The human skeleton is practically unique in the animal kingdom, since the human body walks upright on two legs. This results in features such as elongated leg bones, arched feet, an S-shaped spine, and an upright pelvis. All this gave our early ancestors many advantages, though walking upright does take a toll on the spine and back muscles, even in the modern age. Fighting gravity that acutely can cause back pain and distress, and sometimes, rehab tools and systems like muscle testing machines or chiropractic adjusting tools are needed to help. Surgery is generally needed in cases of serious injuries to the back, but otherwise, muscle testing machines and chiropractors can do a lot of good without any invasive surgery. But how often do Americans suffer from back pain, and why?
On Back Pain
Many studies and surveys are conducted each year to track the current state of American public health, and that includes back pain and spinal issues, too. The numbers show that at any given time, around 31 million Americans are suffering from chronic back pain, and this condition affects one in three women and one in four men to varying degrees. Around half of all working class Americans admit to having back pain symptoms, and experts say that around 80% of the entire population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. In fact, lower back pain ranks as the most common cause of disability around the entire world, and Americans spend a sum of $50 billion each year on back pain issues, such as going to the doctor.
What is causing all of this back pain? Many surveyed Americans blame ongoing stress for their back issues, and pregnant women may experience spinal stress during the later stages of pregnancy. Meanwhile, years of working hard manual labor can certainly cause back pain, due to regular stress on the spine and back (such as construction work or factory work). Sports injuries and related trauma can also cause back pain, including car crashes, and sleeping with bad posture on a bed can cause back pain over time, too. Finally, simple old age often causes back and spine issues, due to many years of walking upright and fighting gravity. The spine bends forward and collapses on itself, which can reduce mobility, pinch nerves, and strain muscles. For all these reasons and more, many Americans visit chiropractors for help, or end up in the hospital and undergo therapy with the aid of physical therapy tools.
Fixing Back Pain
Non invasive medicine is popular today, especially for soreness or joint pain, and back pain is the second most common reason why Americans today visit their doctor. They can get a referral to a chiropractor, a specialized doctor who can use his/her bare hands and basic adjusting tools to move the patient’s bones and muscles without breaking the skin. Doing this correctly can relieve pressure on the joints and nerves, loosen up muscles, and help restore the patient’s flexibility and arcs of motion. it is believed that chiropractors treat around 27 million people each year, with around one million chiropractic adjustments being done each business day. Similarly, many Americans visit yoga studios and sign up for private sessions, where they will perform guided bends, stretches, and poses to loosen up their joints and muscles. This can clear up pain and discomfort anywhere from head to toe, including for elderly patients.
Meanwhile, a patient in the hospital can undergo physical therapy with the aid of muscle testing machines, algometers, stretch tests, rang of motion data analysis, and more. A muscle testing machine can determine a patient’s strength and measure how well the muscles resist a physical impact, a non invasive method for tracking a patient’s progress at any localized area of the body. A patient undergoing physical therapy may also practice standing and walking, and carry out a daily exercise routine to regain their strength and balance. That patient may also stretch out elastic bands to measure their full arcs of motion, muscle strength, and pain threshold, and they can perform tests while a motion capture camera tracks their movements. The therapist can use that as a vital reference to analyze the patient’s progress, and modify their exercise routine as needed.