(Longer, unedited version - for additional infornation)

Musculoskeletal problems rank number one for doctor visits^, – a whopping 61,636,000 in 2003. One of the biggest culprits is low back pain. “Over 80% of Americans will be knocked off their feet by an episode,” says Nicholas A. DiNubile, M.D., author of Framework: Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones, and Joints (Rodale, 2005). It can happen to anyone, but you’re at higher risk if you:

• Have a family history of back trouble
• Spend long hours sitting, or do heavy manual labor
• Smoke
• Are out of shape or overweight
• Suffer from depression, anxiety, stress
• Have poor posture
• Threw your back out before
• Are pregnant

How can you prevent low back injury?

• Know your risk
• Take breaks, get up from your desk or out of your car or truck and limber up
• Lift from a squatting position, using your thighs, not your back – even for small items
• Build core abdominal strength
• Concentrate on overall cardiac fitness through aerobic exercise
• Practice yoga, Pilates, dance, martial arts
• Sit and stand without slouching
• Since most backs go out in the early morning; stretch gently on arising
• Avoid “old fashioned” sit-ups – do controlled crunches instead

If back pain knocks you down, DiNubile offers this advice:

• If it’s your first time, see a doctor to rule out a medical cause like tumor, aneurysm, gallbladder problem, kidney stone, or herniated disk
• If it’s a relatively minor repeat episode, try chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, or acupuncture
• Once you “know” your back: spend one day off your feet, but avoid sitting; apply heat if you’re achy, or ice if you’re injured; try mild stretching and movement, and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, if you’re allowed

Need to find a back specialist? Check out the North American Spine Society http://www.spine.org/spinefinder.cfm