Back Pain is Hilarious: Until it Happens to You!
Updated: Jun 23, 2019
Did you know that the average American watches over five hours of TV a day? I know when I am into a show, I will watch every episode and then re-watch them all until I can almost recite the series line for line.
Do you remember when George’s wallet was giving him back pain because it was lopsided or when Elaine threw her back out from sleeping on a pull out bed on Seinfeld? How about when Sam Malone threw out his back before his Valentine’s date on Cheers or when Uncle Phil threw out his back trying to lift a trunk on Fresh Prince of Bel-air. I will never forget when Homer Simpson hurt his back after raking leaves and then fixed it by falling back over trash can… I mention these events to show there is a common theme, for at least an episode, during every TV series. Someone “throws their back out.”
These shows exist because of the relatability of back pain. About ninety percent of people are going to experience back pain at some point in their life, and the stigma that low back pain is the result of someone being in bad shape and/or is “over the hill” may be funny, but it is not factual.
Science shows that the majority of low back conditions that present with symptoms just in the low back, all the way down your leg(s), or anything in between are the result of repetitive movement or sustained positioning in a specific direction (regardless of age, body type or core strength). Sometimes, a forceful movement, such as a fall, a car accident or other injury, can expedite the process and bring on symptoms sooner than you otherwise would have noticed. However, often times, the condition is lurking beneath the surface until you move one time too many in the wrong direction. This can look funny to someone looking on, whether it is live or through a television screen, but I can firmly say that it provides little to no comedic value to the person going through that situation. Luckily there’s an answer!
The majority of these conditions are rapidly reversible with movement or positioning in the correct direction and there is an app for that! Check out Jointstrong.com or search jointstrong in the Apple Store or the Google Play Store for a free self-assessment. The JointStrong App will provide possible diagnoses, education on your current condition, and also help you prevent the onset of one of these conditions if you are not currently experiencing symptoms. Get on the road to recovery or prevention today with JointStrong!
