Back Care Awareness Week: Looking After Your Back

This week is Back Care Awareness Week, all about raising awareness for looking after our backs and how a "bad back" or back pain can affect our quality of life.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2022, low back pain affected 619 million people worldwide. Most people will experience it at least once in their lives. Knowing what can cause back pain, how we can prevent back pain and treatments available can be beneficial.

Many different reasons exist for why people could suffer from back pain. We're taking a look at some of the most common ones.

Injury and strain to a muscle

The most common reason for back pain is usually from a back injury which is a strain to the muscle. Some common ways to injure your back include lifting heavy items or using poor techniques. Falling over, playing sports, or even coughing, sneezing, or making awkward movements can also cause back injury.

Slipped Discs

Another common cause of back pain can be from a slipped disc.

A slipped disc, also known as a herniated disc, occurs when all or part of the disc forces through the weakened part of the spine. Lifting heavy objects with your back muscles instead of your leg and thigh muscles can cause slipped discs.

Slipped discs can occur due to ageing, exercising too hard, being inactive or carrying excess weight.

Spinal Arthritis

Doctors refer to arthritis that causes pain in your back as spinal arthritis. Arthritis often affects people over 40 years old. It is especially common in women and those with a family history of the disease.

Symptoms of spinal arthritis can vary from mild to severe depending on the person. These symptoms often come and go, making them hard to manage.

Arthritis cannot be cured, but there are ways to reduce and manage the pain, including regular exercise and weight managing.

Physiotherapy is another option that offers a personalised exercise plan for arthritis sufferers.

Sciatica

Sciatica is another common cause of back pain to look out for. Sciatica is prominent in the lower back, as it runs from your lower back to your feet. Sciatica affects up to 43% of the UK population.

What causes Sciatica?

A slipped disc often causes sciatica. It can also happen due to spondylolisthesis, where a spine bone slips forward.

Another cause is spinal stenosis, which is when the spinal canal starts narrowing. These are usually things that come along with the natural ageing process and can be unavoidable.

Can physio help sciatica?

One of the NHS recommended treatments for sciatica is physiotherapy. A physiotherapist will work with you to create a treatment plan that fits your needs. This plan will include hands-on techniques and a gentle routine of exercises and stretches.

They aim to treat the cause of your sciatica and help create a plan that suits you and your lifestyle to prevent future recurrences.

The wait for the NHS can be much longer than the 4 to 6 weeks it takes for sciatica to improve. However, some health insurance providers offer physio as standard in the core cover so this wouldn’t come at an extra cost.

Bad Posture

Not maintaining a good posture is something that a lot of us a guilty of, which is another common cause of back pain. Poor posture is often the cause of upper back pain.

A good posture allows us to maintain the natural curves of our spine.

Common habits that develop poor posture include:

• slouching or sitting slumped
• sitting on a bed and working on your laptop
• standing with the weight of your body on one leg
• lifting heavy objects from the floor by bending your back

Improving your posture may help with back pain. This means having the right chair, lying properly in bed, and adjusting your seat correctly when driving.

How helpful is walking for lower back pain?

Many people find that taking a brisk walk helps ease back pain. Being active generally can help to ease pain, particularly swimming, yoga and pilates.

Staying active and continuing with day-to-day activities is important for easing and preventing pain. Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, it helps our body both physically and mentally.

There are many ways to prevent future back pain. These include muscle-strengthening training and stretching exercises at least twice a week. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.

Focus on good posture and adopt healthy habits for a better lifestyle. Some back pain can come from being overweight or sitting too much.

What is physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected by an injury, illness or disability. It can also be beneficial in preventing future injuries or illnesses.

Many physiotherapy treatments focus on joint, bone, or soft tissue issues. They also help with COPD and recovery after heart attacks.

You can often see physiotherapists through the NHS. However, if you want quicker access to physiotherapy sessions, going private might be the best choice. 

What does physiotherapy do?

Physiotherapy will help to offer you education and advice around your lifestyle, including posture and lifting techniques. A physiotherapist will also conduct exercises tailored to you and your specific needs. This can include exercises to improve your current health or mobility, or strengthen specific parts of your body. They may also use manual therapy, using their hands to relieve pain and stiffness.

If you have a health insurance policy it's a good idea to check if your plan includes physiotherapy. The Exeter offer six complimentary physiotherapy sessions for each policy year. Other insurers may offer it as an add-on along with many other benefits.

Considering taking out a health insurance policy? Take a look at the additional benefits health insurers provide.