Four out of five adults experience significant low back pain at some point in their lives. This figure is not surprising, given the amount of stress placed on the back throughout the day.
It not only supports the weight of the body during standing, walking, and lifting, but also turns, twists, and bends. These movements are affected by the strength, flexibility, and alignment of many body parts. As a result, seemingly simple movements-how we habitually stand or sit, for instance-can adversely affect our backs, sometimes to the point of injury.
This White Paper describes the major causes of back pain in adults, including:
* Sprains, strains, and spasms
* Degenerative changes of the spinal bones and disks
* Herniated disks
* Vertebral compression fractures
* Spinal stenosis
* Spinal deformities.
Also discussed are sciatica and cauda equina syndrome, two conditions caused by spinal stenosis or disk herniation.
