Category: Medical Care & Diagnosis
Even in today’s world where so many of us spend our days at a desk, back injuries are still the most common workplace injuries, according to a survey from U.S. Healthworks. Of course, outdoor workers and those who must regularly lift heavy objects are the first to be hurt, but those who don’t lift anything heavier than a file folder in our 9-to-5 are at risk as well. If you work does happen to be physically demanding, it doesn’t mean you have to live with chronic back pain; there are things you can do to prevent injuries: Make sure you’re …
I can’t stress enough the importance of good posture, and that’s especially true for kids. It’s not just that it makes them look and feel more alert and prepared; bad posture in childhood and adolescence can mean back pain in adulthood. Some doctors report seeing children as young as seven years old with back problems. A major part of the problem is the ways in which our kids learn and relax. Backpacks are heavier than ever, and the chairs most schools provide make good posture very difficult to achieve. Backward sloping chairs mean students have to curve their spines forward …
You’ve been working hard on your serve, only to have to sit out your next tennis match because of back pain. While you may be in pain, you’re certainly not alone; tennis injuries, especially back pain, are common (even in the pros) and can range widely in their level of severity. The rotation needed to switch between backhand and forehand can wrench muscles in the low back, leading to acute pain. Serving is also a major culprit when it comes to back pain in tennis players because the hyperextension puts stress on the foot joints and disc. More serious problems …
When our grandparents worked on farms or in factories, every day posed the risk of serious injury. We think we’ve come a long way, but have you considered the harm you could be doing to your body by sitting at a desk for eight or more hours a day? Humans weren’t designed to be sedentary, but today many of us work in situations that require hours of sitting before a computer, being stationary for at least 50% of the day. With all of this sitting, chances are that many of us aren’t maintaining good posture throughout the day, a bad …
Last month, The New York Times ran a very interesting article in the Science section, written by a woman living with scoliosis. In “Hope for an S-Shaped Back,” Rachel Rabkin Peachman shares her journey of living with scoliosis. Peachman was diagnosed as a child and her condition’s progression was slowed through bracing, which helped allow her to avoid surgery with a 45-degree curve as a young adult. Over time, however, her curve continued to progress, and at 38 years old she is now living with the pain of a 55-degree upper curve and 33-degree lower curve. In hopes of avoiding …
Scoliosis is a somewhat common condition that affects approximately 6 million Americans or 2-3% of the general population. Many people are familiar with back braces that sometimes accompany the treatment of scoliosis. However, from varying degrees of spinal curvature to different treatment options, there’s more to it than just back braces – and I’m sharing a brief guide to understanding what scoliosis is, who it affects, and how it is treated. What is scoliosis? Scoliosis, simply put, is an abnormal curvature of the spine. While a normal spine forms a straight line from the neck to the buttocks, spines with …
For years, car accidents were the leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injuries in the United States. However, using data from 2007 to 2009, the study found that falls made up 41.5% of traumatic injuries, surpassing car accidents at 35.5%. The study also found that the rate for spinal cord injuries decreased for the 18-64 age group, but increased for those over 65 years old. The research also yielded the conclusion that the average age of adults with a spinal cord injury is 51, a 10-year increase in age from a study of data from 2000 to 2005, and that …
Nearly all adults will experience minor neck or back pain in their lifetime. In fact, it is estimated that 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at any given time. Fortunately for the majority of adults, only 10% of these cases are severe and debilitating. Many causes of back neck pain are common knowledge, such as old mattresses, strains from heavy lifting, or whiplash. However, there are some surprising habits that may be the source of your back and neck pain throughout the day. “Text neck” – Your addiction to your smartphone or tablet may be affecting your posture more …
Last week, the Wall Street Journal shared a new study underway at Tufts University’s Lahey Hospital on the treatment options for cervical myelopathy, often referred to spinal compression. As one of the most common spinal cord problems for Americans over age 55, this is a condition that specialists have been studying since the early part of last century. This new research is another step to help us better define the optimal surgical approach to this patient group. Cervical myelopathy, or spinal cord compression, is caused by degeneration or damage to the spine that causes a narrowing of the spinal canal. As …
When patients experience shooting pains in the buttocks or legs, many mistake it for a pulled muscle or location-specific injury. However, this pain may be the symptom of a much larger issue occurring in the spine. Whether it’s pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs, these symptoms are often diagnosed as sciatica. When I speak to patients, there is often confusion about what sciatica means and how it can be treated. Today, I’m explaining the condition, what causes the pain, who is at risk, and a few simple treatment options. What is sciatica? To be clear, sciatica is actually a …
