Washington ABC7 — June is National Men’s Health Month and we are dealing with a problem that impacts millions every year, back pain. Dr. Colin Haines, a Spine Surgeon at Virginia Spine Institute joined us to discuss back pain.
“Nice to see you. So today I’m totally the side-kick. This is the star of the show, Emerson, my seven month old daughter.”
“Dads oftentimes are typically tasked with doing most of the heavy lifting. Whether it’s going to the beach, traveling, or even just carrying their kids around at the zoo. Lots of heavy lifting can be really hard on the back. And that’s one of the most common reasons that people come and see me in the office. They say: I can’t care for my kids, or enjoy my kids the way I want to.”
“One of the common themes that we see when people use poor ergonomics is forward flexion, it’s like doing constant sit-ups. It’s actually not good for the back, because that puts a lot of stress on the discs. So what we want to do is use good ergonomics. The old adage: bend with the knees, bend with the hips, really works.”
“Yes, not only is it fun to hold your child next to your chest, it’s good for your back. If you do a lot of holding your child out, that puts a lot of force on your back. If you try it, you’ll feel it really quickly. So you want to make sure you’re standing upright with a good posture, good low back curvature. Make sure you hold your child close to your chest.”
“When you’re a parent, time and your body, are really not your own anymore. I find myself not only not having time to do the type of exercise I once wanted to, but also diapers, feeding, bath time, all these different things are kind of hard on your back.
“You know, life’s too short. I’m acutely aware of that as a dad of three girls. I’ve got three, from ages six years old to seven months old. This may be the best it is, as teenage years maybe a little bit challenging. So if you’re hurting, don’t ignore it. For me, if I’m hurting and not enjoying my children in the way I want to, I’d get it checked out right away. Because the quicker we get answers, the quicker we get you feeling better.”
Dr. Colin Haines is a board certified spine surgeon and the Director of Research at Virginia Spine Institute. Dr. Haines performed the world’s first combined endoscopic and robot-guided spine surgery. His patient success has earned him a national feature on The Today Show and WebMD, and Top Doctor recognition in consecutive years.. Learn more about Dr. Haines.