Law enforcement officers can get help from chiropractic care
Law enforcement officers are a uniquely positioned profession in many ways. We all know that they are exposed to many risk factors. But few of us are aware that police officers tend to be at higher risk for low back pain. This article will discuss the prevalence, cause, and management of low back pain from the law’s first responders.
A recent study in the February 2017 issue of the investigative journal Spine looked at low back pain in members of the law enforcement profession. Questionnaires completed by 3,589 law enforcement officers revealed that nearly 70% reported symptoms of low back pain in the past 12 months. Almost 97% of them felt that the presence of their low back pain was partially or totally related to their work in the police force. Almost 30% of those surveyed lived with chronic low back pain. These officers were more likely to report a reduction in work activities and missed work days in the past year due to their pain.
The causes of low back pain in the law enforcement community are due to a variety of factors.
Many members of law enforcement agencies are forced to spend long hours driving vehicles. As these vehicles are used for longer periods by different drivers, the driver’s seats begin to break down. The upholstery can be compacted unevenly. If this is the case, the driver will be sitting in an uncomfortable and unbalanced position for many hours. When this happens, it places a physical strain on the lower back and pelvic joints.
Another cause of back problems is due to the sheer physicality of work. Police officers must physically pursue suspects, scale obstacles and surround them, and contain offenders. Sometimes a police officer is the first person to arrive in a medical emergency and may have to be in a demanding postural position to administer CPR, resuscitation, stop blood loss, or remove a victim from danger. Inevitably, again, physical stress occurs on the back.
One cause of back pain that is sometimes overlooked is the officers’ duty belt. A service belt is worn around the upper hips and not only holds a firearm, but also many other items such as handcuffs, a cane, a radio, a TASER, and a latex glove bag. Work belts can be heavy, uncomfortable to wear, and put mechanical stress on the lower back.
Certainly, there are other causes of stress in the lower back, but one gets a general idea from the examples mentioned.
Whatever the cause of the injury and the complaint, a physical solution and the care of a chiropractor can usually help resolve a physical problem. Chiropractors focus on helping patients with low back pain. Many back conditions are caused by misalignment and improper movement of the bones of the spine and pelvis. Chiropractors can evaluate the police officer during a physical exam and determine if realignment by the chiropractor performing a chiropractic adjustment will help correct the cause of the back pain.
Chiropractors are experts in treating lower back injuries. Many law enforcement officers who have developed back ailments due to their line of work have been assisted by chiropractors. Additionally, many police officers visit chiropractors on an ongoing basis for maintenance care to avoid injury and enjoy a long and healthy career.