Who is affected? A look at gender

“Low back pain is ubiquitous, affecting roughly 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives. It's the fifth most common reason for visiting a doctor, one of the top reasons people miss work, and the most common cause of work-related disability in people under age 45.

In spite of being so common, low back pain remains something of a medical puzzle. Even after extensive tests, physicians often can't pinpoint an exact cause. Many people with low back pain visit one doctor after another only to come away with conflicting opinions. Most cases of back pain are ultimately classified as "idiopathic," meaning they have no known cause — yet the pain is all too real to the person affected.

One thing is clear, whether your back pain is acute or chronic: To regain your get-up-and-go, you need to do just that — become active, at least within reason. An extended stay in bed, for instance, won't help your recovery and may actually hinder it.”

It is said that men and women are equally affected by back problems, however in western society, men are more at risk of disk problems due to their careers. These men are more likely to be treated with surgery. The greatest difference is the number of men in jobs that involve heavy lifting, these men tend to rush back to work after a back problem which in turn can lead to more problems.

Studies suggest that men are three times more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis, a severe but uncommon form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine. However, other studies have found that this condition afflicts men and women in equal numbers.

On the contrary, osteoporosis (loss of bone density and strength) occurs in women more often than men. This disorder can cause severe weakening of vertebrae and may eventually lead to vertebral fractures. Vertebral fractures can cause a loss of height and, more serious, a rounding of the back, commonly known as dowager's hump. This can be seen in old age (see picture below)l. Women are also especially susceptible to degenerative arthritis of the lower spine (a condition that generally involves the vertebral joints). They may also develop spondylolisthesis (an abnormal forward displacement of a vertebra relative to the one below it).

All together back pain can affect everyone, male and female. It is a problem that exists thought western society.

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