One of the more challenging aspects of the “lower back pain enigma” is determining if the root cause stems from one of the 3 areas:
1. Structural/Mechanical
2. Biochemical
3. Mental/Emotional
Any of the above 3 can contribute to chronic back pain, but there are a few solid indicators that can point to mechanical origins of the pain:
- Pain is cyclic
- Lower back pain is often referred to the butt and/or thighs
- Morning stiffness or pain is present
- Pain when starting movement
- Pain rises when bending forward and also on returning from a bent over position
- The pain can be made worse by extension, side bending, rotating, walking, sitting, or many forms of exercise
- The pain becomes worse as the day goes on
- Changing positions can make it better
- Laying on your back relieves the pain
These factors lead me to point the finger at mainly structural causes of lower back pain. However, as I have mentioned in other posts, the other 2 areas of health, biochemistry and mental-emotional stress can contribute to some of the reasons why the mechanical dysfunction exists!!
Sam Visnic–