Lower back pain is a common symptom in diseases of the spine and some internal organs. Often pain manifestations are observed only during movement and cease to bother when the body is at rest. To determine why the lower back hurts when walking, you should carefully analyze the nature of the pain and the accompanying symptoms, because it is impossible to get rid of the disease without knowing the cause.
Lower back hurts when walking
What do the symptoms indicate?
Pain when moving may indicate possible changes in the vertebral discs, injuries or problems of the vertebrae, scoliosis, or weakness of the muscle corset.
The appearance of pain when walking may also indicate the development of:
- Osteochondrosis.
- Arthrosis.
- Protrusion, intervertebral hernia.
- Muscle inflammation.
- Rachiocampsis.
Pain in the lower back when walking can signal inflammation, as well as injury. Such sensations occur at any age. And seeing a doctor is necessary.
Otherwise, if treatment is delayed, lower back pain will remain and it will be painful to walk.
Diagnostics
If you have spinal problems, you need to make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor or vertebrologist. If there is nerve pinching, you will definitely need to consult a neurologist. If the symptoms are mixed, and it is not clear which specialist to contact, you should immediately go to your local physician, who, after an initial examination, will refer you to the right doctor. To make a diagnosis, the patient is prescribed tests and hardware studies. Magnetic resonance imaging is considered the most accurate method, with the help of which it is possible to detect any pathological changes at a very early stage, not only in the spine, but also in the internal organs.
Magnetic resonance imaging will allow you to accurately determine the cause of pain and identify possible complications
If the symptoms clearly indicate a hernia, osteochondrosis or radiculitis, X-ray examination is usually used for diagnosis. X-ray is one of the simplest and most accessible methods; moreover, it takes very little time to take an image, unlike CT, where the patient must remain motionless for quite a long time. To assess the condition of blood vessels and soft tissues, an ultrasound is prescribed, and if an infectious nature of the disease is suspected, laboratory tests of blood and urine are required. Based on the results obtained, the doctor selects the optimal treatment method for the patient.
In diseases of the spine, radiography is most often used for diagnosis.
If you want to know in more detail what an ultrasound scan of the spine shows, and also consider whether preparation is needed, features and advantages, you can read an article about this on our portal.
Causes of pain when walking
The most common reason for pain in the lower back when walking is changes that occur in the spinal column: osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis, osteoporosis, protrusion and vertebral hernia.
All of these diseases are accompanied by pain. There are many explanations for why a particular disease occurred. However, the pain may not be associated with spinal pathology, but may be secondary.
The cause may be some kind of infectious process. For example, brucellosis can cause damage to the vertebrae, sclerotic changes, and the appearance of growths that compress the nerve endings. Tuberculosis destroys the vertebral bodies. With osteomyelitis, pus appears, which compresses the structures of the spine. In any of these cases, pain appears in the spine, especially in the lumbar region.
Tumors, which can be benign or malignant, cause sharp pain in the sacrum that is not relieved by painkillers.
One of the most common reasons for lower back pain when walking is osteochondrosis. This disease has become widespread and has become significantly “younger” in recent years.
Osteochondrosis leads to problems in cartilage and bone tissue. As a result, nerve endings and blood vessels are damaged. Arthrosis is characterized in approximately the same way, only with it bone growths appear - osteophytes, which help reduce the mobility of the spine.
The causes of lower back pain can be psychogenic factors, as well as serious pathologies. Most causes of pain are associated with prolonged muscle tension or spasm.
Treatment
Treatment for low back pain depends on its cause. A neurologist, a urologist, a gynecologist, and a surgeon can deal with pathology. When it comes to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, doctors use medicinal, non-medicinal and surgical methods to improve the patient’s condition.
Drug treatment
The most common treatments for low back pain are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These are drugs based on diclofenac, nimesulide, ibuprofen, meloxicam and their derivatives. They are prescribed in the form of tablets, intravenous and intramuscular injections, rectal suppositories, as well as creams, ointments and patches for topical use. The decision on the dosage of the drug, as well as the duration of the course, is made by the doctor, since uncontrolled use of these drugs can cause unpleasant side effects.
If NSAIDs are ineffective, doctors prescribe hormonal drugs (corticosteroids). They also stop the inflammatory process and help reduce pain.
The third group of drugs that improve the patient’s condition are antispasmodics (mydocalm, sirdalud). They relieve muscle spasms in the lumbar region.
Additionally, the following may be assigned:
- decongestants to reduce swelling of the pinched root;
- B vitamins to improve nerve conduction;
- sedatives.
Non-drug methods
Non-drug treatments complement drug regimens. Depending on the clinical situation, this may include:
- physiotherapeutic procedures (magnetic therapy, laser exposure, electrophoresis, etc.);
- physical therapy: a course of exercises is developed individually in accordance with the underlying and concomitant diseases; gymnastics should be performed regularly, not only in the clinic office, but also at home, only in this case it has an effect;
- restorative and therapeutic massage (performed outside of exacerbations);
- acupuncture;
- manual therapy and osteopathic assistance.
Surgery
The help of surgeons is necessary if the attending physician, based on the general picture, identifies one of the indications for surgical treatment. The presence of a herniated intervertebral disc in itself is not an indication for surgical treatment, regardless of its size. Depending on the indications, doctors can remove a herniated disc, eliminate compression of the spinal cord root, remove a tumor, etc. The decision to carry out a particular operation is made on an individual basis.
Classification of low back pain
Lower back pain is varied. Based on the occurrence of back pain, they are divided into:
- primary, which is caused by problems in the tissues associated with long-term and painful changes. Sometimes they touch nerve endings in the spinal cord;
- secondary, which occurs due to damage, inflammation, arthritis or arthrosis of the intervertebral joints, diseases of the internal organs.
Pain is also classified according to its duration:
- Acute, arising from injury or renewed painful condition. It can last up to one and a half months.
- Subacute - up to two and a half months.
- Chronic, which lasts more than 12 weeks.
Painful manifestations will be associated with the source of pain. If this is associated with muscle tone and myofascial pain, then they are caused by prolonged exposure to the cold, uncomfortable positions at work and during rest, erroneous movements, and diseases that damage the intervertebral discs.
The result is spasm of some muscles and pain. Trigger points gradually form, touching which causes pain.
Walking as therapy
Back pain that occurs when walking forces many to limit their movements and spend more time sitting or lying down. Meanwhile, proper walking is also one of the types of therapy for pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
Proper walking has a beneficial effect on the condition of the spine and is a good prevention of osteochondrosis
In order for it to give only positive results, several rules must be followed.
- Walking is indicated in the absence of serious damage to the skeleton and muscle tissue, otherwise it can only cause harm. Regular walking is very useful in the stage of complete or partial remission of diseases, the main thing is to first consult with your doctor.
- For walking, you need to choose comfortable shoes and clothes that do not restrict movement. It is also worth taking into account the weather conditions so that you do not have to sweat or, conversely, shake from the cold while walking.
For walking you need to choose comfortable clothes and shoes - If the patient led a sedentary lifestyle, the duration of walking for recovery should be increased gradually, starting with walks of 15-20 minutes a day. It is very important not to overdo it so as not to put undue stress on the lower back. After walking, you should feel pleasantly tired, not acute pain or discomfort.
- You need to walk at a pace that is comfortable for you so that you don’t lose your breath. Shoulders should be straightened, stomach pulled in, back straight. If this position is difficult to maintain, you can lean on a stick.
- Hiking must be combined with therapeutic exercises, and before walking it is recommended to do a short warm-up to warm up the muscles.
Nordic walking
Compliance with these simple conditions will help you quickly cope with the disease and strengthen your spine. In addition, walking is also an excellent preventative measure, so regular walks in the fresh air will not be superfluous, even if no problems with the spine are observed.
Diseases that cause lower back pain
Diseases that lead to pain in the lumbar region are:
- Narrowing of the spinal canal. The cause of this may be a herniated disc. In this case, the bases in the lower spinal endings are subjected to compression. Painful sensations spread from the spine to the bottom of the legs. When the spine straightens, the pain intensifies.
- Facet syndrome, caused by disease of the facet joints. The pain occurs suddenly and most often occurs in adults.
- Inflammatory diseases, for example, rheumatism and other diseases that affect the joints. Inflammation occurs at a young age and gradually develops. You can understand that there is an inflammatory disease by stiffness of movements after waking up and intensification during physical activity.
- Lumbago is lower back pain that often occurs for no apparent reason. The pain is burning, bursting, and does not allow you to straighten up. It appears suddenly and disappears the same way.
- Sciatica, otherwise called sciatic neuralgia or lumbosacral radiculitis. The pain is characterized by shooting, tingling, and numbness. The sensations become so intense that it is impossible to move.
- Muscle spasms that occur with prolonged incorrect body position. For a long time, a person experiences pain due to muscle spasm, which leads to pain in the spine. The pain intensifies when moving.
- Diseases of internal organs. For example, kidney disease and inflammation of the appendages will certainly affect the lower back.
Most diseases have similar manifestations, primarily the occurrence of pain. Therefore, to clarify the disease, you need to consult a qualified doctor.
What accompanying symptoms may accompany pain?
In addition to pain, a person may experience increased sweating and muscle spasms in the lumbar region. The pain can move to the lower extremities, to the buttocks. Such symptoms are characteristic of osteochondrosis. There may be lameness and weakness in the legs .
When a hernia occurs, numbness appears in the chest and lower back ; when nerve endings are pinched, the patient complains of pressing pain in the area of the heart .
With radiculitis, the pain is sudden and intensifies when raising the leg. The skin of the face may take on a pale tint .
Muscle spasm during palpation leads to increased pain.
Danger of pain
If pain occurs after an injury, then consultation with a specialist is necessary. Since trauma can lead to a fracture of the spine, the appearance of cracks, and displacement of the vertebrae.
In addition, such consequences are accompanied by severe pain and can have detrimental consequences, including immobilization. If the disease is not treated, it can lead to:
- Increased pain.
- Decreased sensitivity of the limbs.
- Decreased mobility.
- The occurrence of various complications.
- Brain diseases, paralysis.
For back and lower back pain, it is important to rule out serious illnesses. Tests will show the presence or absence of an inflammatory process, increased calcium levels, etc.
Causes
There are many reasons why your back begins to hurt in the lumbar region. Most often, provoking factors are:
- hypothermia;
- lifting weights;
- uneven distribution of load (due to pregnancy, postural disorders, pathology of the musculoskeletal system);
- infectious lesion;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- inflammatory processes, including autoimmune;
- prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position;
- changes in the composition of bone tissue (osteoporosis);
- volumetric processes: benign and malignant tumors, abscesses;
- hormonal changes (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause);
- kidney diseases (urolithiasis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, abscesses);
- pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases of the uterus and appendages in women, prostate diseases in men, etc.
Prevention of lumbar pain
A reliable prevention of lower back pain is to do special gymnastics for a certain period of time. If exercises are done regularly, they develop the muscles that ensure movement of all parts of the thoracic spine.
It is recommended to sit less on upholstered furniture. This is due to the fact that the weight compresses the spine, the body supports the ischial tuberosity, and this can only happen when using hard seats.
Furniture that is used for long-term sitting must meet the special requirements for it; the legs must reach the floor and at the same time not bend too much.
If you have to sit for a long time, you need to change the position of your legs and try to warm up for ten or fifteen minutes. Your back should be against the back of the chair. You need to pay attention to proper standing and lying in bed.
Often lower back pain is associated with improper weight bearing. To prevent such pain from occurring, you need to separate them into two bags and carry them in both hands. It is also necessary to pay special attention to the method of lifting weights.