Back pain will affect athletes of all ages and in every sport; though you don’t have to be an athlete to experience a debilitating back ache. Causes may be traumatic in nature or just the wear and tear of the aging process. If you break down the ergonomics of every human activity, from lifting and carrying to the mechanical loading and torque on the spine during tennis, golf, swinging a baseball bat etc.; it is easy to see why the vast majority of humans at some time will be plagued by a limiting back ache. The problem may be secondary to a congenital deformity, a developmental condition, trauma, infection, inflammation, lifting and carrying or following a cough and sneeze. That back ache may be accompanied by sciatica as seen in conjunction with a herniate disc earlier in life or with pain down the leg later in life associated with spinal stenosis. In between are the myriad of causes such as the sudden twist, the motor vehicle accident or the fractures associated with osteoporosis.
In most settings, the pain will resolve over time, and with guided rehabilitation including stretching and core strengthening, you will recover and return to your full athletic and fitness profile. In the interim though, what can be done in addition to pain relieving analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications? If after several days of onset, you see no improvement, it is time for a doctor’s visit to make sure the pain is not resulting from a here-to-fore undiagnosed medical issue. Once an underlying medical causation is excluded, it is time to head to the physical therapist as the Sate of Illinois provides for direct access. In the event that the therapist does not see improvement, you will be referred to a spinal specialist; but there is something more now available to help you deal with acute or chronic back pain. Regenerative Medicine interventions for the herniated disc, the inflamed facet joints or as a superior agent to the standard epidural steroid injections are now available at pain management centers in the Greater Chicago region. However, before you decide to go that route, let me tell you about the LeanRite.
Over a 40-year span, I experienced recurrent bouts of low back with and without referral to my leg. At one time, I developed a drop foot that fortunately resolved after six months and a lot of Pilates core strengthening and stretching. 18 months ago, I was introduced to the LeanRite. Initially introduced to accompany a standing desk, grounded in orthopedics and ergonomics, the design and benefits are such that the lumbar support and seat allow me to function in my office place and home whether I am in the standing, sitting or leaning position and I rarely experience back pain any longer at the end of a long day. Then there are those with a herniated disc who have to rethink sitting. When it comes to your knees, hips, shoulders and ankles, I am able to relieve pain and restore function so you can return to all of your recreational interests with a needle and not a knife using Bone Marrow and Adipose derived stem cells or by compounding Platelet Rich Plasma. When it comes to low back pain, don’t sit or stand, rather perch on a LeanRite. You can find it on the Desirelist.com website; it is also available on Amazon