Back pain, a threat to be taken seriously for its chronicity

Eight out of ten French people suffer from back problems, making it the leading cause of disability among those under 45. If back pain has long been equated with the aches and pains of old age, nowadays it affects the entire population. A worrisome problem that deserves to be taken seriously and anticipated.

What is chronicity?

In 90% of cases, back pain, more commonly known as "low back pain", is cured in less than 4 to 6 weeks. However, it can happen that it lasts longer. If the pain lasts longer than 12 weeks, the back pain becomes "chronic". It can affect the quality of life of the sufferer and lead to social disintegration. This requires complex management. It is a real public health issue.

The best way to avoid this transition to chronicity is to act upstream, from the acute phase, by identifying the psychological and socio-professional factors associated with an increased risk of transition to chronicity.

A disease that affects younger and younger subjects

If for many years back pain was the result of tiring manual labor, it now appears in new forms and emerges with our new way of life. Sedentary work, transportation, use of tablets and smartphones over long working hours, but also overweight are increasingly pointed out as triggers for back pain caused by muscle contractions ... If for some, the pain remains punctual, for others, it can impact daily life dramatically, ranging from a few days of immobility to long term work stoppage.

A connection not without effects

In our increasingly connected society, many of us use our smartphones or work on a laptop. Without necessarily realizing it, we are more and more bent over. At first, it's the repetition of the movement that will eventually trigger back pain. The reason? The imbalance of our neck and its lack of alignment with our spine. This bad posture will overtax the top of our spine and trigger what is called neck pain. If it is not treated from the outset, it can impact the entire spine and cause pain that will become chronic in the long term.

A sedentary lifestyle

Teleworking, remote connection and other systems that make our daily life easier make us less mobile than our ancestors. This lack of physical activity affects our muscular vitality. Less dynamic, our back muscles, which are responsible for supporting our back and promoting our stability, become softer, our back is then less well maintained to the point of developing back pain.

An increase in overweight

Excess weight weakens the spine because it exerts greater pressure on the spine, which can compress the intervertebral discs. A study has shown that a body mass index greater than 25 increases the risk of lumbago and intervertebral disc degeneration. Overweight also affects young people, and back pain affects them more and more.

A serious threat that requires us to review our lifestyle habits.

Back pain is not a fatality as long as you take it seriously. Whether you are young or older, it can appear in various forms ranging from a simple temporary attack to chronic pain that is much more severe. The muscle contractions exerted on our back are not only painful but can take place over time. Back pain that was previously temporary may then become chronic and require an adapted treatment to manage and prevent it, for example with a muscle relaxant.

In order to prevent it, it is necessary to be aware that the back is the nerve center of our system, our spine being the pillar of our skeleton. Our balance and mobility depend on it. Taking care of it means preserving our well-being, adopting the right reflexes from a young age is by far the best recipe.

Here are 3 simple and accessible tips for taking care of your back: 

• Correct your posture throughout the day: Stretching, adapting your workstation, standing upright are all little reflexes that will have a positive impact on your back.
• Practicing a sport activity: Doing sport regularly is ultra beneficial. Physical activity helps to eliminate bad toxins, maintain muscle mass and promote good blood circulation at the same time.
• Eat healthy: to avoid having a "full back", maintaining a healthy weight is essential for good balance. Each kilo in surplus has an impact on the back and by extension the knees. It is therefore important not to overtax them.