USA Today

Don’t take low-back pain lying down. That’s the message public health officials, employers and doctors are spreading about one of the leading causes of disability.

About two-thirds of adults will experience low-back pain at some point in their lives, says Stover Snook, a visiting scientist in environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Although low-back problems can be painful, fewer than one per cent of cases are caused by cancer or another serious disease, and fewer than one per cent are linked to arthritis or other inflammatory diseases. He says about 85 per cent of cases are considered “non-specific,” because the cause is not known.

One common expectation is that surgery will cure low-back pain, when actually it should be reserved for the small percentage of cases in which it is clearly called for. Instead of surgery, try alternative therapies, such as massage or acupuncture. Remember that your back is stiffer and more vulnerable first thing in the morning. So do your heavy lifting, like taking the trash out, before going to bed instead of first thing in the morning. Don’t sit bolt upright when you get out of bed. Roll over, put your feet on the floor and push yourself up to a standing position without bending your back. Try eating your breakfast standing up.

To minimise bending through the day, use long-handled shoehorns, dustpans and other devices. And if possible, take a page from such notables as Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill and use a stand-up desk.