Back Pain – The Nation's Number 1 Ailment
February 2, 2020
Back pain is likely one of the most common ailments in modern Western society. According to research by the Swiss Rheumatology League, 8 out of 10 people experience back pain at least once in their lifetime [4]. Health statistics from 2014 show a similar trend: 35-45% of the Swiss population suffer from back pain or lower back pain during at least four weeks [1]. Back pain is therefore among the most frequent complaints in Swiss society.
Causes of Back Pain
The causes of back pain are mostly not pathological. Specifically, 85% of all back pain is attributed to non-specific problems. This means there is no clear structural injury causing the pain, and instead muscular tension or fascia-related issues are suspected [4]. The main causes are lack of exercise, overweight, repetitive movements, as well as frequent lifting and carrying, and poor posture can lead to muscle tension. Furthermore, psychological phenomena such as stress, depression, or being overwhelmed at work or in daily life, as well as emotionally taxing conflicts, can trigger back issues [5].
The remaining 15% of all back complaints have a specific cause such as spinal canal narrowing or a slipped disc. In rather rare cases, inflammation of internal organs or rheumatological diseases, as well as vertebral fractures or metabolic diseases, can trigger back pain [4].
Financial Consequences
Back complaints are not only troublesome due to the pain they cause but also lead to high healthcare costs in Switzerland. In 2018, an interdisciplinary research team for the first time determined the healthcare costs of non-communicable diseases in the Swiss population. They found that musculoskeletal disorders, with back pain accounting for a significant portion, rank as the second most costly condition, totaling 8.7 billion francs per year [2]. Furthermore, the 2011 back report by the Swiss Rheumatology League revealed that nearly one-third of the thousand Swiss surveyed missed work or school at least once a year due to back pain. The majority were absent for one to six days, with 2.5% experiencing long-term absenteeism [3].
What to Do for Back Pain?
The type of therapy depends on the duration of the back pain. For acute pain, such as a lumbago, osteopathy and physiotherapy can help. In osteopathy, manual techniques such as mobilizations and manipulations are used to restore the spine's biomechanics. Through comprehensive assessment, other problematic areas of the body that may influence the back and cause pain can be identified and treated. Physiotherapy addresses acute muscle tension using fascia and myofascial release techniques (such as fascia techniques, trigger point therapy, dry needling, etc.). For long-lasting, so-called chronic back pain, physiotherapy focuses on guiding and introducing active training with exercises and working on self-management.
Being proactive is not only a possible 'therapy' for chronic complaints but an optimal way to prevent back pain preventively. Movement improves posture due to muscle building, provides stability and flexibility, and thus improves the body's function [4]. To help you get active with minimal effort, we present two short movement programs with exercises for the workplace and exercises for home, which require little time and can be done at any relevant location: The exercises were compiled by students of the University of Applied Sciences of Health in Fribourg as part of a campaign against back pain. The graphics were illustrated by Joakim Monnier.
Exercises for the Workplace
1. Raise and drop shoulders, 5x
2. Sitting, bend the upper body over the legs and breathe deeply into the stretch of the lower back, 3x
3. Sitting, place one hand on the abdomen, bring the other arm over the head to the other side without lifting the bottom from the chair. 3x each side
4. Sitting, cross arms on shoulders. Lean back with a straight back until the abdominal muscle tension can be felt. 10x
5. Sitting, draw circles with the hands and shoulder blades in the air with bent arms, remaining in the frontal plane. 5x
6. Standing, place hands on the table/chair and bring the entire back to a horizontal position. Bend a leg if needed. 1x
7. One foot on the chair, the other placed forward. Keep the back straight and move the hips forward. 3x per side.
Exercises for Home
1. Forearm plank, keeping the back straight. Hold for 45 seconds.
2. Support sideways on the elbow. Shoulder directly above the elbow. Hold for 30 seconds per side.
3. On all fours. Alternate between rounding and hollowing the back. 8x
4. On all fours. Sit back on the heels. Hold for 30 seconds.
5. On all fours. Lower the sternum towards the ground. Hold for 30 seconds.
6. Prone position, forehead on hands. Lift upper body off the ground.
7. Side-lying with bent knees. Rotate the upper body to the other side while keeping the hips straight. 3x
We are also pleased to provide you with the respective .pdf files of the exercises for download (exercises for the workplace | exercises for home), so that you have the exercises readily available to perform at the office during lunch or coffee breaks, as well as at home… If you have any questions, contact the physiotherapists or osteopaths at BodyLab. They will be glad to assist you.
If you need us, we're here for you!
Your BodyLab Team – Your Specialists in Back Pain
Osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training
Zurich Altstetten
References
Section of Health, Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Neuchâtel, 2014, Corrected version from December 2016, ISBN 978-3-303-14212-7
[2] Switzerland pays a high price for non-communicable diseases
Carola A. Hubera, Simon Wieser
Swiss Medical Weekly, 2018;99(33):1054–1056
[3] Swiss Back Report – The Survey on Back Health of Mr. and Mrs. Swiss
Gerfin A. et al.
Swiss Rheumatology League, 2011
[5] Infomedicine – Texts written & reviewed by doctors
The exercises were compiled by students of the University of Applied Sciences of Health in Fribourg as part of a campaign against back pain. The graphics were illustrated by Joakim Monnier. With kind permission for use.
Title Image Credit
https://pixabay.com/es/service/terms/, Back pain, CC0 1.0
