TAPESCRIPT


Four out of five Americans will endure a serious episode of back pain at some point in their lives.
So why is back pain so common? One of the main reasons we experience back pain is because we sit in
chairs. It's really that simple! Even though millions of years of evolution have designed our
spines to do otherwise, we eat, travel, and sit in chairs for hours at a time. Sitting on the floor
cross-legged, as is standard in many developing countries, is much better for our backs. This
forces the spine into perfect alignment and maintains flexibility in the hips. For this reason,
back pain is much less common in Asian nations. Our modern chair-bound lifestyle cramps and
stresses our spinal discs, weakens back muscles and reduces hip flexibility. It is clinically
proven that the less flexibility one has in the hips, the more back pain will result. To understand
why our backs hurt, it helps to look at the how this part of the body works. The back is made up of
layers of interwoven muscles that wrap around the S-shape of the spine. The spine has twenty-four
vertebrae connected by facet joints. The vertebrae are cushioned by shock-absorbing pads, called
intervertebral discs. These discs fill with fluid that absorbs shocks and dissipates the energy of
harsh impacts. When we're born, this shock-absorbing fluid is 80 percent water. But as we age,
these discs gradually lose water and turn brittle. This is one of the underlying causes of
persistent back pain and loss of flexibility. This natural aging process, combined with our
chair-bound lifestyles, contributes to our back pain epidemic. Another surprising cause of back
pain is actually, "all in our heads." A relaxed, balanced posture is the key to a pain-free back.
To achieve this healthy stance, a group of cells called proprioceptors send data to the brain
regarding the proper position and alignment of muscles. But in our hectic lives, we often don't
stop to listen to the signals our bodies send us. The more we ignore these signals, the worse our
posture - and our pain - becomes. To test your own body and mind connection, try this. Stand on one
leg with your arms extended at shoulder height. You'll notice a little wobble, but probably nothing
you can't control. Now increase the difficulty by closing your eyes. The better your mind/body
connection, the longer you'll be able to maintain this position. This exercise demonstrates that
the mind is a vital instrument in maintaining healthy balance in the back. Whether it is from
consistent poor posture, excessive chair sitting, or just from the natural process of aging, back
pain is all too common. The good news is: there's help for chronic back pain!