. If you have sciatica, you may feel a crawling sensation or be unable to walk on your toes. The most frequent cause of sciatica is due to misalignment of vertebra of the lower spine or pelvis causing compression of the roots of the sciatic nerve. This causes inflammation to the nerve and pain to your body.

So, are lower back injuries really something to worry about? If you are having trouble functioning, then the answer is yes! Even if the pain goes away in a few days, the problems may still exists and you will repeatedly find that your back hurts or that you get injured over and over again.

If you have ever had the following, then seeing a chiropractor is warranted:

  • Leg pain with numbness, tingling and/or weakness?
  • Back or leg pain with coughing or sneezing?
  • Difficulty standing up after sitting for any period of time?
  • Morning stiffness?
  • Pain after extended walking?
  • Pain in the hip, buttock, thigh, knee or foot?

Please call Lisa at our office to get help with your low back!

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