Some Unusual Causes of Back Pain in the Workplace

Home / Some Unusual Causes of Back Pain in the Workplace - May 3, 2018 , by admin

When people think of back pain, they usually envision a sudden and quick movement as the cause of all that nagging pain. While this might be the case in most circumstances, it is more likely that the pain took longer to develop. While there are a large number of causes of back pain, there are a few that are rarely discussed.

Static Posture

First, the people that adopt a static posture for a very long time put a lot of weight on the spine and vertebral discs. This is especially true if the worker is forced to perform the task in a posture that features a flexed trunk. Flexion in this sense means bending at the back. Bending over leads to most of the weight being concentrated to the vulnerable part of the back, this, in turn, leads to back pain.

Back Pain Due to Piriformis Syndrome

Piriformis syndrome is also a common cause of low back pain. It is one of the most overlooked causes of the condition and is often left out of a differential diagnosis of back pain. Additionally, the cause has been ignored for long because it is often seen as an exclusion diagnosis.

The cause of this condition is compression of the sciatic nerve by the Piriformis muscle. This comes about when you are running, sitting in a car or carrying a heavy object at the workplace.

The commonly associated symptoms are a pain in the buttocks, pain when you sit for a long time and tenderness in the sciatic notch. The symptoms also include back pain when you sit for a long time. Proper diagnosis and early detection of the issue can lead to accurate treatment.

So, what is the treatment for this condition? If the condition is exacerbated by sitting or by changing the posture, then avoid positions that might cause the pain. Ice, rest and heat might help relieve these symptoms.  Manipulative treatment might also help, and anti-inflammatory medications and muscle relaxants might also help.

Free Your Spine discusses Piriformis syndrome and gives you an idea of what you need to do to make sure you treat it properly.

Poor Lifting Techniques

You have probably been told before about poor lifting techniques and the importance of bending at the knees when lifting an item. You need to keep in mind that there are always various consequences of lifting poorly. So, it is vital that you lift correctly to avoid any problems.

It is vital that you bend at the knees and then maintain a straight back whenever you lift an item off the ground to safeguard your back. If you fail to do this, you might be prone to back pain as time goes by.

The pain doesn’t just remain acute – it usually progresses to chronic pain, which might cause mobility issues.

The reason for this kind of pain is the disc space that is located at the base of your spine. This space becomes smaller due to pressure on the back. This condition usually progresses to a chronic issue, and it can become severe quickly especially if you continue subjecting the back to constant poor lifting efforts.

The best way to handle this issue is to consult an experienced chiropractor that can help re-align vertebrae that have gone out of line. With spinal manipulation, proper diet and the right exercise, you can enjoy complete relief from the pain and muscle stiffness till the body gets back into shape.

In Closing

Don’t take any chances at back pain. You need to act on it immediately so that it doesn’t become chronic. Well, with the right approach, you will soon have a pain-free life!