1. Getting out of bed in the morning without pain
   

2. Bending down
   

3. Lifting heavy objects
   

4. Standing for prolonged periods
   

5. Walking for prolonged periods
   

6. Siting for prolonged periods of time

Help Your Back Pain

During Pregnancy

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Why does my back hurt?

Your spine relies on the unique movements of  your pelvis, hips, legs, shoulders, and even your feet to function properly.  It supports your body weight, gives you structure to stand upright, and protects your spinal cord, the information superhighway of your body.  Your back takes a beating everyday with ordinary sitting, bending, lifting, and walking activities.  Over your lifetime you can lose the following necessary factors for a healthy spine.

1. Flexibility
   

2. Strength
   

3. Posture
   

4. Stability
   

When you lose any of the functions listed above, the spinal joints, discs, and muscles become strained and as a result, painful inflammation can occur.  Because the nerves from your lower back supply your legs and feet, pain, tingling, numbness, and even weakness can be felt from the buttocks down.

A disc is a fluid filled sac in between the vertebrae or bones of your spine.  It contains rings of tissue.  In the middle is a jelly like substance that starts to ooze backwards when there is abnormal pressure or damage to the disc.  This causes a bulging first of the disc and as it gets worse it herniates outwards sometimes pressing on nerves going to the legs.  Symptoms often include pain to a part of the leg, numbness, tingling, and even weakness.  Special exercises can be done to help relocate the disc.

Herniated Disc

Sciatica is a very common phrase for pain into the leg.  True sciatica is caused by a compression of the sciatica nerve deep in the buttock by one of the hip muscles called the piriformis.  When the piriformis spasms, usually from tight or weak hip joints, it presses down on the sciatic nerve.  Symptoms can include pain usually down the back of the leg, numbness, and even tingling.  Exercises for sciatica are very important.

Sciatica

Stenosis occurs primarily with aging.  As we age, the discs in our spine dry out causing the spine to shrink.  The result is that the holes in the middle of the spine (central canal) and the sides (foramen) shrink.  This causes rubbing on the nerve roots exiting the spine.  Typically, a long process of weakening in the spine from compressed nerves leads to pain in the buttocks and legs.  Exercise is very beneficial, and sometimes surgery is needed in severe cases.

Spinal Stenosis

As we age, the joints in our back wear down. The smooth cartilage wears down much like other joints such as the knee.  The joints become stiff and make the spinal muscles around it weak and sometimes unstable.  The result is usually painful stiffness worse in the morning and with prolonged standing or walking.  Mobilizing and strengthening these stiff joints helps alleviate pain.  Exercise is also very beneficial.

Arthritis Back Pain

How AIM Therapy Helps Your Back

A back sprain or strain is a very common injury.  This usually occurs with repetitive bending or twisting.  This type of back pain can be severe.  It can also occur with lifting objects improperly and putting too much stress on the low back muscles and ligaments.  Some strains can be mild and heal within 1-2 days.  If you have strained your back and it lasts > 3 days, then you need professional help.  The back is often weakened from repetitive strains and this leads to poor sensory mechanisms in the spinal ligaments and muscles.  This puts you at risk for future injuries which can be worse.

Sprain / Strain