What is Backcare Awareness Week?
4 Min Read
The second week of October is Backcare Awareness Week.
Back injuries can be very tough for doctors to treat, and make life difficult for people who are suffering from them. This is especially true for adults who need to maintain a busy lifestyle, and that’s what Backcare Awareness Week is raising awareness of this year.
What is Backcare Awareness Week?
Backcare Awareness Week is a dedicated period each year with a focus on raising awareness of back issues, symptoms, side effects, and treatment options, by providing information, guidance and advice to individuals and organisations.
Backcare Awareness Week is particularly focused at raising awareness in older adults aged 60 years and over as many people suffer age-related lower back pain thanks to physical and psychosocial changes. Many people are unaware of the common causes and effects back pain can have, as well as the different types of pain relief and back injury treatment, so this awareness week seeks to educate and inform through online campaigns and print materials.
Types of Back Injury
The back of an average adult will have had to work very hard during their lifetime, and may have already suffered injuries that make it more susceptible to additional pain and discomfort. Which parts of the back are most likely to be injured?
Injured muscles
Lifting things that are too heavy, sporting or workplace accidents and road traffic collisions can all injure the muscles in your back. Minor injuries will heal with time, but if it is a more severe tear then surgery might be needed.
Spinal Discs
The discs in your spine are doing the important job of acting as shock absorbers, and helping to hold your vertebrae in place. Because they aren’t a part of your blood supply, they are unable to mend themselves if they are damaged, and this can lead to excruciating back pain for some people. Herniated discs have been ruptured, and the soft cushioning material inside has started to leak out. This can then irritate any nerves that are close to the disc.
Nerve Damage
Your spine is a highway for the nerves that run from the top of your body to the bottom. Damage to the nerves within it can lead to disabling conditions like Cauda Equina syndrome, which can include partial paralysis and incontinence amongst its symptoms.
Most Common Ways to Injure Your Back
Now you know the parts of your back which are mostly likely to be injured, but what are the places where you need to be most aware of potential danger?
In a Road Traffic Accident
The forces involved with a road traffic accident are violent, and can easily damage the back. More severe accidents can result in spinal damage that causes a life-changing injury.
At Work
Jobs like those in the agriculture and construction industries can be dangerous for the back. Risks could vary from being asked to lift something that is too heavy, to being asked to work at height without proper safety precautions, resulting in a fall which damages your back.
Around the House
Similarly, while performing activities around the house you should be aware of the strain which is being placed on your back. DIY can be a particular culprit.
During Medical Treatment
If not performed properly, it is entirely possible for your back to be injured during surgery, or while undergoing other medical procedures like a lumbar puncture.
Taking Care of Your Back
The best way to prevent back problems later in life is to ensure that you take as much care as possible when bending and lifting objects. Exercise can help by strengthening the muscles, providing additional support to the vertebrae, but if you are working out, you should go through a set of warm-up and cool-down exercises so that the muscles in your back are ready for exercise.
Gentle exercise regimes like Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi are also beneficial, as they are intended to improve flexibility and muscle tone.
Expert Back Injury Solicitors
Our team of legal experts have successfully helped many clients whose backs have been injured by another’s negligence. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
