Low back pain is very common, affecting 80% of adults at some point. The back is made up of vertebrae, discs, and nerves. Low back pain originates in the lumbar region and can range from dull to sharp. Common causes include muscle strains, disc issues, age-related degeneration, and injuries. Risk factors include age, lack of exercise, excess weight, pregnancy, and psychological conditions. Symptoms may include pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest, pain radiating to the legs, and muscle aches. Treatment involves medications, physical therapy, nerve blocks, injections, and sometimes surgery. Prevention focuses on proper lifting, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and ergonomic seating and

1. LOW BACK PAIN.

2. CONTENTS.
• Introduction.
• Structures that make up the back.
• Low back pain.
• Causes and risk factors.
• Signs and symptoms.
• Management.
• Prevention.

3. Introduction to back pain.
• If you have back pain, you are not alone. About 80% of
adults experience back pain at some point of their
lifetimes.
• It is the most common cause of job related disability
and a leading contributor to missed work day.
• It affects the mood, personality, sensory functions and
cognitive part of the human mind.

4. Introduction to back pain.
• Pain is the unpleasant sensory or emotional experiences
associated with actual or potential tissue damage and can be
explained in terms of such damage.
• Dimensions of pain.
1. Sensory dimension.
2. Affective dimension.
3. Cognitive dimension.

5. What structures make up the back?
• The back is made up of 33 bones (vertebrae) from the neck
up to the level of buttocks.
• Spaces between vertebrae are maintained by round, rubbery
pads filled with fluid called intervertebral discs that acts as
shock absorbers throughout the back.
• There are 31 pairs of nerves rooted to the spinal cord which
transmit signals from body to brain.

6. What structures make up the back?

7. Low back pain (LBP).
• Any pain that originate from the lower part of your back
(lumbar region) is termed as low back pain.
• This kind of pain ranges in intensity from dull pain, constant
ache to a sudden, sharp sensation that leaves a person
incapacitated.
• The pain can be either acute persists for less than 6 weeks,
subacute between 6-12 weeks, and chronic for more than 12
weeks

8. Causes of low back pain.
1. Muscles strains or ligament sprains as a result repeated
twisting of the back, heavy lifting or lifting things
improperly and overstretching are most common cause of
acute pain.
2. Degeneration of your back as you grow older, its
associated with wear and tear that occurs in the joints,
discs and bones around the lower back.

10. Causes of low back pain.
3. Bulging or ruptured disc around the lower back, which
causes the fluid material inside the disc to leak and press on
the nerves to cause pain.
4. Other causes such as infections, fractures, kidney stones,
spinal stenosis, trauma from sports, falls or accidents and
osteoporosis

12. Risk factors for low back pain.
Occupational risk factors.
Age –more common starting around 30 or 40 years.
Lack of exercises- such that weak and unused muscles in
your back and abdomen might lead to back pain.
Excess weight or weight gain.
pregnancy
Psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety.

13. Signs and symptoms of low back pain.
• Pain around the lower part of your back that’s either dull,
constant ache or sudden and sharp sensation.
• Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking
and improves with resting or positioning.
• Pain that spreads down one or both legs.
• Weakness, numbness, tingling or burning sensation in one or
both legs.
• Muscle ache.

15. Management of low back pain.
Medications used to relieve pain.
• These includes NSAIDS such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen,
naproxen sodium,
• OPIOIDS such as acetaminophen, codeine, oxycodone,
hydrocodone and morphine.
• Anti-depressants such as tricyclics, serotonin and
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors for chronic pain.
• Topical drugs such as creams and sprays.

16. Management of low back pain.
Nerve block therapies and Epidural steroid injections aim to
relieve chronic pain and pain that is associated with
inflammation.

17. Treatment of low back pain.
• There two ways of treating low back pain that includes the
following.
1. Surgery.
2. Physiotherapy.

18. Can low back be prevented?
• The following are recommendations for keeping one’s back
healthy.
1. Sit smart.
-choose a seat with good lower back support, armrests and a
swivel base. Keep your knees and hips level. Change your
position frequently, at least every half-hour.

19. Can low back pain be prevented?

20. Can low back pain be prevented?

21. Can low back pain be prevented?
2. Stand smart.
-don’t slouch. Maintain a neutral pelvic position. If you must
stand for long periods, place one foot on a low footstool to
take some load off your lower back. Alternate feet.

22. Can low back pain be prevented?

23. Can low back pain be prevented?

24. Can low back pain be prevented?
3. lift smart.
-Avoid heavy lifting, if possible, but if you must lift something
heavy, let you legs do the work. Keep your back straight, bend
only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body and lift up.

25. Can low back pain be prevented?

26. Can low back pain be prevented?

27. Can low back pain be prevented?

28. Can low back pain be prevented?
4. Exercise.
-regular low impact aerobic exercises such as jogging,
swimming or stationary bike riding 30 minutes daily increases
muscle strength and flexibility.
5. Maintain a healthy weight.
-being overweight strains back muscles hence proper diet is
recommended.

29. Can low back pain be prevented?
6. Other measures.
-always wear comfortable, low heeled shoes.
- warm up before exercises, and remember to cool down after
exercises.
- quit smoking.
- sleep on one side with knees drawn up and on a firm
surface.
- Use lumbar support if your chair is unsupportive when
performing a task or driving.

30. Best sleeping position.

31. Lumbar support.

32. Lumbar support.

33. The computer ergonomic.

34. Summary.

35. Summary.
• If your back pain lasts for a few days without improvement,
see your physiotherapist. A physiotherapist can apply a
variety of treatments to your back muscles and soft tissue
to reduce pain.

36. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
Prepared by: Baraka Yusufu,
KCMC student,
(2019).