Lower back pain can take you from the top of your game to sitting on the bench. According to researchers, as many as 1 in 3 competitive athletes will deal with lower back pain at some point. What are the most common causes of this pain? Is there a safe and natural way to combat chronic lower back pain? Read on to find the answers.

Risk Factors for Lower Back Pain in Athletes

What are the most common risk factors for athletes who experience lower back pain?

1. Intense Training – This is particularly true of younger athletes between the ages of 10 and 24. In an effort to succeed in a competitive sport and perhaps even be noticed by pro scouting agents, young people are often driven to train intensely. However, these regimens can lead to degeneration of the discs that keep the vertebrae from rubbing together. The ultimate outcome is often lumbar disc problems.
2. Repetitive Motion Injuries – This becomes more common for athletes who are competing at a higher level and who are ages 20-35. When the same motions are performed over and over again with intensity, the results can be sudden injuries that cause acute pain or wear and tear that goes beyond normal body limits and leads to gradual disc degeneration.

Getting Help for Lower Back Pain

Another way that lower back pain may begin is with injuries to the uppermost bones in the neck, the C1 and C2. Since these bones balance the head, any misalignment causes shifts throughout the spine in an effort to keep the head straight. When these changes lock the lower back in a stressed position, it can lead to disc degeneration and pain.

Upper cervical chiropractors use very gentle and precise adjustments to get the C1 and C2 back into proper position. This, in turn, helps relieve the lower back from stress and may reduce or eliminate pain. To learn more, schedule a consultation with a practitioner in your area.

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