The human body is a marvel in the animal kingdom, with humanity being the only species capable of bipedal locomotion. To make this possible, the human skeleton is geared for a lifetime of upright walking, which ranges from the S-shaped spine to the upright pelvis to the long legs and arched feet. This gave our ancestors a number of evolutionary adaptations, but a lifetime of fighting gravity may wear out the body, especially the spine and back muscles. Today, back pain and spinal issues are common around the world, even in a developed nation like the United States. Many Americans report suffering from back pain and spinal problems, but the good news is that rehab tools and systems are never far away. Modern functional assessment equipment is available at any hospital, and injury victims may perform exercises with such functional assessment equipment to show their progress. Physical therapy tools are just the start, though. Chiropractors and yoga experts may also help a spine or back problem victim find relief.
Why Back and Spine Problems Happen
In the United States today, there is plenty of back pain going on. In fact, back pain ranks second among most common reasons Americans visit the doctor’s office, behind only upper respiratory issues. Some 31 million Americans are suffering from lower back pain at any given time, young and old, and this problem affects some one in three women and one in four men. Experts have predicted that as much as 80% of the American population will suffer from back problems at some point in their lives, and nearly 50% of working Americans admit to experiencing back pain issues.
Why is all this back pain happening? A common cause for back or spinal pain is performing years of hard manual labor, and injuries and accidents (such as sports accidents) are also a common cause of back issues. Surveys have been done about this, and many respondents blamed ongoing stress for their back pain as well as their physically demanding jobs. Simple old age may also be a natural cause for back pain; after all, an elderly citizen has spent many decades fighting gravity, and this will collapse and bend their spine over time. Pregnant women may also experience spinal pressure in the later stages of their pregnancy. And as mentioned earlier, physical trauma such as sports injuries may lead to a strained back or spinal problems. The good news is that many avenues to recovery exist, and that may start with visiting one’s doctor.
Spine and Back Recovery
Many Americans visit their doctor complaining of back or spine pain, and these doctors may refer them to a chiropractor, physical therapist, or a yoga expert to make recovery possible. Many back issues, in fact, do not even require invasive methods to fix, no surgery or drugs needed.
For patients in a hospital, meanwhile, functional assessment equipment may be used, such as an automatic strength test, to measure the patient’s recovery. Physical therapists will help the patient recover and guide them through therapeutic motions for their spine and joints, but that’s not all. Simple functional assessment equipment or stretchy rubber bands with handles may be used to measure the patient’s strength and full range of motion during this recovery time, and therapists will take note of that information. This allows them to determine when the patient has made a full recovery and when they may be released from the hospital.
Meanwhile, other patients with back pain problems may visit a chiropractor, and these doctors are known for using simple tools and even their bare hands to adjust a patient’s bones and bone muscles for relief. This may release pressure on affected joints or vertebrae, and ease pressure on pinched nerves or muscles. Many chiropractic patients report great relief after visiting a chiropractor, and they often say in surveys that they would use a chiropractor again if need be.
Another option for lower back pain and spinal relief is to visit a yoga expert. Patients may find a local yoga studio and sign up for private sessions, and during those sessions, the patient will be guided on how to flex and bend their body naturally to relieve stress and pressure on bones and muscles for relief.
