Why do so many people have back pain?

The spine is made up of approximately 28 un-fused vertebrae. Between each vertebra is a disk which is the shock absorbing system of the back.

One of these disks, the L4-L5 disk in my back, is gone… presumably from chronic pounding and force on this area of my back.

I was told by a doctor – disk degeneration is the price we pay for walking on our hind legs… This I was told when I was diagnosed with disk degeneration at the age of 30. Far to young to be given an excuse like this.

It was as if we, humans, have de-evolved, and are defective from other species. However, there are many people in the world – far older then me… and who have endured far greater physical stress…. Who do not have back pain!

Now in highschool, I learned that the spine is one of the best-designed structures in our body… so why… has mine failed?

Genetics?
Stress?
Horse-back riding and running?

It certainly isn’t because of age.

I have started to read this book called “8 steps to a pain free back”. And the theory in this book is that over the past 100 years, those in industrialized nations have poor posture during walking, sitting and performing any and all activities. And if we treat our bodies as they are meant to be treated, we can control and avoid most of the pain.

In fact, it states that 60% of adolescents have had back pain by the time they are 15 years of age! This should NOT be normal.

I think this book will be a good one. I have learned a lot from it already. It discusses the “gliding” (walking) and “hinging” (bending over) techniques.

And I can personally attest that these two things have made a remarkable difference in my back pain.