OF ALL the ailments that can plague a person, back and neck aches are probably the most common. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, nine out of 10 Americans suffer from back or neck pain at some point in their lives. In Singapore, an ergonomics study carried out by Changi General Hospital in a company with 40 workers revealed that 80 per cent of them had back and neck problems. Of course, poor posture or a traumatic experience, such as a car accident, are among the most common causes of such pain, but sports and exercise are by no means lesser contributors. “With recent interest in more dynamic, extreme sports such as aggressive skating, mountain biking and skateboarding, we are seeing more people coming in with traumatic injuries,” said Ng Lih Yen, senior physiotherapist. “Golf and racket sports such as squash continue to be popular, and with these, we also see some examples of both overuse and traumatic injuries.”She added that sportsmen and women need to note that their backs must undergo the right conditioning for their sport. They need to use the right techniques while playing sport and they must also have rest. Overstraining the back or neck muscles, improper posture when exercising or carrying weights, or a sudden wrong move can easily lead to back or neck problems. Sports injuries can largely be classified into two categories: traumatic injuries and overuse injuries. - Traumatic injuries are those that result from a sudden stress due to impact or vigorous movements.
- Overuse injuries are an accumulation of small stresses over a period of time. These pains are caused by the muscles contracting and producing lactic acid, a potent irritant to the nerves.
In addition, static postures cause blood flow to slow down, leading to more lactic acid build-up, and pain. When muscles become tight, they may also compress other structures around them, such as the nerves in the arms and legs, causing sensations of numbness and weakness.The nerves can also become inflamed from compression and become a source of pain themselves. One oft-recommended way of overcoming the problem is to strengthen the back and neck muscles. But herein lies the dichotomy. Weak muscles can result in aches and pains, so having stronger muscles may keep them at bay. But – while buffing them up, you may inadvertently stress them and make matters worse. Which is why Goh Ming Rong, a senior physiotherapist at Changi General Hospital, stressed: “Exercise is the best medicine. However, for people who have spinal pain, the right exercises need to be prescribed and taught by a physiotherapist, to avoid suffering injuries during exercise.” She recommends walking as the best exercise for the spine. It builds up the endurance and strength of the postural and lower limb muscles, relaxes the spine, and encourages an upright posture.  
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