That is not a typo, data suggests that you have an 80% chance of back pain at some point in your life. This does not mean it will be severe or debilitating, only that you will likely have 1 or more days where your back is troublesome. The converse here is that you only have a 20% of avoiding back pain throughout your lifetime. So how is it that 4 out of 5 will suffer and only 1 will not? There in lies the question. There is no guaranteed way to prevent it, but there are measures to reduce the likelihood of it and the inevitable recurrence.

Recurrence you say? YES…of those individuals who experience back pain, 90% of them are likely to then have at least 1 subsequent episode of back pain. Those percentages sound quite high don’t they? Not only that, but the direct costs of back pain exceed $100 BILLION/year. That number works out to several thousands of dollars per episode per person. And these numbers do not account for indirect costs such as missed work and impact on family. Kind of makes you want to avoid it even more now.

With all this in mind, you probably want to know what can be done to lessen the chance you experience back pain or its effects.

So…here you go…a list of things you can do to reduce the impact of back pain on your life.

1. Exercise – this is rather broad so let me explain. If the goal is to keep the back strong and healthy, that requires exercise…of the whole body. You will want to work on strengthening and flexibility. There is NO ONE RIGHT EXERCISE OR ACTIVITY so you have options. You may enjoy a group exercise class, decide to work with a knowledgeable personal trainer, or try the at home approach. Any of these is perfectly reasonable.
2. Lifting – Many people think lifting items is bad for the back. This is neither true nor false. Rather the way a person lifts which can/will be protective or not. The spine is strong, stable and can tolerate lifting. The best suggestion when lifting is to face the object lifting using your legs to assist. It is best to avoid twisting off to one side when picking up a heavy item.
3. Proactive Action – Your probably regularly brush your teeth and visit the dentist. You do this to keep your teeth healthy. So why not do something similar for your back? Most will wait until a problem arises vs taking preemptive action. Taking steps to avoid back pain is the best course of action. Not sure where to begin? A physical therapist is able to assess your strengths and weaknesses and create a plan for your benefit.

Now that you know 3 things to reduce your 80% chance of back pain at some point in your life, are you ready to take action? Ready to keep your back healthy or get back to better back health? If so, CLICK the following LINK to request a personalized consult to learn more.