Back Stiffness

Back stiffness can be caused by a wide array of factors and affects almost everyone — from teenagers to older adults. It can make you feel heavy in the back, cause pain, and restrict movement. You may experience:

• Difficulty or increasing pain.
• Worsening pain when resting, sitting, walking or standing.
• Pain that comes and goes.
• Stiffness or increasing pain when getting up in the morning which reduces with movement.
• Heavy or restricted movement in the back, neck, legs, feet, hands or fingers.

Back stiffness can occur due to many different factors including mechanical or structural problems, inflammatory conditions, and other medical conditions. Stiffness in the back muscles often occurs as a protective mechanism in response to a slip disc pressing on the nerve. Some causes include:

• Occupational sprain or strain due to bending, twisting, lifting heavy weights, or prolonged sitting or driving.
• Lifestyle issues like poor posture, sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, or smoking.
• Age factors like Degenerative Disc Disease.
• Inflammatory conditions like Ankylosing Spondylitis, connective tissue disorder, or sacroiliitis.

History and physical examinations are enough to determine the cause in most cases. The doctor will assess sensation, reflexes, range of motion, tenderness, and muscle power. Diagnostic imaging may be required. Tests include:

• Myometry
• EMG
• MRI
• Blood tests

At Spine Science & Beyond, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression has successfully treated thousands of patients suffering from various spinal issues without surgery, medications, injections or exercises. Benefits include:

• Works on the root cause.
• Treatment with zero side effects.
• Reduces intradiscal pressure and helps the disc return to its normal state through a natural process, freeing the pressed nerve.
• Improves blood circulation and promotes natural healing.
• Reduces pain and relieves nerve compression.
• Improves disc quality and height.