Table of Contents
- What Does it Mean to Throw Out Your Back?
- Symptoms of Throwing Out Your Back
- How to Treat a Thrown-Out Back
- Take Care of the Back
“Oh, I threw my back out!” Most people have heard someone say that or have said it themselves. What are they saying? “Throwing your back out” is a euphemism used to describe sudden lower back pain. The back pain usually occurs suddenly after overexertion and can often be treated at home. However, there are also situations in which something more serious has happened.
What Does it Mean to Throw Out Your Back?
What is a thrown-out back?
This is a common occurrence, with over 80% of people experiencing low back pain at some point in their lives.
Globally, 12-33% of the population is affected by low back pain. The medical profession refers to throwing a back out as a mechanical injury, typically caused by movement mechanics. The pain can involve the spine or spinal discs but mainly involves surrounding soft tissues, such as muscles and ligaments.
What happens when you throw your back out? A mechanical injury is caused by movement and excessive strain on the lower back’s structures. It usually occurs when someone uses poor form to lift a heavy object or awkwardly bends or twists. The pain may be due to various causes, but usually, it is due to muscle strain or a ligament sprain. Lumbar strained muscles are stretched or torn beyond their normal capacity. A ligament sprain is when the tissue that holds bones together is torn from where it is attached.
The damage is generally due to poor form during heavy lifting, repetitive motions and weak core muscles. It can happen suddenly or develop over time. Tissue inflammation causes the pain.
There are less common causes of lower back pain that someone might think is a case of throwing the back out but is more serious. They include a bulging herniated spinal disc, arthritis that has weakened spinal joints, and spondylolisthesis. Excessive pressure placed on the spinal joints can cause spinal discs to bulge and place pressure on nerves or cause them to herniate.
Symptoms of Throwing Out Your Back
What does it feel like to throw your back out? The symptoms of acute back pain include the following.
- Intense and sharp pain in the lower back
- Muscle spasms when active or at rest
- Stiffness in the back
- Difficulty moving the back
- Experiencing a limited range of motion in the back
- Difficult maintaining normal posture due to stiffness or pain
How to Treat a Thrown-Out Back
What do you do if you throw out your back? Treatment for a thrown-out back involves simple steps.
✔️ Rest for a short period, but avoid sitting still or lying down for more than a few hours at a time. Excessive inactivity can make the condition worse. Move as much as possible.
✔️ Walk or do easy stretching exercises, but avoid doing activities that require lifting, bending, or twisting.
✔️ Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. Reducing inflammation will reduce pain.
✔️ To reduce inflammation and pain, apply an ice pack to the lower back area where pain occurs for a short period (1-2 days).
✔️ Apply heat to the same area to relax the back muscles and promote healing by increasing blood flow to the damaged tissue.
✔️ Slowly increase your normal daily activities.
Read the post “Ice vs. Warm Compresses For Pain: When to Use Them?“
How long does a thrown-out back last? A thrown-out back or acute low back pain usually lasts a few days to a few weeks. Research has found that 69% of people who experience low back pain will have another episode within 12 months. It is essential to follow the recommended treatment plan.
Once the back is healed, the next step is to determine how to prevent a repeat occurrence. For example, that could involve strengthening back muscles with exercise, learning proper lifting form, and wearing protective equipment when expected to do heavy lifting. Always be aware of posture, whether working, playing, sitting, or standing.
If the low back pain persists for more than 10-14 days, it is crucial to seek medical care. It is also critical to see a pain doctor immediately if other symptoms occur besides low back pain. These symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of control of the bladder or bowels, or a fever higher than 100.4F. Additional symptoms that indicate medical attention is needed are numbness in a leg, noticeable swelling over a specific spinal location, and radiating sharp burning pain.
Take Care of the Back
Taking the time to care for the back can prevent lower back pain due to a movement injury. For example, once the back is healed, it is important to strengthen core muscles. Weak abdominal muscles contribute to the shifting of the spine, which can irritate back tissues. Weak core muscles are one reason people experience repeat episodes of throwing their back out.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542314/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31593056/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31208917/
- https://www.aans.org/patients/conditions-treatments/low-back-strain-and-sprain/