People with back problems often have other chronic diseases and long-term conditions. These are referred to as ‘comorbidities’ —two or more health problems occurring at the same time.
In this context, ‘back problems’ include:
- Disc disorders (such as a herniated disc or disc degeneration)
- Sciatica and curvature of the spine, and
- Back pain/problems not elsewhere classified
Some statistics:
- 2 out of 3 Australians with back problems report at least one other chronic condition (65.4%)
- 31.4% of people with back problems also report arthritis making it the most common comorbidity, followed by cardiovascular disease (30.9%) and mental health problems (29.8%)
- 1.2 times more likely for people with back problems to be obese (32.6%) compared with people without back problems (26.6%)
If you are experiencing back problems make an appointment with our Physiotherapy Team or GPs
*Source: AIHW