Back pain is the number one form of pain experienced by people in the U.S. It accounts for 20% of all injuries and illnesses in the workplace, and is responsible for as much as $50 billion in diagnosis and treatment each year [1]. The National Institutes of Health estimate that 4 out of 5 Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Not a pretty picture from any standpoint.

Make sure your computer, chair, and other parts of your work environment are ?friendly? to your back. Good support for your low back as well as your legs is important.

If acute back pain turns into chronic stages, factors of depression, fear and anxiety could increase discomfort and pain. And the longer the chronic pain persists, the more these factors tend to play a role, an increased role over time. So treatment strategies may need to include learning coping skills and alternative lifestyle enhancements to deal with the psychological factors present.

Without abdominal strength, you will have difficulty sitting, standing and walking. Your center of gravity is located at your sacrum or roughly just below your belly button. Therefore, your abs play an important part in keeping you balanced at your center of gravity. Think about someone who is a quadriplegic or paralyzed from the neck down. They are not able to sit by themselves because their back and abdominal muscles are paralyzed. In other words, they are no longer able to balance themselves. In contrast, a paraplegic, someone paralyzed from the waist down, is able to balance and sit by themselves because only their legs are paralyzed leaving their abdominal and back muscles intact. This proves that our abdominals are important for our balance.

Don't give into temptation and jump cold into your sport. Instead jump into jumping jacks, arm swings, leg swings, step out lunges, stationary cycling, running, or walking in place for three to five minutes. Then, a few dynamic stretches (to wake up the muscles and prepare them for effort), while reaching out with effortless breathing. Slow static stretches (which put the muscles to sleep) have been shown to dampen performance efforts, so stretch out and keep it moving. Now your ready to jump in.

Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.
Food. Certain foods may be contributing to your pain. You can then try to use the subconscious to expose what may be the most prominent offenders--the nightshade vegetables, dairy products, wheat, or others. You can then try avoiding them to see if that eases your pain.