Muscular Back Pain: What Causes It, How to Prevent It
Muscular Back Pain: What Causes It, How to Prevent It
Your back is a wonderfully complex system of 30 vertebrae which are supported and held together by dozens of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Considering the enormous workload these muscles have to carry, and the variety of tasks they're asked to perform, it's no wonder that muscular pain in the back is common. Recent research has indicated that approximately 85 percent of Americans experience some type of muscular pain in their back during their lifetime.
Some type of nerve problem is at the root of many cases of back pain. But when such pain isn't caused by a disorder or condition in your spine, back pain can also come from muscular pain due to injury, disease, or wear and tear on muscles, ligaments and tendons in the back.
There are dozens of possible causes of back muscular pain. But more often than not, muscular pain occurs because a muscle has been used improperly. You may have lifted something that was too heavy. You may have overworked the muscle by using it repetitively until it wore down from the strain. Even bad posture, over a long enough period of time, can cause muscle pain.
You don't always know right away when you've hurt a muscle. Sometimes, the pain, soreness and stiffness won't start until hours later, or even the next morning.
Muscle Tears, Sprains and Strains
Muscle tissue, when placed under a microscope, looks like strands that are tightly linked together.A muscle injury occurs when the strands are stretched beyond their normal limits, which causes them to break or separate.Ligaments are fibrous tissues that attach the muscles to bone. When ligaments are stretched or torn, it's referred to as a sprain.
Improper lifting, or lifting something that's too heavy, are the most frequent causes of this type of muscular back pain.
Other Causes of Muscle Pain in the Back
Back Spasms (Muscle Spasms) - Muscle spasms are another type of muscular back pain. These occur when a muscle or group of muscles in your back contract without warning.Spasms are sometimes very mild, but they can also be intense and very painful. But they only last a few minutes and usually leave the muscle uninjured.
Tension and Stress - Long term stress and tension take their toll on our muscles along with our minds. When you're under a lot of stress and tension, especially if it goes on for along time, the emotional strain can manifest itself in a physical way.When it does, it often does so in the form of back pain.You should also remember that when muscles get tense, they're more likely to sustain injuries. Tight muscles tear or become strained faster than loose ones.
Poor posture - Sitting on slouching in the same position for hours can bend and stretch muscles in ways they're not designed to be bent and stretched. The result is muscular pain in the back.That's why physical therapists recommend that you get up and move around often. It gives your muscles a break.
Myositis and Muscular Pain
Another type of muscular pain is known as myositis. This condition is caused by an infection, and it strikes the tendinous muscle attachments.It causes acute pain, tenderness, swelling, and limited range of motion.
Avoiding Muscular Back Pain
You can't avoid every possible risk of doing something that hurts your back.But there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you'll injure your back.
Strengthening exercises will keep your back strong. Stretching will keep them flexible. Both of these will make it less likely you'll have a muscle injury.
And it's just common sense, but - be careful lifting, pushing or pulling heavy objects. As stated above, this is the number one reason back injuries occur. Use proper lifting techniques - keep you back straight and lift with your legs - whenever you're trying to lift something.
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