From The Desk of Ann Arbor Chiropractor, Mike Tannenbaum, D.C.

Back Pain Facts

The back is made up of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and a variety of other parts. The back is complicated and because of it's complexity a variety of its different parts can become sprained, strained, even ruptured which can lead to back pain. Back pain doesn't always result from sports activities or lifting incorrectly. Simple things such as bending over to tie your shoes can result in back pain. In addition, obesity, poor posture or stress can cause back pain or make worse preexisting back pain. Of course, different diseases can cause back pain too. Back pain is a pervasive issue in our society.

Some Statistics About Back Pain:

*31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.

Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116

*Half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.

^{Vallfos B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.}

*$50 billion is spent each year on back pain by Americans (probably the expenditure is a lot higher as this is the easily identified costs)

In Project Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville

*Back pain is second to upper respiratory infections for visits to the doctor’s office. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people miss work.

*Most instances of back pain are not caused by what are considered to be serious conditions, such as  cancer, arthritis, or fractures.

*Experts estimate that as many as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in our lives.

In Vallfors B, previously cited.

^{*Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010 .}