back injuries: Prognosis of back injuries?

The back is the back of the human body, made up of bones, muscles, and tissues, and extends from the neck to the pelvis.

Back injuries can be caused at work, playing sports, or from a sudden jolt. Injuries and back pain tend to happen more often in the lower part.

Some of the most common back injuries are:

Low back pain or lumbago
muscle contractures
Scoliosis
Lumbar or cervical disc herniation
Vertebral or spinal impingement
spinal osteoarthritis
Sciatica
back pain
Cervical pain
Lumbar sprain or strain
Muscle overload

These injuries can cause pain and limit people’s movement, depending on the severity of the injury.

Prognosis of back injuries

Back injuries are not usually particularly serious, as long as they are treated or the necessary rest is given.

If an injury lasts for more than six weeks, it is important to go to a specialist to assess the injury. If not treated in time, the most serious injuries can cause chronic pain and various complications.

Symptoms of back injuries

Depending on the intensity and location of the damage, symptoms might manifest in various ways.

We can discover the following symptoms among the most common:

muscle soreness
Pain that throbs
Back movements are restricted (flexibility and amplitude)
Tingling or a burning sensation
Intense discomfort

As a result of their back problems, people may experience discomfort in other regions of their bodies, such as the leg, hip, or sole.

Medical tests for back injuries

To diagnose a back injury, the doctor must examine the vertebrae. You may also use tests, such as an X-ray, an MRI, or a CT scan.

The specialist doctor will assess the symptoms and the areas where the patient suffers from back pain and decide if it is necessary to carry out any of the tests mentioned above.

What are the causes of back injuries?

It is very common for back injuries due to bad postural habits. Sports or traffic accidents are also caused by this type of injury.

In addition, we find other reasons:

poor physical condition
Obesity
lifting excessive weight
sitting for a long time
It can sometimes be stress-related

Can they be prevented?

Learning good postural habits is essential, for example, when sitting down and lifting loads.

People who work in cargo handling or similar must use adequate protective equipment (shoes, gloves, lumbar belt, etc.).

In the case of sports activities, it is important to do a good warm-up beforehand and stretch. Stretching should be repeated after finishing the activity.

Finally, a correct diet can help prevent these injuries. Food is the source of nutrients for our activities and physical recovery.

Treatments for back injuries

Many of the different back pains tend to get better or go away on their own after a while (one to four weeks). Treatment will depend on the severity, type, and location of the injury and the patient’s age, state of health, and activities (work, sports, etc.).

It is quite common to undergo conservative treatment, which may include: