It is no secret that military servicemen and women carry the load of a nation on their backs. However, it seems that the load they are carrying may cause long term issues; specifically low back pain. A recent epidemiological study investigating the incidence and risk factors for developing low back pain in the active duty military population provides evidence that your low back pain may in fact be a result of your military service. The study discovered several key risk factors for developing low back pain. This study concluded that being female, being enlisted personnel (not a surprise), having prior military service in general, having an age greater than 40, and a marital status of married (again, not a surprise) all are risk factors for developing low back pain.
This study no doubt provides former and current military members somewhat of a confirmation of the obvious. So what can you do about your recently developed low back pain once you are out of the military and carrying your backpack to and from class every day? First off, take a visit to your primary physician. Your primary physician will examine your back in several different ways and develop a personal treatment plan for your lower back pain. Often physicians will prescribe physical therapy treatment.
Luckily, your current Military Student Services graduate assistant is a second year physical therapy doctoral student here at NIU. His advice is as follows; get in shape! Maintaining a healthy weight and keeping strong core muscles can go a long way in relieving low back pain. Take a closer look at what you are doing on an everyday basis. Do you wear a backpack to class? If you use a backpack, you can take steps to protect yourself from back pain as well as further aggravating your low back pain. For starters, use both of the pack’s straps instead of slinging one strap over a shoulder. Make an effort to carry only the essentials, and reduce your load whenever possible. Opt for backpacks that have different-sized compartments to help distribute weight evenly. When carrying a heavy load, put the heaviest items as close as possible to the center of your back. For very heavy loads, use a backpack with wheels. Most importantly, remember to bend from your knees when picking up your pack. Another tip is to maintain a good upright sitting posture while driving. This requires you to sit close enough to reach the pedals and wheel without slump-sitting. It is also very common to experience low back pain when you are trying to sleep. Sometimes modifying the way you sleep can make a huge difference for low back pain. The key is keeping your spine as aligned as possible. Simply putting a pillow between your knees when sleeping on your side, or placing a pillow under your knees when you sleep on your back, can make for a much more comfortable night of sleep in consideration of your lower back.
Joshua Reed
Military Student Services
iMagazine / April, 2013 11
Low Back Pain and Military Service