An experiment that included 24 individuals revealed that standing with seated breaks at a 3:1 ratio may be an effective strategy for mitigating one’s risk for experiencing back pain associated with prolonged standing. Ergonomics, December 2020

Spondylolysis is a spinal condition that involves a fracture or defect of the posterior portion of the vertebra that can lead it to slip forward, causing pain. Advanced imaging of 68 junior athletes with back pain revealed that abnormal coronal (side to side) orientation of the facet joint at the L4-5 level increased loading on…

Questionnaires completed by 256 nurses revealed that 44.5% had experienced low back pain during the previous week and 80% had low back pain in the preceding year. Acta Biomedica, November 2020

Prolonged exposure to awkward positions is known to increase an office worker’s risk for musculoskeletal pain. A recent study found that office employees experienced a reduction in pain intensity in the neck, shoulders, upper back, and hand/wrist following an ergonomic assessment to identify and correct workstation configurations known to place unnecessary stress on the body…

Using data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017, researchers estimate that adults with type 2 diabetes have a 19% increased risk for chronic low back pain and a 34% elevated risk for chronic neck pain. Journal of Clinical Medicine, September 2020

In a recent clinical trial, researchers observed that neck-specific exercises and manual therapies are both effective interventions to address chronic, nonspecific neck pain, with manual therapies leading to faster improvements in pain perception and therapeutic exercises resulting in a swifter improvement in neck pain-related disability. Doctors of chiropractic often use a combination of manual therapies…

A review of data from five published studies suggests that incorporating hip strengthening exercises into a low back pain treatment program can lead to greater improvements in both low back pain and disability. This finding is not entirely surprising as past research has shown that hip/pelvic and low back issues often co-occur. Doctors of chiropractic…

After a four-week course of chiropractic care, military personnel with back pain reported improved strength and endurance, as well as a reduction in low back pain intensity and disability compared with patients on a waiting list who received no treatment. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, June 2020

Questionnaires completed by 259 knee osteoarthritis patients revealed an association between back pain intensity and an increased risk for falling. The findings suggest that treatment to manage co-occurring back pain—such as chiropractic care—may be necessary to reduce fall risk among patients with severe osteoarthritis of the knee. Clinical Rheumatology, June 2020

Questionnaires completed by 400 expectant mothers revealed that 75.3% had experienced back pain at some point in their pregnancy, particularly in the lumbar region during the third trimester. Nearly half of the women in the study (45.7%) reported that their back pain limited their daily activities. Doctors of chiropractic commonly treat low back pain arising…