• Lumbar impingement: what is it and what causes it?
• Lumbar impingement: symptoms
• Is it good to walk with a lumbar impingement?
• How long does a pinch in the back last?

The lumbar spine supports most of our body’s weight and is also the center of our balance. It protects the spinal cord, an essential part of the nervous system, from where various nerves are born that control the movements and sensitivity of all areas of our body. An overload or repetitive movement can cause a pinching of any of these nerves and cause pain or alterations in sensory or movement. But, when the pain appears, is it good to walk with a pinch place? Let’s go in steps.

LUMBAR IMPINGEMENT: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT CAUSES IT?

Impingement occurs when there is a compression of a nerve by the bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons around it. It can occur anywhere in the spine, but it is more common lumbar spine (in the lower back) because this area supports many rotational and force movements throughout the day.

Possible causes of lumbar impingement are:

• Bad postural habits.
• Repetitive movements or overexertion due to physical exercise or work.
• Trauma or injury.
• Some diseases such as osteoarthritis (which causes thickening of the bones and can cause bone spurs in the spine that reduce the space through which the bones pass).
• Obesity promotes pressure on the nerves.
• Being pregnant, because weight gain together with modifications in connective tissue, ligaments and joints due to hormonal changes favor impingement in the lumbar area.
• A sedentary lifestyle or spending a lot of time still in bed (for example, during recovery after an operation).

Lumbar impingement can precede the appearance of a herniated disc, that is, the displacement of a vertebra that compresses an intervertebral disc, and can affect (among others) the sciatic nerve, the longest in the body, which goes from the lower back (sacral plexus) and passes through the leg to the feet. Lumbar impingement can lead to sciatica (pain that begins in the lower back and goes down to the legs and feet following the path of the sciatic nerves).

LUMBAR IMPINGEMENT: SYMPTOMS

Stabbing pain in the lower back is the most characteristic symptom of lumbar impingement. There may also be:

• Numbness and decreased tenderness in the lower back.
• Tingling or punctures.
• Numbness of the leg.
• Muscle weakness.
• Stiffness.
• Involuntary spasms or contractions.
• Reduced mobility.

Symptoms may be worse at night, while you sleep, and when you wake up.

IS IT GOOD TO WALK WITH A LUMBAR IMPINGEMENT?

Although the pain can make it difficult to walk, rest for a long time is not recommended: it can worsen the pain and delay the healing process.

As indicated by the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN) and the Spanish Society of Family and Community Pharmacy (SEFAC) in the Consensus Document on Back Pain, “contrary to popular belief, exercising the affected area lightly promotes recovery“.

Walking is a good way to stay fit, although in some people it can aggravate pain. Therefore, it is advisable to take short walks, at a gentle pace and on flat ground and see how the body reacts.

If the impingement is caused by repetitive movements of the area, postural habits should be modified. For example, in case the cause is the movements that are made at work, a physiotherapist can teach postural hygiene measures to perform those movements correctly: learn how to take weights, how to bend properly, etc.

To reduce pain, sleeping posture is important: it is best to sleep on your side or back and put a cushion under your knees. A mattress not too soft, helps keep the spine in a good posture and improve the quality of sleep.

If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight will help prevent nerve compression and prevent future episodes of lumbar impingement.

It is also advisable to do specific exercises and stretches to strengthen the lumbar area and relieve nerve pressure.

HOW LONG DOES A PINCH IN THE BACK LAST?

Most people recover within a few days with measures such as massage, stretching and specific exercises to relieve pain. However, in some cases where other measures do not work, surgery may be necessary.

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