10 Shocking Back Pain Statistics

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Back pain is one of the biggest health problems around the world and something most people will experience at some point in their lives. It is one of the most common reasons people initially visit a chiropractor and one of the most common complaints to doctors. This is such a common health problem, so there is quite a bit of shocking information and data surrounding it. 

To fully demonstrate the scale of this worldwide problem, I’ve compiled a list of 10 statistics about back pain that just might surprise you!

  1. Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability, preventing people from working and doing other everyday activities worldwide. This fact was found using nearly 70,000 data sources from about 195 countries. 
  2. It is one of the most common reasons for missed work. One half of all working people in the United States admit to having back pain annually, accounting for more than an average of 264 million lost workdays every year. 
  3. Approximately 75-85% of Americans will have back pain at some point in their life. 
  4. The older you get, the greater the likelihood of experiencing chronic low back pain. Based on a study review, 4.2% of 24–39-year-old people had lower back pain while 19.6% of 20–59-year-old people had chronic lower back pain. 
  5. Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic, meaning most of the time the pain isn’t caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture, or cancer. 
  6. Lower back pain is within the top 5 reasons for visiting the emergency room in the US. On average 2.6 million emergency visits are because of lower back pain. 
  7. 80% of pregnant women say lower back pain affects daily routine and 10% report not being able to work at all due to the pain. Approximately half of all pregnant women will have significant complaints of back pain. 
  8. 54% of Americans who experience back pain spend most of their day at work sitting rather than being in a movement heavy career. 
  9. Up to one-third of back injuries could be prevented through a better designed job workspace, including using a standing desk, propping screens up to eye level, better posture, etc. 
  10. Over one-third of adults in the US say back pain has affected their ability to engage in everyday tasks (39%), exercise (38%), and sleep (37%). There is an average of 42 minutes of sleep debt every night when people suffer with chronic pain, including chronic back pain. 

Back pain happens to be one of the biggest health problems, not just in the US but around the world.

If you’re one of the 577 million people from around the world experiencing this type of pain at any given time, Active Health KC can help you. We tailor each of our treatments to the unique needs of every patient to target the exact issues you might be dealing with. Call for your free consultation or book online today! We look forward to hearing from you and helping you live the life you want pain-free!