Foto: iStock.com/AndreyPopov

85 percent of the population have back pain at least once in their lives?

On the one hand, this high percentage is related to our lifestyle, which places increasingly fewer or one-sided demands on the back, and on the other hand, its diverse functions. Our back is a phenomenon. It is strong enough to hold the entire body upright, yet flexible enough to allow us to bend, stretch, and twist in almost any direction. For these back functions, the following four components are important:

1. Spine
2. Core muscles
3. Ligaments and tendons
4. Nerves and nerve tracts

If one of these four components is overloaded or damaged, back pain occurs. Unlike earlier times, when doctors prescribed taking it easy and massage therapy, it is now recommended to resume your normal everyday activities as soon as possible and walk, swim, or do relaxation exercises.

What can we learn from this?

• Exercise is a panacea. In the right dosage, it can also counteract back pain.
• Get active in everyday life, because one-sided movements or positions such as sitting for long periods are particularly harmful to the back.
• Do prophylactic strength exercises. Strong leg, torso and abdominal muscles play an important role in supporting the spine.
• Treat (yourself and) your back to relaxation and rest after intense loads to ensure the four components always sufficiently recover and are ready for the next training stimulus.

Foto: iStock.com/AndreyPopov