Complaints of low back pain is one of two of the major pain complaints that I see in my office everyday.

The Journal of American Osteopathic Association reported in April of 2009 that 100 BILLION dollars per year are spent on low back pain and related conditions. 

That is a staggering figure!

So perhaps you are one of the millions of people that their job requires sitting at a desk all day and by the end of the day your low back hurts.  On the other hand your job may require you to stand all day and your back hurts at the end of the day.

No matter your situation back pain may be a reality.  So what causes the back pain and can anything other than surgery be done for it?

The  number one thing I can do is bring your

awareness to how you sit or stand.

Right now as you read this, without making any adjustments how are you sitting? 

Take note of the position of your sits bones or those bones in your bottom.

Are you sitting on them or are they tucked underneath you like the gentlemen in the picture here.

We don't mean to show skin here but, this is not an unusual picture or posture to see not only on bar stools but also in offices, classrooms and on your couch at home.  These gentlemen are literally sitting on their sacrum rather than on those 'sits' bones.

While this posture in the moment may feel comfortable over time it wreaks havoc on the discs of our low back.  This position anatomically is the exact opposite and least efficient way of how our low back or lumbar vertabrae are meant to bear the weight of our bodies.

This positions puts pressure on the front of our vertbrae pushing the disc out the back side.

I know you have hear this story..."I was just bending over and I went to stand up and I couldn't it hurt so bad".

Ninety-nine out of a hundred times that one time of bending over wasn't what caused the pain.  Rather it was time and time again of sitting, bending and moving the low back improperly and the last time was the straw that broke the camels back.

So what can you do???

1. Be aware of how you are sitting and standing.

2. Practice proper breathing. When performed correctly it can help massage and elongate the spine.

3. Be aware how you move through activities of daily living. 

4.  Bend at your hips rather than your low back when lifting or bending over.

5.  When you sit, sit on your sits bones.  We actually recommend spreading the sits bones apart as you sit.

(This may look silly but, it works.)

6. When you stand avoid tucking your bottom under or  (excuse me) squeezing your cheeks together.

7.  When you stand, stand squarely on both feet.  Avoid the hand on the hip stance, which lead to unequal distribution of your bodyweight on your feet.

8. Be aware of how you move and bear weight during exercise.  (Aproperly trained fitness professional may be able to assist you with this.)

9.  If you have back pain and can't break the pain cycle and or have burning, numbness or tingling see a spine specialist like a chiropractic physician ASAP.

10.  If you have questions about any of the above contact us today.  We are happy to help.

While much of what is listed above may seem like common sense, when our bodies are use to certain patterns or ways of doing things often times a trained expert is needed to help break the cycle of incorrect patterns and help create awareness in the body.

If that is how you feel contact us today.