|
1) How many vertebrae does a human back have?
1. 11
2. 26
3. 31
4. 44 |
| |
|
|
The right answer is B.
The adult spine is called the vertebral column and is
made up of 26 bones; five in the neck (cervical)
region, 12 in the chest (thoracic) region and five in
the lower (lumbar) region. The end part called the
sacrum is fused into one bone and the coccyx is one
bone, sometimes called the tailbone. |
| |
|
|
|
2) What is the most common cause of
back pain?
1. a slipped disc
2. a trapped nerve
3. an injury to a muscle
4. usually there is no obvious physical cause |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is D.
In most cases, there is no clear cause for a bout of
simple back pain. Back pain is most commonly
'self-limiting' which means that there is no
underlying physical damage being done - the problem is
the short-term pain. |
| |
|
|
|
3) What percentage of people in the UK
suffer from at least one day of low back pain during
the course of a year?
1. 5 per cent
2. 10 per cent
3. 36 per cent
4. 49 per cent |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is D.
Surveys show that during the course of a year, nearly
half of us have low back pain for at least 24 hours. |
| |
|
|
|
4) If you suffer from prolonged back
pain, which of the following is most likely to be the
most 'back-friendly' mattress for you?
1. a second hand mattress
2. a new, very hard mattress
3. a new, firm mattress
4. a new, medium firm mattress |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer seems to be D.
There is little published research in this area, but a
European study involving more than 300 people with
prolonged back pain showed that people who used a
medium firm mattress recovered better than people who
used a firm mattress. |
| |
|
|
|
5) Which of these tips is not a good
way of preventing back pain when lifting?
1. avoid lifting heavy loads whenever possible
2. don't twist your back when you lift
3. don't lift in cramped, awkward conditions
4. keep your knees straight and bend from the waist to
pick objects up |
| |
|
|
|
The right (or wrong!) answer is D.
It is better to bend slightly at the knees, hips and
back when lifting objects from the ground. |
| |
|
|
|
6) Which of these groups of workers
experience the most back pain?
1. office workers
2. manual workers
3. people who work from home
4. it doesn't make any difference |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is B.
People in skilled manual, partly skilled and unskilled
jobs report more back pain than people in other areas
of work. Other elements of work that cause a lot of
back pain include driving a motor vehicle for long
periods of time, and intensive use of the telephone
without headsets. |
| |
|
|
|
7) What is most sensible advice for
recovering from short-term back ache (with no other
symptoms)?
1. stay in bed until the pain has gone
2. stay in bed for two or three days
3. get up, but do no activity until the pain has gone
4. get up and try to return to normal activities |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is D.
Studies show that in most cases of simple back pain,
bed rest just makes things worse, so it is better to
keep active and get on with everyday activities (even
if you have to modify some of the things that you do). |
| |
|
|
|
8) When is it important to seek
medical advice for back pain?
1. when the pain lasts more than a few days or is
associated with other symptoms, such as loss of
bladder control
2. when the pain is in the neck or shoulders
3. when it feels as though you have pulled a muscle
4. you should always seek medical advice for back pain |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is A.
You should seek urgent medical advice if your back
pain is prolonged or associated with other symptoms
like loss of bladder control, numbness in one or both
legs, or a fever. Your doctor will diagnose the cause
of the pain and recommend the best course of treatment
for you. |
| |
|
|
|
9) If you are prone to bouts of back
pain, which of the following forms of exercise may not
help you look after your back?
1. swimming
2. golf
3. alexander technique
4. tai chi |
| |
|
|
|
The most likely answer is B.
All the other activities can help to strength the
muscles that support the back, but your golf swing
could strain the back, which may result in injury. |
| |
|
|
|
10) Doctors sometimes talk about
'yellow flags' for back pain. But what is a 'yellow
flag'?
1. a sign that your back pain is not serious and will
go away in a few days
2. a sign that your back pain is likely to be chronic
3. a sign that your back pain is related to social and
psychological factors
4. a sign that your back pain has a serious underlying
cause, which needs to be treated immediately |
| |
|
|
|
The right answer is C.
In quite a lot of cases, back pain is linked to your
life circumstances or psychological factors, such as
stress, anxiety or depression. Sometimes treating the
psychological issues or changing your circumstances
can also help with the pain. NB: Signs that your back
pain has a serious underlying cause, which needs
immediate treatment are known as 'red flags'. |
