My child has to lug this huge backpack to school. What does that do to his back?
There is no evidence in itself that it makes a difference to your back, no evidence in terms of degeneration. If the backpack is properly adjusted, shoulder straps, chest strap, waist strap, then 30 to 40 pounds should be easy. If it is a loose cloth job, no chest or waist straps, then not much more than about 20.
When is it time to go see a doctor about back pain?
The general rule is, if you have any type of injury, including back, lasting more than six weeks, it is usually not good. If you look at it the other way, 90 per cent of injuries that get better do so in about six weeks. Past that, potentially, that’s trouble.
What is the best home remedy for a sore back?
Well, two things: Number one, the single best treatment for your back is abdominal exercise. All scientific evidence is conclusive that core exercise, such as plank, is the single best thing to do for backs. The second thing is to avoid reinjuring it. Keep moving, but don’t do things like those that caused the injury.
And what should you definitely not do?
The worst treatment is bed rest. The muscles become less strong, the back stiffens up, and your rehabilitation could be compromised.
How bad is sitting at my desk all day?
Depends if they are paying you or not. Sitting is not a good position for your back in general. The key is ergonomic position of workspace, proper back support in the chair.… Get up and stretch and walk around every hour.
Do you buy into this whole chiropractics thing?
Studies have shown that chiropractic treatment early in back pain does help speed up the resolution, but it has not proven to be helpful in chronic long-term lower back pain.
What sports are most commonly associated with serious back issues?
It depends on the age group. In younger people, under 30, it is more likely to be contact sports: hockey, football, rugby. In the middle-aged, 30 to about 50, it involves any high torque or twisting sport — tennis, squash or golf. The older group, just from anything, bending down to do some gardening, a sudden twist, and they involve more degenerative changes.
Is it true that taller people are more susceptible to back injuries?
No, but dwarves are, only because they are born with abnormal spines.
What about yoga?
Yoga is very good, and the reason is that one of the key principles is don’t do anything that hurts. You extend to the point where it just starts to ache.
Does back pain run in the family?
Back pain is common, and there are often family members with it. It is the same with glasses, but it doesn’t mean it runs in the family. There doesn’t appear to be any genetic link to back pain.
Is there a way to regenerate a degenerated disc, such as through a supplement like glucosamine?
At this point in time there is no known way of doing that. There are surgical techniques for replacing discs, like a hip replacement, which are still regarded as somewhat experimental. People are also working on seeing if they can inject stem cells, cells that produce all the different cells in the body. Stem cells could produce disc material, and that could be injected and encouraged to produce new disc material. It has been done in the lab, but not in people yet — there is future potential.
Long-distance running is very popular, but how do I know whether or not my back is strong enough to handle it?
Brilliant question. Nobody knows, and it is a controversial issue. Some people say, If you’re constantly running, there is no doubt a lot of stress on the back. When you run, each step coming down is three to five times your body weight going through your leg. When runners get older, it is common to have back pain, but also common for everybody to have back pain. Some sports have a much higher rate of disc degeneration … but for running, nobody knows the answer.