The human skeleton is geared for a lifetime of upright walking, and this is due to our ancestors giving up their treebound lifestyle millions of years ago to begin chasing game animals. This resulted in a skeleton featuring an S-shaped spine, a bowl-shaped pelvis, long leg bones, and arched feet. This gave our early ancestors many advantages, though walking upright does come with some costs. Fighting gravity so acutely will wear out the spine over time, and there are many other causes for back pain around the world, too. Chronic back pain is common today, and the most serious cases of back or spinal injury may call for surgery. But many other cases of chronic pain can be treated with non invasive methods, such as range of motion testing solutions in a hospital, muscle testing machines, and other rehab tools and systems. And it’s not just muscle testing machines; a patient may even have motion capture cameras used in a hospital during physical therapy (PT).
Back Pain Today
Many statistics are kept and surveys are done to track the current state of American public health, and the numbers make it clear that chronic back pain and spinal issues are fairly common. For example, it has been found that around 50% of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms every year, and experts say that around 80% of all Americans may experience back pain at some point in their lives. One in three women and one in four men may experience back distress, and at any given time, around 31 million people are living with back pain.
What is causing all of this back pain? Simple old is age is a common reason, as a senior citizen’s spine has spent a long time fighting gravity while walking upright. This causes the spine to collapse on itself, and the spine may even bend over forwards somewhat. All of that can inflame the joints and reduce flexibility, and all that will cause pain. Meanwhile, many people who suffer injuries, such as sports accidents, may end up with back pain due to a stressed spine or overtaxed muscles. Many pregnant women might experience back pain during their pregnancy, and many surveyed Americans blame ongoing stress for their back pain. Finally, years of hard manual labor can wear out the back and cause pain. If a patient’s back problems are not serious enough to require surgery or medication, they can visit their doctor to find relief. And a hospital patient may undergo PT, including muscle testing machines, stretch tests, and more.
Solutions to Back Pain
A patient who is experiencing back pain may visit their physician and explain this problem, and in fact back pain ranks second among the most common reasons why Americans see their doctor (the first being upper respiratory issues). This may lead to a referral to an expert such as chiropractor or a yoga instructor for non invasive therapy. A chiropractor, for example, may use their bare hands and simple tool to readjust a patient’s bones and muscles. Doing this may relieve pressure on the joints, nerves, muscles, and bones, which may clear up the pain, restore arcs of motion, and increase flexibility. A patient can get similar results when they visit a yoga studio and sign up for private sessions with an instructor. During the course of several sessions, the patient may perform stretches and bends to relieve pressure on their joints and nerves, which may have similar effects to chiropracty.
Meanwhile, a hospital patient may undergo physical therapy if they suffered an injury, and they may learn how to walk or stand up again. During PT, the patient may have muscle testing machines used, which can measure the patient’s muscle strength in a focused area. Not only that, but the patient can also perform stretch tests, which shows the therapist the patient’s current range of motion and strength (and shows when and if they experience pain). Many hospitals may also offer motion capture camera hardware, which allows the therapists to track the patient’s movements with specialized software. All of this helps the therapist determine when the patient has recovered and is ready for release from the hospital.
