HEALTH & WELLNESS
Not every spine needs a big gun
Law enforcement officers arguably have the
most taxing job of all of our civil servants. Because
of the nature of their profession, things such as
extended sitting, extended standing, late-night
hours, duty belts, apprehension of criminal suspects and overall stress of the heroic work they do,
can lead to significant strains on the back. Much of
DR.
back pain originates from either one of three comJONATHAN ponents: muscular strain, pressure or injury to the
D. LEWIN
disc or strain and arthritis to the bony elements.
The key to an appropriate management and
treatment of back pain is to individualize our approach. Everyone’s spine is different. Some causes of back pain, particularly
muscular in nature, can be managed with rest and
inflammatory medication, and often, activity modification.
For example, if a duty belt is weighing greater than 10-to-12
CONTINUED ON PAGE 81
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■
MARCH 2015
75