LOWER BACK PAIN

Lower back pain is an extremely common condition that affects somewhere between 60-80% of people at some point in their life. There are a lot of potential causes behind lower back pain, but most people get diagnosed with “non-specific low back pain.” In these cases, the source of the pain is mechanical, as opposed to pathological.

There are three subtypes for lower back pain. The first is acute, meaning that it’s just a short episode lasting under six weeks. Pain that persists for six to 12 weeks is categorized as sub-acute, and lower back pain that hangs around even longer is considered chronic.

Although athletes can develop lower back pain just as anyone else would, their lifestyles put them at a higher risk. Games like golf, gymnastics, and tennis call for regular twisting and turning in the lower back. In weight lifting, diving, and rowing, the lower back is under stress, and used to absorb pressure. Football players and roller derby players are at high risk of taking on direct impact to their lumbar spine. Whether it’s caused by overuse or a sudden muscle strain, lower back pain is a common symptom in the sports medicine world.

Poor posture can also contribute to low back pain. Many of the people who have lower back pain at some time in their life get it from sitting at a desk or lifting all day for their job. Athletes make very specific demands on their bodies, so if their technique is poor,