Tips to Prevent Back Pain

There's nothing like all-consuming back pain to make you want to become one with the couch. If you've been there, you know what we mean. If not, consider yourself lucky: It's pretty easy to push your back's intricately entwined bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments out of their comfort zone. "We see a lot of women in their 20s and 30s coming in with back pain because they've returned to a sport out of condition or suddenly upped their exercise intensity," says Daveed Frazier, MD, an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. "Our bodies just aren't designed to absorb the abuse we give them."
When pain strikes, your initial response might be to rest. "But even just a few days of lying idle can lead to deconditioning and further harm," says Roger Chou, MD, director of clinical guidelines development for the American Pain Society (APS). "Staying active helps keep the muscles and tendons loose and strong." In fact, the thinking about back pain has shifted so much that the APS and the American College of Physicians recently released new treatment guidelines. Read on for the latest in pain prevention.