Mechanical back pain

Mechanical back pain

What is mechanical back pain?

Mechanical back pain is the name given to any type of back pain, which is caused by putting abnormal stress and strain on the muscles which support the vertebral column.

For the most part, this type of pain is as a result of bad habits which can be corrected, such as: bad posture; poorly-designed seating; incorrect methods of bending and lifting etc.

Women, particularly those with young children, are more susceptible to mechanical back pain than men. Most women stoop down to pick up small children instead of bending from the knees, and the very damaging practice of slinging small children onto one hip is widespread.

How can it be avoided?

The sad fact of the matter is that most of us never give a second thought to the health of our back until something goes wrong. There are a few simple rules which should be observed so as to ensure that the back remains in a healthy condition and is not subjected to undue stress and strain:

If the pain persists, what should I do?

Mechanical back pain will rarely persist if steps are taken to correct the factors which caused it in the first place. If the pain does persist it may indicate a more serious problem and it should, therefore, be thoroughly investigated.


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