Chronic back pain is a distressing condition for many Australians. It disrupts Aussies’ daily grind, impeding normal routines at home or work. Untreated, this can diminish life quality.

With new technologies, things can be done quickly, which means less taxing doddle tasks. Still, this won’t rectify your back problems, especially if you have backbreaking work!             

As back pain becomes more prevalent, finding the best treatment is crucial. Learn why good posture mitigates this condition and how chiropractic care provides effective relief.

Eye-Opening Back Pain Statistics

Back pain is one of the leading causes of work-loss days. On what scale? This condition affects 619 million people globally and is likely to increase due to the ageing population. It’s like a global epidemic, affecting roughly 10% of the world’s population.

Across Australia, about one in six lives with this condition. This tremendously impacts patients’ productivity and quality of life. Here are some shocking back pain statistics in the country:

  • 4 million (16%) Aussies experience back problems
  • Second most common reason why people go to their family doctor
  • One of the top 5 reasons people present to emergencies
  • 80% of Australians experience back pain in their lifetime
  • $4.8 billion annually spent by the healthcare system on back pain costs
  • 4.3% of Australia’s total disease burden accounts for back pain
  • No. 1 cause of lost work productivity is back problems
  • $3.2 billion GDP loss due to reduced working hours

These figures are concerning. One reason is its direct cost, especially for individuals’ treatment expenses in managing back pain. This can often result in absenteeism, reducing your productivity at work.

Your business can also suffer from workdays lost due to chronic back pain. This disability hampers overall productivity. It’s even the most common reason why middle-aged Australians retire early. 

Common Causes of Back Pain

Back pain can be diagnosed without imaging scans. While pain varies in each person, there’s no conclusive cause for this condition. Often, it can be a combination of the following:

Muscle and Ligament Strain

This often results from overstretched or torn muscles and ligaments. You can strain these when lifting heavy objects or doing sudden movements. Even with proper form, lifting increases the risk of back strain, especially if you have poor physical condition.

Herniated Discs

Each bone in the spine contains a gel-like disc that acts as a shock absorber. When this disc bulges out, it presses nerves, which may result in back or even leg pain. 

These discs easily rupture as you age. The pain from it often gets better by maintaining good posture and practising safe lifting. In a worst-case scenario, surgery is needed.

Arthritis

Spinal arthritis often causes inflammation and damage to the joint. It’s when the joints in your spinal column swell, narrowing the space around the spinal cords. This can lead to stiffness, pain and limited spine and lower back motion.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is often a long-term condition that causes bones to become brittle and weak. It can also result in spinal fractures, which may cause back pain. Lifestyle changes and prescriptive medicine help strengthen bones to prevent this chronic condition.

The Role of Posture in Preventing Back Pain

You understand at a young age that bad posture is socially undesirable. Unless your spine naturally curves since birth, habitual slouching may aggravate your back and spinal condition.

Good posture is one centuries-old belief associated with spine health. While there’s no perfect posture, correctly aligning your body reduces the risk of ligament stress and muscle strain. It helps you distribute your weight evenly, reducing stress on your spine and lower back.

How can poor posture affect you? Realizing that staring downward at your phone or laptop excessively hurts your neck and back doesn’t take much thinking. This misaligned posture stresses your lower back’s muscles, joints, and ligaments.

Accustomed to poor posture may result in chronic pain, joint strain, reduced mobility, and other spine-related problems. You can consciously avoid these issues in the long run by practising good posture.

Chiropractic Care for Back Pain and Posture Improvement

Staying sedentary will not ease your back pain unless personal medical advice says otherwise. You might also consider lying down straight and taking tablets to manage the discomfort.

Actively moving around is crucial to alleviating back pain. When managing chronic pain, one key thing to remember is that ‘motion is your lotion’. Chiropractic care is an effective and reliable way to restore this motion gradually. 

Chiropractic therapy is an effective way to relieve pain in your spine and lower back. Expert teams like MVMT Sports Chiropractor conduct a clinical assessment first to assess the extent of your back pain, which often causes leg discomfort. 

Here’s how chiropractic care helps your back pain and improves posture:

  • Targeted Adjustment: Gentle, precise adjustments can ease pain and improve physical function, ensuring correct alignment of the spine, ligaments, and joints.
  • Fascial Manipulation: Deep massage can help loosen muscles and joints, indirectly easing back pain.
  • Dry Needling: Dry needling stimulates blood flow, easing muscle contraction in your lower back.
  • Laser Therapy: High-level laser therapy provides you with tremendous relief from chronic back pain and stimulates nerve and tissue regeneration.
  • Neuro Rehab: Rehabilitation helps you develop a strengthened and stabilised body, which is crucial for fully recovering from spine, neck, or back injuries.
  • Spinal Manipulation: Correcting spine alignment relieves joints and improves nerve function, effectively treating back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Stress Management: Meditation and deep breathing can help reduce stress, which can negatively impact back pain and posture.

Chiropractic care offers a myriad of benefits. While it’s highly beneficial, consulting with a qualified service provider like MVMT Sports Chiropractor is best. Subsequent visits to a reliable chiropractor can help prevent potential back or spine issues from escalating into severe pain.

Tips for Improving Posture to Reduce Back Pain

Aside from chiropractic care, self-management is crucial to restore normal spinal movement. You can gradually return to minimal tasks by doing meaningful activities. Prolonged bed rest may delay your recovery from chronic back pain.

Once you slowly resume physical activities, try improving your posture. Here are some tips to improve posture to reduce back pain risks:

At the Office

On average, Aussies may sit for over 75% of their time at work. Thus, investing in ergonomic office items is important to help improve your posture. You can opt for an office chair with adequate lumbar support, armrest, and adjustable seat height. 

If you’re short, you can use a footrest to reach the floor while sitting. Position your monitor at eye level and keep essential items within reach. This office setup may enhance your posture to prevent back or spinal pain.

During Physical Activity

When lifting items, bend your knees, not your waist, to maintain proper posture. You can incorporate basic exercises into your daily routine to strengthen your core muscles. Doing so helps you maintain good posture and avoid straining your back or spine.

While Sleeping

The right sleep position often feels the most comfortable. During sleep, opt for a mattress that adequately supports your spine. Consider sleeping on your side or back with pillows under your knees. Lying on your stomach is likely to strain your neck and back.

Experience Expert Relief with MVMT Sports Chiro

The staggering statistics of back pain convey a clear message that it’s a universal experience. It’s a silent epidemic that affects people of all ages. You can prevent and manage back pain by enhancing body alignments and posture with chiropractic care.

Make a booking online to see one of our experienced chiropractors in North Strathfield today!