Back Pain & Spinal Injuries in Australia

Back pain and spinal injuries force many Australians out of work. If you’ve lost your job because of back pain forces you to stop work, things get tough fast.

Back pain and spinal injuries force people of work that they’ve done for years. These injuries affect thousands more Australians every year. You are not alone!

What is back pain?

From PainAustralia, back pain, particularly lower back pain, is the most common form of pain. Chronic back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide and one of the most common reasons for people of working age to drop out of the workforce.

What are some of the symptoms related to back pain?

From the US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, back pain can range from local pain in a specific spot to generalized pain spreading all over the back. Sometimes the pain radiates away from the back to other areas of your body, such as the buttocks, legs, or abdomen. The intensity of back pain varies for each person. Depending on the type, causes, and location of your back pain, you may experience:

• Increasing pain with lifting and bending.
• Worsening pain when resting, sitting, or standing.
• Back pain that comes and goes.
• Stiffness in the morning when awakening and lessened back pain with activity.
• Pain that radiates away from the back into the buttocks, leg, or hip.
• Numbness or weakness in your legs or feet.

You should see a doctor if your pain does not improve after a few weeks or if any of the following symptoms happen with your back pain:

• Numbness and tingling.
• Severe back pain that does not improve with medication (see Treatment section).
• Back pain after a fall or injury.
• Back pain along with:
• Trouble urinating.
• Weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs.
• Fever.
• Weight loss that you did not intend.

What are the causes of back pain?

From VersusArthritis, often back pain doesn’t have one simple cause but may be due to one or more of the following:

• Poor posture
• Lack of exercise resulting in stiffening of the spine and weak muscles
• Muscle strains or sprains.

As well as the things listed above, there are also specific conditions that are linked with pain felt in the back. It’s important to remember that severe pain doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a serious problem. Some common conditions are listed below.

• Spondylosis- As we grow older the discs in the spine become thinner and the spaces between the vertebrae become narrower. Little pieces of bone, known as osteophytes, may form at the edges of the vertebrae and facet joints.
• Sciatica- Back pain is sometimes linked with pain in the legs, and there may be numbness or a tingling feeling. This is due to a nerve in the spine being pressed on or squeezed. For most people with sciatica, the leg pain can be the worst part and occasionally they may have little or no back pain at all.
• Spinal stenosis- sometimes back pain is linked with pain in the legs which starts after you start walking for a few minutes and then tends to get better very quickly when you sit down.

Other rarer causes of back pain include:

• Bone problems such as a fracture
• An infection
• A tumor
• Inflammation

How does Back Pain affect your life?

From MyDr., if you’ve hurt your back already, then prevention is probably the last thing on your mind. However, some people have further episodes of back pain after the initial episode has resolved, so it’s worth finding out what you can do to protect your back from further attacks of back pain. The back is at least risk of injury when it is in its neutral position. Trying to keep the back in a neutral position at all times will reduce the risk of backache. 

Here are some things you can do to try to avoid back pain.

• Maintain good posture
• Stay active
• Back strengthening exercises
• Avoid heavy lifting
• Learn correct lifting techniques – bend from the knees and use your legs to push up, and contract your abdominal muscles before you lift. Don’t twist when you lift, and don’t bend from the waist. Push, rather than pull, heavy objects.
• Pay attention to your carrying technique when carrying heavy bags. 
• Avoid stress. 
• Stretching. 
• Not smoking. 
• Eat a healthy diet. 
• Stay hydrated.
• Maintain a healthy weight. 
• Avoid high heels.