Your back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues extending from your neck to your pelvis. Back injuries can result from sports injuries, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident. The lower back is the most common site of back injuries and back pain. Common back injuries include
- Sprains and strains
- Herniated disks
- Fractured vertebrae
These injuries can cause pain and limit your movement. Treatments vary but might include medicines, icing, bed rest, physical therapy or surgery. You might be able to prevent some back injuries by maintaining a healthy weight, lifting objects with your legs and using lower-back support when you sit.
- Back Pain at Work: Preventing Aches, Pains and Injuries(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/back-pain/HQ00955/METHOD=print
- Using a Balloon to Repair a Broken Back(02/25/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81028.html
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MRI of the Spine(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=spinemr
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=spinemr
- Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/back-surgery/HQ00305/METHOD=print
- Kyphoplasty(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00388
- Spinal Fusion(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00348
- Back Facts: A Training Workbook to Prevent Back Injuries in Nursing Homes(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthcarefacilities/training/
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Lifting Safety: Tips To Help Prevent Back Injuries(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/safety/safety/174.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/safety/safety/174.printerview.html
- Physical Therapists Offer Snow Shovelers Advice to Avoid Injuries(American Physical Therapy Association) - http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Healthy_Living&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=26238
- Facet Joint Syndrome(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/facet_joint_syndrome/hic_facet_joint_syndrome.aspx
- Fracture of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00368&return_link=0
- Low Back Strain and Sprain(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/low_%20back_strain_sprain05.asp
- Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00053
- Back Injury(DSHI Systems) - http://www.freemd.com/back-injury/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
- Back Injury from Lifting(DSHI Systems) - http://www.freemd.com/back-injury-from-lifting/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
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Kyphoplasty for Vertebral Compression Fractures(OR-Live) - One hour program - 4/19/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=426
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Back Injuries
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Back+Injuries%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: High-quality controlled trials on preventing episodes of back problems: systematic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19185272&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Dynamic trunk stabilization: a conceptual back injury prevention program for... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18978452&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Occupational spine biomechanics: a journey to the spinal frontier. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18768330&tool=MedlinePlus
- Back Injuries -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=back+injuries[mh:noexp]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Backpack Safety(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00043
- Back Pain - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html
- Herniated Disk - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herniateddisk.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Injuries and Wounds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/injuriesandwounds.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Back Injuries is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Back Injuries - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/backinjuries.html