Lower Back Pain and poor posture

Lower Back Pain affects up to 80 percent of the population. It can come on suddenly or evolve over time.

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Do you suffer from lower back pain? If so, you’re not alone. Lower back pain is a common problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. There are many causes of lower back pain, but one of the most common is poor posture.

Unfortunately, poor posture can lead to a whole host of problems, including back pain. But there is good news: by improving your posture, you can often alleviate your back pain.

What is the structure of the lower back?

The lower back comprises several bones, ligaments, and muscles. The spine is divided into four regions: cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back), lumbar (lower back), and sacral (pelvic).

The five lumbar vertebrae are located in the lower back region. These are the largest and strongest vertebrae in the spine. The lumbar vertebrae support most of the body’s weight.

Between each lumbar vertebra is an intervertebral disc. This disc is a cushion that helps absorb shock. In addition, the spinal cord runs through a hole in the center of each vertebra.

What's the function of the lower back?

The lower back is responsible for bending and twisting motions and supporting the upper body. The lumbar spine curves inward to help support the abdominal region and the chest. Muscles and ligaments attached to the vertebrae hold the spine in place and provide strength and flexibility.

How is low back pain diagnosed?

There is no definitive test to diagnose low back pain. Instead, your health care provider will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. They may also order diagnostic tests, such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan, to help identify the cause of your pain.

The Lumbar Spine, What Can Go Wrong?

The lumbar spine is a complex structure made up of five vertebrae that can be susceptible to a number of problems. The following are some common issues that can occur in this region:

Herniated Disc: A herniated disc is a common cause of low back pain. A disk is a soft, cushion-like structure that sits between the vertebrae. When a disc herniates or ruptures, the gel-like center can bulge out and press on the nerves that run through the spine. This can cause pain, tingling, and numbness in the back and legs.

Sciatica: Sciatica is a common term used to describe leg pain caused by a problem in the lumbar spine. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It runs from the spinal cord down the back of the thigh and calf and provides feeling and movement to the leg. When this nerve is compressed or irritated, it can cause pain, tingling, and numbness in the leg.

Spinal Stenosis: Spinal stenosis is a spinal canal narrowing that can place pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. This condition can cause pain, tingling, and numbness in the legs and feet.

Arthritis: Arthritis is a common condition that can affect the lumbar spine. When arthritis affects the spine, it can cause pain and stiffness in the back and make moving difficult.

Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition that causes the bones to become thin and weak. This can lead to compression fractures in the vertebrae, which can cause pain and disability.

Lower back pain symptoms

The symptoms of back pain can vary depending on the cause. However, common symptoms include:

Pain in the back that may radiate to the buttocks and down the legs
Muscle spasms in the back
Back stiffness
Difficulty moving or bending the spine
Numbness or tingling in the back, buttocks, and legs
Pain when sitting or standing for long periods

How is Lower Back Pain Treated?

The treatment for back pain will vary depending on the cause. However, standard treatment options include:

Rest
Ice packs or cold therapy
Allied health practitioner
Hot packs or heat therapy
Medications, such as pain relievers and muscle relaxers
Surgery

Types of Low Back Pain

There are three main types of lower back pain: acute back pain, chronic back pain, and subacute back pain.

Acute lower back pain is pain that lasts for a short period of time, typically less than six weeks. This type of pain is most often caused by an injury or strain to the back muscles.
Chronic lower back pain is pain that lasts for more than three months. This type of pain is often caused by a problem with the lumbar spine, such as arthritis or a herniated disc.
Subacute lower back pain lasts for between six weeks and three months. This type of pain is often caused by an injury or strain to the back muscles.

What can I do to prevent Lower Back Pain?

There are several things you can do to help prevent low back pain, including:

Maintaining a healthy weight
Exercising regularly
Stretching muscles before and after exercise
Wearing supportive shoes
Lifting objects correctly
Avoiding sudden movements or twists of the spine.
Be mindful of your posture when standing, sitting, or walking.

How can poor posture influence Lower Back Pain?

Poor posture can stress the lumbar spine and lead to low back pain.

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Poor posture can stress the lumbar spine and lead to low back pain. For example, when you slouch or hunch over, the muscles and ligaments in the back are stretched and strained. This can cause pain and inflammation in the back.

Additionally, poor posture can reduce the space available for the spinal cord and nerves, leading to compression fractures and other problems. Help prevent lower back pain by maintaining good posture at all times.

Consider the lumbar spine, which we frequently refer to or grasp when we have lower back discomfort. Yes, pain can and does appear in this location. Still, it is more often caused by poor posture habits than a specific problem or consideration.

Poor posture settings

How we care for our posture directly influences the degree to which lower back discomfort may develop. Being aware of better ways to sit, stand, and walk can help to relieve symptoms somewhat. But, more significantly, by acquiring a thorough grasp of posture awareness and education, it is now possible to eliminate the factors that may lead to lower back pain in the future.

In short, the level of care we take with our posture today can have a lasting impact on our spine’s health and wellbeing–as well as our own!

Bad posture while standing

Prolonged standing can have a direct effect on those suffering lower back pain. The longer we stand, the more difficult it becomes to find a comfortable standing position that we can sustain without pain.

When someone without lower back pain stands for a lengthy time, they will frequently move and adjust their position in an attempt to discover a restful position. This transfers strain and tiredness from one place to another, spreading the workload over a more significant number of muscles and joints.

While this is a helpful movement pattern for those who DO NOT have lower back discomfort, it is considerably less frequent among individuals with lower back pain. This emphasizes the significance of and need for people with lower back discomfort to move from lengthy rest to alleviate pressure on the lower back, especially the overworked muscles.

When standing, we should also consider our legs’ influence on the pelvis and subsequently up to the lower back. Impaired mobility in our legs may lead to problems with how well we can stand for lengthy periods. Tight hamstrings, for example, can impact one’s standing posture and cause lower back pain. Bad posture might also lead to modifications in the connection between the pelvis and lower back. Having the potential to create difficulties in the sacroiliac joint – a region that links the legs to the torso.

Sitting for too long and lower back pain

Sitting for too long can have a number of adverse effects on posture. For example, when people sit for too long, they tend to slouch and round their shoulders forward with a rounded back. This can put a lot of strain on the back muscles and ligaments and lead to pain and inflammation.

Additionally, sitting for too long can reduce the space in the spine, which can cause the discs to become compressed. This can lead to back pain and stiffness.

Finding a comfortable and stable sitting position is essential in maintaining a healthy lumbar spine, easing the incidence of lower back pain.

Sitting for extended periods can directly impact our ability to support a healthy sitting posture, especially how our lower back adjusts and rests with prolonged sitting.

Sitting considerations:

When we sit, our hips and spine are in a neutral position. This is the most anatomically correct way for us to sit and can be achieved by following a few simple guidelines:

Sit with a tall posture, keeping your spine straight
Place your feet flat on the ground or on a footrest, with your knees and hips at a right angle
Make sure your chair supports your lower back

There is much more to consider when sitting at work or at rest.

Poor posture at work

When leaning forward to pick up a load, leaning over equipment, or even picking up a piece of paper off the floor, it is important to be aware of the positioning of your lumbar spine (lower back).

In most cases, the ideal way to pick something up is to “bend at the knees” and not at the waist. This will help keep your back in a neutral position and reduce the risk of injuring your back.

Picking something up incorrectly can cause lower back pain by placing unnecessary strain on the lumbar spine. This can be especially harmful if the load is heavy.

An incorrect bending technique might also cause muscles and ligaments in the back to stretch beyond their natural range, resulting in pain and inflammation.

Research has shown that forward bending from the standing position can place the lumbar spine at risk of an accident.

A study in 2007 demonstrated that from a standing’ forward bent’ position, it was challenging to be exactly sure of the position the lower back was in.

A lack of postural awareness can quite easily:

Place the lumbar spine in a poor posture for lifting,
Limit our ability to maintain a posture to complete a task
Increase the chance of damaging your lower back.
Have an impact on our ability to know the exact placement of the lower back while leaning forward.

How do bad posture and weak abdominal muscles lead to lower back pain?

One of the best ways to improve lower back pain is by increasing your core strength.

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Bad posture and weak abdominal muscles can lead to lower back pain because they can cause the spine to curve too much. This can take the form of exaggerated lordosis – an exaggerated inward curve of the spine. This can put too much stress on the discs and ligaments in the lower back, leading to pain. Weak abdominal muscles can also lead to back pain because they can’t support the spine properly. This can lead to excessive strain on the back muscles, causing pain.

Keeping Your Core Strong

One of the best ways to improve lower back pain is by increasing your core strength. Your core muscles are responsible for stabilizing your spine, and when they are weak, it can lead to poor posture and back pain. You can do several exercises to strengthen your core muscles, including Pilates, yoga, and other weight-bearing activities.

Maintaining good posture is one of the best ways to prevent lower back pain. Poor posture can put excess strain on the muscles and ligaments in the back, leading to inflammation and pain. In addition, having strong core muscles can help support the spine and reduce the risk of lower back pain.

How we stand and sit (posture) can significantly affect the degree to which lower back pain can affect us.

Research has shown that poor posture patterns, including sway back posture (in standing) and slouched or ‘slumped’ sitting posture, can impact the long-term health of the deep abdominal muscle – the Transverse Abdominal.

When we keep up a balanced standing and sitting posture, the transverse abdominal muscle will function as expected, stabilizing the spine (with the help of the psoas) and improving the overall wellbeing of the lumbar spine region.

Several exercises can be performed to strengthen the core muscles. Some of these exercises include:

The plank: This exercise is done by lying on your stomach and then propping yourself up on your forearms. Make sure your back is straight and hold this position for as long as possible.
The bird dog: This exercise is done by getting on all fours and then extending one arm and one leg out to the side. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then switch sides.
The Superman: This exercise is done by lying on your stomach and then lifting your head, chest, and arms off the ground. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then relax.

In addition to doing these exercises, it is important to maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight can strain the back muscles and ligaments, leading to pain and inflammation.

NOTE: As with all exercises, make sure to consult with a recognized health care provider. Expert advice is always recommended before commencing any exercise routine.

Finally

Exercises such as Pilates, yoga, and other weight-bearing activities can help to strengthen your core muscles. However, it is also important to maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight can strain the back muscles and ligaments, leading to pain and inflammation. By following these tips, you can help to reduce the risk of lower back pain.

REFERENCES

Brumagne, S., Janssens, L., Janssens, E., & Goddyn, L. (2008). Altered postural control in anticipation of postural instability in persons with recurrent low back pain. Gait & Posture, 28, 657-662.
Gade, V.K. & Wilson, S.E. (2007). Position sense in the lumbar spine with torso flexion and loading. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 23, 93-102.
Kendall, F.P., McCreary, E.K., & Provanc, P.G. (1993). Muscles, testing and function (4th ed). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.
Lafond, D., Champagne, A., Descarreaux, M., Dubois, J., Prado, J.M., & Duarte, M. (2009). Postural control during prolonged standing in persons with chronic low back pain. Gait & Posture, 29, 421-427.
O’Sullivan, K., O’Dea P., Dankaerts, W., O’Sullivan, P., Clifford, A., & O’Sullivan, L. (2010). Neutral lumbar spine sitting posture in pain-free subjects. Manual Therapy, xxx, 1-5.
Reeve, A., & Dilley, A. (2009). Effects of posture on the thickness of transversus abdominis in pain free subjects. Manual Therapy, 14, 679-684
Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA, Timothy J. Wilt, MD, MPH, Robert M. McLean, MD, Mary Ann Forciea, MDhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M16-2367

PLEASE NOTE

PostureGeek.com does not provide medical advice. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical attention. The information provided should not replace the advice and expertise of an accredited health care provider. Any inquiry into your care and any potential impact on your health and wellbeing should be directed to your health care provider. All information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment.