How Do We Stop This Back Pain Epidemic?

A recent survey has shown that as many as one in three young adults suffer with some form of back pain. So, why is this the case?

Modern medicine is the most advanced it has been and technology is improving day on day so why is it that so many people suffer with back pain? One of the reasons is that technology has made us more sedentary. People spend much longer times at a desk without any breaks, which causes their muscles and joints to seize up.

It is important that we stay active in our daily lives as our bodies were constructed to move. It's like the age old saying - 'If you don't use it you'll lose it'. This is the same in regards to muscular strength, flexibility, and health in general. Not only does having a more sedentary lifestyle affect the spine causing neck pain, lower back pain, and headaches it can cause many other health issues with the heart, liver, and pretty much every organ in the body.

The following studies show how a little exercise a day can help with lots of health problems:

It decreased the pain and disability of those with knee arthritis by 47%

In older people exercise was shown to reduce the progression to dementia and Alzheimer's by 50%

People at high risk of diabetes had 58% less chance of progressing to frank diabetes when undergoing exercise

Reduced anxiety by 48%

30% of people were relieved of depression with regular, small exercises

So as you can see, as well as helping with back pain it also helps with general well being. It is suggested that 30 minutes of exercise a day is about optimum. This does not mean that you have to go to the gym and pump weights in order to improve your spinal health and health in general. It means to take the stairs instead of taking the lift, walk to the shop instead of driving, and take a break from the desk so your joints don't become seized up and eventually cause you pain.

If you are already suffering with back pain and you don't know what to do. Keep active and visit a chiropractor to sort out your problem. This will have a much better impact on your health than taking a painkiller a day. Although useful on occasion, painkillers are simply masking the problem. If you get to the root cause of the problem you won't have to worry about taking them.

Back pain shouldn't be as prevalent as it is today but it means we have to get off our bums (literally) and do some exercise. The fitter and healthier we are the much greater chance we have of not developing back pain.