Back-Lying as a Cause of Back Pain

According to statistics, back and lower back pain are among the most common health problems, affecting almost everyone at some point in their lives. Emphasizing that the primary reasons for the increase in back and lower back pain in recent years are a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain, Anadolu Medical Center's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist Prof. Dr. Semih Akı said, "As a result, the back and lower back muscles weaken, and the load on the lower back increases. Preventing back and lower back pain is much easier than treatment."

Although back pain can occur due to various reasons, it is commonly believed that back pain is mostly caused by a herniated disc.

Prof. Dr. Semih Akı, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist at Anadolu Medical Center, pointed out that although back pain is often associated with a herniated disc, very few cases are actually caused by it. "Herniated discs typically result from situations like falling from a height, heavy lifting, or making a sudden movement during sports, and they usually don't occur alone in middle-aged or older individuals," he explained.

Sudden onset of back pain can improve with physical therapy and rest

Prof. Dr. Semih Akı noted that most sudden back pains can be completely relieved with rest, medication, and physical therapy. However, he also mentioned that in some individuals, these pains may become chronic and persist longer, and may not improve with treatments like physical therapy, medication, or rest. For chronic back and lower back pain, treatments such as medication, corset use, injections, and psychotherapy may be applied. "In rare cases, surgery may be required to treat back and lower back pain, but surgery is performed only in 2-5% of patients," he added. Prof. Dr. Akı emphasized that back and lower back pain can be prevented at home, at the office, on the street, and while sleeping.

At home:

Before lifting an object, estimate its weight. When picking it up from the ground, bend your knees and squat to lift it. Bending from the waist is not the correct movement.
Don't lean forward to pick up an object; instead, get close to it.
While hanging laundry, avoid reaching upward, which strains the back. The height of the line should be adjusted to the woman's height.
If carrying a heavy load, distribute the weight evenly across both hands. Avoid lifting heavy loads higher than your waist. Also, keep the object close to your body.

When sleeping:

To get out of bed, first roll onto your side, then use your hands for support and bend your knees to sit up, before standing up. To lie down, reverse this procedure.
Avoid sleeping face down or lying flat on your back as much as possible. The best position is to curl your legs and sleep as if in the fetal position, with your hips and knees drawn up.

At the office:

Always maintain an upright sitting posture and make it a habit.
In the correct sitting posture, your knee joints should be higher than your hip joints, and the soles of your feet should be flat on the ground.
Change your sitting position periodically. You should not remain in the same sitting position for more than 30-40 minutes.
When getting up from a chair, keep one foot in front of the other, and use your leg muscles and arms to push yourself upward while maintaining an upright back posture.
The desk, chair, and computer setup in the office should always follow the recommended ergonomic measurements.

On the street:

If you need to stand for a while outdoors or indoors, place an object 15-20 cm high under one foot to raise it slightly. After some time, switch to the other foot.
When standing, avoid twisting your back to bend over and pick something up. If you need to turn, do so with your feet, not your back.
When tying your shoes or performing a similar task, squat or stand on a raised object to do so.
When driving, adjust your seat so that your knees and hips are slightly raised.

Last Updated Date: 20 April 2018

Publication Date: 24 April 2018