Millions live with low back pain, but addressing risk factors like smoking, obesity and ergonomics could curb trend

I stopped getting it after reclining my office chair back to almost maximum, lifting weights, doing planks and bridges floor exercises, and playing tennis or hiking once a week. Everyone's different, but that works for me.

Carrying around twenty kgs of lard for several years will give you back pain. Doctors need to be more vocal pointing this out.

I cured myself by ignoring everything my company told me about ergonomics and just staying comfortable throughout the day. Reclined seat with feet on a stool…. Switch to cross-legged at my desk… move location with laptop actually on lap. Work from iPad… everything but the standard recommendations.

I've been using a stand-up desk for the past few years and it helps a lot.

I also have the option of sitting in a tall chair if I get tired of standing and working.

Doing a combination of the two seems to work best.

I also stretch my back when I wake up in the morning.

Lower back pain isn't inevitable.

I was introduced to a 'movement method' called Feldenkrais about a year ago by a friend who was a wrestler in Japan who had some major back and neck problems. I had never ever heard about Feldenkrais before that. I've had a bad back for 25 years now. It isn't an instant fix but it has certainly improved my body's overall movement and reduced the sharp painful aches I often had. I had previously been hospitalized three times in Japan because my back herniated so badly that it left me unable to walk properly or even stand up at its very worst.

I don't know if JT allows recommendations that are ON TOPIC [absolutely no financial connection to me at all] but if anyone suffers from any kind of back, shoulder, neck or joint pain, or finds it difficult to move, check out Feldenkrais Project. Their website offers about 50 different instructor lead one hour (approx) audio routines for FREE. The sessions are very slow, and extremely easy on the body. Try it for a week or so and you will soon know if it helps (probably first two or three sessions). My friend said they have no more problems. For myself, my back is in a much better condition overall and I don't have the horrible life changing flare ups I had before.

For those (like I was) who haven't heard about Feldenkrais before [from Google]

"A chronic knee injury prompted Moshe Feldenkrais to apply his knowledge of physics, body mechanics, neurology, learning theory and psychology to a new understanding of human function and resulted in the formulation of a unique synthesis of science and aesthetics, known as the Feldenkrais Method. He studied with Jigoro Kano, the originator of Judo, and in 1936 became one of the first Europeans to earn a black belt in that discipline." I think he also opened the first judo dojo in Paris.

Anyway if it helps anyone out there like it has helped me, I am happy to recommend it so you can try it for yourself. You people out there that walk around in pain everyday know who you are. This is for you.

Lower back pain is a "chronic" medical issue that can often be successfully self-managed.

Check out this muscle and use a tennis ball. Amazing results if you do it daily.

The Quadratus Lumborum (QL) is the deepest back muscle and originates from the iliac crest and inserts on the transverse process of lumbar one through five and the lower part of the twelfth rib . The QL muscle is flattened and has a quadrangular shape.