Unveiling Why Americans Are Struggling with Back Pain Issues

Back pain can be debilitating and needs to be addressed at once. You may look for effective ways of getting pain relief so that you can go about doing everyday tasks without dysfunction and discomfort.

According to Statista, around 29 percent of American adults suffer from low back pain issues. Back pain is prevalent in the United States. We find that on most occasions, it is triggered by excess body weight, strained ligaments or muscles, poor posture, daily activities, and psychological issues.

Research and several studies indicate that back pain cases are shooting up in the United States with joint pain and lower back pain predominating. Why do you think Americans are today, struggling with back pain issues despite medical advancements, state-of-the-art facilities, and cutting-edge therapies? Let us explore the top reasons for experiencing back pain. 

Obesity

The general trend in the American population indicates that people are getting heavier on average. The obesity crisis is ever-present, and while it was already above 30% in 1999-2000, the CDC’s data from 2017-18 indicates that the rate is closer to 43% now.

The pandemic caused several people to fall back into a more sedentary lifestyle due to lockdowns and gyms and parks being closed for a long time. Back pain is a common issue among overweight individuals, and this is no surprise.

The spine is not particularly resilient- it was meant to perform under ideal circumstances. As your weight increases, the spine then has to bear significantly higher loads than it is designed to, which causes pain in the short term and may also lead to permanent damage and disability down the line.

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Lifestyle Changes

In 2023, we spend more time sitting than at any point in human history. From being glued to smartphones and TVs to working in front of laptops all day, the truth is that our lifestyles have changed remarkably to the point that we simply do not move around as much anymore.

By being in a seated position for extended periods, we are compressing the spine in ways that it cannot handle. Even beyond awkward angles and undue pressure, compression can cut off the blood flow to the vertebrae and disks, which deprives them of oxygen and cause them to malfunction. All of this amounts to chronic back pain.

Occupational Changes

The nature of work has changed rapidly in the last few decades. Intensely physical blue-collar jobs now only make up a fraction of all available jobs, and the vast majority of white-collar jobs are sedentary in nature. The number of sedentary jobs is up more than 80% since 1950.

Sitting at a desk for a whole day is about the worst thing you can do for your spine. Humans have evolved to be fit and active and use their spine to stay upright and moving; so to spend the entire day lying back in a chair can cause serious pain and damage.

Diseases

Excessive body weight, age, occupation, and lifestyle can trigger spine-associated diseases, from spinal fracture to arthritis to spinal stenosis, and degenerative conditions. People over 60 develop spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis. Moreover, people with obesity or overweight issues disproportionately suffer from spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease.

As far as occupational, and lifestyle issues are concerned, people who sit for extended hours may experience debilitating back pain from pinched spinal nerves and herniated discs. These issues are not at all common among physically fit and active people.

Conclusion

There are many causes of back pain. You may focus on eliminating those causes to lead a pain-free life. You may address back pain at the earliest possible. Seek traditional treatment in conjugation with alternative therapies like regenerative medicine, yoga, or meditation.