Who is more likely to develop inflammatory back pain?

Inflammatory Back Pain

Dealing with a muscle strain or other injury that triggers back pain can take some time. Yet, people who have inflammatory back pain are more likely to be affected by it for the rest of their lives. 

This type of back pain is also called nonmechanical back pain. It’s typically caused by progressive conditions like ankylosing spondylitis. One study of this progressive condition found that at least 2.7 million American adults had it. Medical professionals can help you learn if you’re likely to develop nonmechanical back pain. Physical therapists can even help you find effective ways to manage your inflammatory back pain. 

These people are more likely to develop inflammatory back pain

Ankylosing spondylitis is a progressive issue that typically starts in the lower back. The common initial symptom of this condition is typically back pain that gets better with activity and gets worse while you’re resting. Certain people are more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis than others. People who are more susceptible to this condition include: 

  • Those with a family history of it — Ankylosing spondylitis often runs in families. The reason is that a specific gene is passed down that creates a protein called HLA-B27. This protein is found in most people who develop ankylosing spondylitis.
  • Men — Research shows that men are more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis. They also tend to develop it earlier and be hit harder by its symptoms. 
  • Younger adults — Many progressive conditions like osteoarthritis don’t appear until later in adulthood. However, ankylosing spondylitis tends to appear between the ages of 30 and 40. 

How can physical therapy help you manage inflammatory back pain?

There is currently no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but there are ways physical therapy can help you manage its symptoms. A few of the ways physical therapists can help ankylosing spondylitis patients include: 

  • Educating them on their condition and the benefits of staying as active as possible. 
  • Developing personalized therapeutic exercise plans designed to stretch tight muscles and improve spinal stability.

Find ways to manage your inflammatory back pain more effectively at Excel PT

Just found out that you have inflammatory back pain? Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team is ready and willing to help you find ways to manage your symptoms more effectively. We can do a free screening to determine which symptoms you have and how severe they are. Furthermore, our physical therapists are adept at building therapy plans that are unique to each patient’s needs. You can even sign up for virtual therapy or at-home care appointments with us, which can help you treat your symptoms without leaving home.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist with your back pain or to schedule your initial appointment.