Low back pain

Low back pain is caused by injury to a muscle (strain) or ligament (sprain). Common causes include improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, a fracture, a ruptured disc or arthritis. The lumber spine, or low back, is a remarkably well-engineered structure of interconnecting bones, joints, nerves, ligaments, and muscles all working together to provide support, strength and flexibility. This complex structure also leaves the low back susceptible to injury and pain.

     

Types of low back pain

There are many ways to categorize low pain- two common types include:

• Mechanical pain: By far the most common cause of lower back pain, mechanical pain is pain primarily from the muscles, ligaments, joints, or bones in and around the spine. This type of pain tends to be localized to the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes the top of the legs. It is usually influenced by loading the spine and may feel different based on motion activity, standing, sitting, or resting.
• Radicular pain: This type of pain can occur if a spinal nerve root becomes impinged or inflammed. Radicular pain may follow a nerve root pattern or dermatome down into the buttock and /or leg. Its specific sensation is sharp, electric, burning-type pain and can be associated with numbness or weakness. It is typically felt on only one side of the body.

Causes

The causes of lower back pain are sometimes viewed as being mechanical, organic or idiopathic. Sometimes spinal conditions are congenital or acquired meaning the disorder develops later in life.

• Mechanical lower back pain is often triggered by spinal movement and involves spinal structures, such as the facet joints, intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies, ligaments, muscles or soft tissues.
• Organic lower back pain is attributed to disease, such as spinal cancer.
  
• Idiopathic refers to an unknown cause. 
  

Physiotherapy and exercises for lower back

Here are 10 exercises for low back pain

1. Cat and cow pose- Lie on all fours and keeps your back straight. Then, bend your spine outward and upward toward ceiling. Hold this pose till you feel a stretch in your neck, then bend your back inward and downward till you feel a stretch in your lower back. Repeat this around ten times.     
   
   
2. Cobra stretch- Lie in prone position and keep your hands on either side of your chest. Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor and press into your hands as you push your upper body, from your chest to your head, upward. Hold this pose for a few seconds and then gently lower yourself.
   

3.  Prone leg lifts- This is similar to the cobra stretch, except that instead of lifting your upper body, you keep it planted firmly down. Keeping your legs stretched out and close together, raise them in one continuous motion as much as you can, hold the pose, and lower your legs back to the ground.

4. Bridges- Bridges are extremely helpful if you want to strengthen your lower back. To perform a bridge correctly, lie down on your back and rest your outstretched arms by your side. Lift your hips off the floor, keeping your body from the head to knees in a straight line. Hold and lower.

    5.  Leg stretches- Lie on your back with your knees raised upward and your feet flat on the  ground.  Raise your feet flat on the ground. Raise your right foot up, loop a band or a towel around it, and gently pull your foot toward your chest, keeping your right leg straight and unbent till you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. 

 6. Side twists- This is a great stretch to perform when you're suffering from lower and side back aches. Lie on your back with your arms stretched out by your side. Bend your knees to one side while turning your body in the opposite direction. Repeat this wringing motion on the other side.

7. Bird-dog stretch- This exercise focuses on stretching out the muscles connected to your lower back, thus relieving stress and pain. Lie on your fours, and lift leg, stretching it backward. Simultaneously, stretch your right arm forward in one straight line. Repeat on each side.

8. Toe-touches- Toe-touches are perfect for days when your lower back really needs a good stretch. Stand up straight with your arms stretched overhead, bend slightly backward till you feel a push in lower back, and then bend forward and to touch your toes. Repeat this slowly ten times.

9. Child's pose- No other exercise opens up your lower back like the child's pose. It's easy to perform as well; all you need to do is kneel on a mat, sit on your heels, and bend forward with your arms extended before you. Rest your head on the floor and enjoy the relief that follows.

10. Hip stretches- Don't be fooled by the name; hip stretches are as good for the lower back as they are for the hips. To stretch your hips, kneel on your left knee and place your right foot forward, with the right knee bent. Hold your left foot and gently pull it upward. Repeat on the other side.

Guiding force behind

Dr Rajesh Gautam (PT)

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Sitting Ergonomics And The Impact on Low Back Pain - Physiopedia

Introduction We all, at some point in our lives, will sit for a long period of time. Whether that is at a desk at work, eating dinner at the table, or sitting to watch a film. Many theories have been produced about how our posture should be during this time. From sitting up straight with no support to using specialised equipment to keep our backs in a correct and safe position. Below will be discussed what the evidence says to keep our backs healthy. This page will also aim to cover ergonomics and the basic anatomy of the lower back, the prevalence of low back pain within the work environment (based on UK stats), and discuss different preventive strategies and interventions to reduce low back pain caused by sitting.