Safe Work reveals that Australians spend 76% of their work hours sitting. Sitting that long, a sharp twinge in your lower back may unexpectedly creep in. Enduring such twitching back pain can turn even the simplest tasks into hurdles.
Back pain may disrupt your routine, but you’re not alone in tackling it. By 2050, about 5.23 million Australians may suffer from chronic back pain. Given Aussies’ sedentary lifestyle, the country’s back problems are on the rise due to the lack of preventive steps.
Let’s uncover Australia’s comprehensive statistics on back pain, including its prevalence, causes, prevention, and treatment strategies to combat this health concern head-on.
Overview of Back Pain in Australia
Whether sitting for long hours or lying down, back pain can strike anyone. It often results from twitched muscles, compressed nerves, or disjointed bones from the neck to the buttocks.
Back problems were Australia’s third leading cause of health issues in 2023 alone, affecting 1 in 6 Australians. Let’s examine these details further.
Prevalence of Back Pain Among Australians
ABS reported that around 4 million (16%) Australians suffered from back problems in 2022. While not all back issues translate to chronic pain, its prevalence increases with age. Back pain accounts for 34% of illness and disability among musculoskeletal conditions in Australia.
Musculoskeletal conditions burden (Disability-adjusted life years), by disease, 2023
Source: AIHW 2023
Similar data also suggests that about 15-17% of Aussies living in regional areas were more likely to have back problems than those in major cities. Unfortunately, people with a disability (32%) were four times more likely to have back issues than those without a disability.
Age and Gender Distribution
Although back problems were similarly prevalent for males and females, they tend to occur in older Australians. Among both genders, back problems peak at 55 years and above. As younger people shift to sedentary lifestyles, this trend will likely catapult gradually.
Prevalence of back problems by age and sex, 2022
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Trends in Back Pain Over Time
Across all ages, the number of Australians with back problems declined from 21% (2001) to 16% (2022). While that’s promising, back pain still accounted for 4.3% of the country’s total health issues in 2023, slightly increasing from 3.8% in 2003. In recent years, it’s also the leading cause of burden for Aussies aged 35-54.
Common Causes of Back Pain in Australia
So, what causes back pain? While its cause may vary, 9 out of 10 back pain cases don’t stem from severe medical conditions. Let’s explore common causes of back pain among Australians.
Workplace-Related Back Pain
National data reports that 46.9% of employed Aussie adults spend their entire workday mostly sitting. Records highlight prolonged sitting is evident in over half of adult workers aged 35 and over. With this sedentary time exceeding 6 hours, chronic back pain risks increase by 33% compared to sitting less.
Proportion of adults aged 18–64 years by type of activity at work on a typical work day in the last week and age, 2022:
Source: Physical activity, 2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics
Conversely, heavy labour contributes to back pain. Physically taxing tasks involving lifting, pushing, pulling, or bending account for 24% of work-related injuries. Nursing, construction, warehousing, transportation, and landscaping jobs even report the highest back pain rates.
Lifestyle Factors Contributing to Back Pain
Ever wondered which habits contribute to back pain? Excessive sitting, often with poor ergonomic setups, contributes to improper posture. Slouching, for instance, can strain the back muscles, shoulder blades, and spine.
Meanwhile, lack of exercise can worsen back pain. Physical inactivity weakens back muscles, increasing injury risk. Even excess body weight adds load to the spine during movements, leading to tensed and tightened back muscles.
Medical Conditions Associated with Back Pain
Medical conditions like osteoarthritis wear down spinal joints, leading to lower back stiffness and reduced flexibility. Lower back pain affects 1 in 4 or 7 Australians at any time. Bone fractures due to osteoporosis can also cause throbbing back pain.
When the spinal joints deteriorate due to injuries, excessive pressure builds up and squeezes the cushion-like discs (herniated discs). This bulging disc can press nearby nerves, like sciatic nerves (sciatica), often leaving a painful shock-like sensation shooting down your leg. Around 5-10% of patients suffering from back pain have sciatica.
The Impact of Back Pain on Australian Lives
Chronic back pain can disrupt daily routines, limiting social, community, and occupational interactions. More than three-quarters (77%) of Aussies enduring this are of working age. Let’s briefly delve into its high impact on Australian lives.
Economic Costs of Back Pain
The Australian health system exhausted around $3.4 billion for back problems in 2020-21. Despite that spending, over 80% of Aussies with back problems still have chronic pain. Such a burden explains why back problems remain the country’s top cause of lost work productivity and income poverty.
Quality of Life Effects
While only 12% perceived excellent health, around 8.9% of Australians with chronic back problems reported poor life quality. That’s double the general population’s record (4.4%) in 2014-15. Additionally, about 6.8% of patients had experienced high psychological distress, higher than that experienced by the general public (3.7%).
Source: Impacts of chronic back problems (AIHW)
Back Pain and Disability Rates
Given that only 11% of Aussies with back problems experience no pain, a huge portion encounter mild to severe discomfort. In 2012, about 1.2 million (28%) persons with a disability had chronic back problems. Of those, about 43% had limited activities, and 77% could not work.
Chiropractic Care as a Solution for Back Pain
While 75% of people with back pain recover without treatment, you don’t have to endure the pain before it subsides. Harvard Health reports that patients with low back pain had less discomfort, improved function, and higher satisfaction after receiving chiropractic care.
How Chiropractic Adjustments Help Back Pain
While most patients opt for pain relief medications, chiropractic care is a natural, effective solution to relieve muscle tension and discomfort. Chiropractors specialise in hands-on manipulation to restore spinal alignment and function.
Chiropractors can ease back pain, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation through gentle adjustments and trigger point therapy. Chiropractic care also includes exercise prescriptions to help you strengthen core back muscles, reducing injury risks.
Success Rates of Chiropractic Care
Across Australia, about 2.31 million patients visit chiropractors annually. Healthcare clinicians found that adding chiropractic care to standard medical care boosts treatment outcomes, with 73% of patients having better pain relief than standard care alone (17%).
Source: Chiropractic Outcomes & Patient Satisfaction Synopsis — ChiroUp
One study also shows that starting low back pain treatment with chiropractic care saves 40% compared to initiating therapy with a medical doctor. That supports why 49.7% of patients with low back pain attend chiropractor care.
Why Choose MVMT Sports Chiro for Back Pain
At MVMT Sports Chiro, we provide superior chiropractic care tailored to your needs and conditions. Our highly skilled chiropractors use advanced techniques to deliver optimal results.
MVMT Sports Chiro offers a patient-focused care approach to prioritise your well-being. We provide exercise programs, posture education, and lifestyle modifications to help you maintain spinal health and avoid future injuries.
Preventing Back Pain in Everyday Life
Avoiding back pain is simple unless you have a predisposed spine, bone, or joint condition. Minor adjustments to your daily work routines and lifestyle are key to curtailing back pain risks.
Ergonomic Tips for Office Workers
Given most Aussies’ work settings, prolonged sitting has been the norm. However, sitting less than 75% of work time notably lower back pain risks. Here are ergonomic tips to help prevent back pain at work:
Posture Improvement: To maintain proper posture, sit straight with a slight curve at the lower spine, keep your feet flat on the floor, and position your monitor at eye level.
Optimise Desk Setup: Invest in an ergonomic chair with height adjustment and adequate lumbar support. To switch from sitting to standing, opt for a standing desk.
Prioritise Regular Breaks: Take short breaks every 30 minutes to stand, stretch, and walk around. These micromovements ease muscle tension, stiffness, and pain.
Exercises and Stretches for a Health Back
Exercise alone reduces the risk of lower back pain by 33%. Highly recommended strengthening combines stretching or aerobic exercises 2-3 times weekly. Motor control exercises, yoga, tai chi, and walking programs can reduce pain and back-specific disability.
Lifestyle Changes for Spinal Health
Staying physically active is key to optimal spine health. Engage frequently in moderate activities like walking, swimming, or yoga to maintain a healthy weight and prevent excess strain on your back and spine. Smoking abstinence is also crucial to avoid lumbar spinal diseases.
Future Trends in Back Pain Treatment and Research
Emerging technological advancements are reshaping the landscape of back pain treatment in Australia. Wearable posture trackers, for instance, monitor posture in real time and provide feedback to maintain proper spine alignment and correct harmful habits.
Meanwhile, noninvasive therapies like spinal decompression and electrical stimulation are gaining popularity in treating back pain with minimal side effects. Advances like Injectrode, a flexible lead wire injected near injured nerves, are redefining back pain treatment.
Beyond these, robust preventive care awareness is pivotal in reducing the country’s back pain incidence rates. National initiatives like the Low Back Pain Campaign are instrumental in promoting best practices for back pain prevention. These campaigns help Aussies adopt healthier habits and seek appropriate care early on to deter back issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is back pain in Australia?
The AIHW reveals that back pain affected around 1 in 6 Australians, translating to roughly 4 million in 2022. It’s the third leading cause of the country’s disease burden overall. Of these, around 80% of patients experience chronic pain that requires immediate attention.
What are the leading causes of back pain in Australians?
While the exact cause of back pain may vary, factors such as poor posture, injuries, lifestyle habits, age, and occupational risks (physically demanding jobs) contribute to it. Aussies with existing conditions like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and herniated discs are also likely to encounter back pain.
How does chiropractic care treat back pain?
Chiropractic care offers a natural, noninvasive approach to treating back pain. Chiropractors employ precise manual adjustments to decompress the spine. They also combine advanced techniques such as dry needling, facial manipulation, or laser therapy to relax tight muscles, relieve spasms, and release tension.
What can I do to prevent back pain?
The simplest way to prevent back pain is to maintain proper posture–sitting or standing straight with relaxed shoulders. Avoid prolonged sitting to prevent straining your back. Engage in regular physical activities to strengthen your back muscles, and never bend your back when lifting heavy objects. Use ergonomic setups both at work or sleep to maintain optimal spinal health.
Get Your Expert Chiropractic Care With Us
Even though 1 in 6 Aussies have back problems, this prevalence will likely drop by adopting healthier habits, using proper ergonomics, and staying active. While back discomfort may appear at times, chiropractic care is a natural, safe option to solve back pain before it worsens.
At MVMT Sports Chiropractic, we are experienced chiropractors who provide holistic posture correction and chiropractic care treatments. Call us at 0421 151 778 or book online to see one of our chiropractors in North Strathfield today.
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