Back pain can arise by straining or spraining the muscles or joints of the back. If there is weakness or shooting pain in the leg, it may be more serious. If you think of it like a jelly donut, a herniated disc would be like the fluid, or jelly, leaking out when pressure is exerted on the disc. It loses its cushion and irritates the nerve causing pain. After the nature of the injury is determined, the physician often prescribes an anti-inflammatory medication, along with an appropriate regimen of physical therapy.
Education is a key part of the physical therapy.
We teach back injury patients to brush their teeth without putting stress on their back by bending at the hips and knees, and to shovel snow with good body mechanics and resting periodically to avoid overdoing it. That means plan ahead. Make sure the snowblower is working, so shoveling can be avoided. Or better yet, encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of a neighborhood student by hiring him or her to clean your driveway and sidewalks. You can even carpool on snowy days, so you can save shoveling for later in the day when you aren't as rushed and can do it in small shifts.