UPMC Orthopaedic Surgeon: Summer Back Pain, Simplified

UPMC Orthopaedic Care
Summer in North Central Pennsylvania is a great time to be outside, whether you’re working in the yard, tending a garden, floating on the river, riding bike on a rail trail, or cheering on a game. But along with all that activity after a winter and spring hibernation, I tend to see more patients coming in with back pain this time of year.
One of the most common things I hear is, “My back hurts. What should I do?” And the honest answer is, it depends. Not all back pain is the same, and it shouldn’t all be treated the same way.
In many cases, back pain is what we call “mechanical.” That means it’s related to the muscles, joints, or ligaments often from lifting something awkwardly, twisting the wrong way, or overdoing it with repetitive tasks. The good news is that this type of pain is very common, and in most cases, it improves with the right approach.

































