By Kyle Hamblen & Austin Icaza

1. Low Back Pain By Kyle Hamblen & Austin Icaza

2. Overall • The spine is one of the strongest parts of the body • Back pain ranks second only to headaches as the most frequent type of pain • 4 of every 5 adults at some time in their life will experience low back pain that causes them to see a doctor

3. Causes of Low Back Pain can be • Lifting something too heavy • Twist too sharply • Standing on your feet for long periods of time • Lack of physical activity • Poor posture • Being overweight • Physical or mental stress • Or even the slightest thing like a sneeze • Sometimes there is no apparent reason

4. You should see a doctor if you have • Severe pain • Pain that severely limits your day-to-day activities • Signs or symptoms that don’t improve within 1-2 weeks

5. What it could be • Most often back pain is caused by straining a muscle or stretching a ligament • About 1% of low back pain is serious, the other 99% is related to every day wear and tear • Herniated Disk • Spondylosis • Sciatica • Spinal Stenosis

6. Muscle Strains/Spasms • The most often cause of low back pain • Where the muscle is pulled or twisted in a way it shouldn’t • In spasms your back is designed to immobilize you so you cannot further injure yourself • Any movement of the back can cause very sharp stabbing pain • About 90% heal within four weeks and the other 10% take longer and can become chronic

7. Herniated Disk • Where the jelly-like disk between the vertebrae in your back bursts or ruptures • Symptoms- numbness in buttocks or legs, shooting pain when coughing/sneezing or straining, one arm or leg is affected • Cause- age or excess strain • Treatment- will usually heal itself in 2-6 weeks with proper rest and no strain on the back, in rare cases an operation is needed

8. Spondylosis • A disorder in which, over time, the spine becomes stiff and loses its flexibility because the disks between the vertebrae narrow and they become so narrow that bone spurs may develop • Symptoms- difficulty moving, pain in the back of your thighs when standing • Cause- excessive wear and tear or aging • Treatment- Physical therapy, heat or cold, gentle massage, and pain relievers

9. Sciatica • Inflammation of a nerve or compression of a nerve root in the lower back • Symptoms- pain radiating from your lower back to your buttock to your lower leg threw your sciatic nerve, can also cause numbness or muscle weakness • Cause- torsion or a direct blow can cause abnormal stretching or pressure on the nerve • Treatment- usually it heals on its own with rest in 2-3 weeks, but if severe surgery may be necessary, inflammatory medication

10. Spinal Stenosis • The narrowing of an area in your spinal canal that causes compression on your spinal cord and nerve roots • Typically affects people over 50 years old • Symptoms- Pain in lower back, difficulty walking- especially downhill, progressive numbness/weakness in legs, trouble with bladder/ bowel control • Cause- Wear & tear, osteoarthritis, a previous injury • Treatment- Medication, physical therapy, and bed rest

11. Prevention • The best way to deal with back pain is to prevent it • Exercise daily!! This is the key to prevent low back pain • Practice posture • Lifting correctly • Sleeping properly • Avoid stiffness • Maintain a healthy weight

12. Knee to Chest Stretch

13. Lower back Rotational Stretch

14. Bridge Exercise

15. Seated Lower Back Rotational Stretch

16. Good Posture

17. Lifting Properly

18. Sleeping Properly On your abdomen On your side On your back

19. References • Mayo Clinic Family Health Book 3rd Edition • www.mayoclinic.com • Essentials of Athletic Injury Management 7th Edition