Health Corner

Have you ever experienced lower back and waist pain, whether you are a white-collar worker or a laborer? In fact, people from all walks of life can suffer from back pain. Maintaining correct posture and performing stretching exercises daily can help relieve and prevent discomfort. However, if you experience symptoms like sciatica or leg numbness, it is important to seek medical diagnosis to identify the cause. Doctors often recommend physical therapy for patients as needed.

Why does back pain occur?
Back pain is a common urban ailment, affecting not only office workers but also elderly individuals and homemakers who may feel stiffness and discomfort in the waist. Causes include falls, heavy lifting, overwork, poor posture, aging bone spurs, and degeneration, all of which can affect the spine and lead to pain. Additionally, kidney diseases or osteoporosis can also cause back pain.

Can back pain affect the legs?
The spine’s structure is complex, including the tailbone (coccyx), sacrum, five lumbar vertebrae, and two pelvic bones, connected by ligaments and muscles. Intervertebral discs, blood vessels, and spinal nerves lie between vertebrae. Nerves branching out around the lumbar vertebrae control different muscles and sensations in the legs. Therefore, leg pain or numbness can originate from back problems.

What are the symptoms of back pain?

• Muscle soreness and stiffness in the waist and legs, decreased range of motion

• Sharp pain during coughing or sneezing

• Sciatic nerve pain or femoral nerve pain

• Compression of lumbar nerves leading to diminished leg reflexes, muscle weakness, sensory loss, or numbness

How to treat and care for back pain?
To relieve chronic back pain, use heat packs and pain-relieving creams; for acute pain, apply ice packs to reduce inflammation. If symptoms, such as leg numbness, do not improve, seek medical advice promptly. Doctors may order clinical exams, X-rays, or MRI scans to diagnose the cause and prescribe painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, or topical pain relief. Physical therapy is often recommended to promote recovery and prevent recurrence.

Physical therapy options include:

• Heat therapy to relax muscles;

• Interferential current therapy to block pain signals and improve circulation;

• Lumbar traction to reduce nerve compression;

• Ultrasound therapy to increase blood flow and relax ligaments and muscles. Acute treatment usually requires 6-8 sessions; chronic may need 10-12.

• Joint mobilization and realignment by hands-on techniques to relieve stiffness and improve motion.

• Exercise therapy such as prone back extensions supported by hands and supine knee side-to-side movements to ease pain and improve joint function.

• Acupuncture

• Posture education

How to prevent back pain?

• Use a lumbar support belt if needed

• Maintain good posture: stand straight with relaxed shoulders; sit with feet flat, back straight, and avoid crossed legs; ensure chair and desk heights are appropriate; use a supportive mattress and sleeping position

• Lift heavy objects using legs, keeping the back straight; use trolleys if needed

• Maintain healthy weight

• Pregnant women should maintain correct posture

• Do appropriate exercises such as lying on the floor and alternately hugging knees to stretch and relax lower back muscles

Hong Kong Registered Physiotherapist
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