Key Takeaways
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Sitting 8+ hours daily weakens core muscles, strains spinal discs, and reduces circulation, raising risks of sciatica, osteoporosis, and chronic pain.
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Doctors often pair them with opioids (70% of cases), worsening risks of addiction, respiratory depression, and fatal side effects.
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25% of muscle relaxant users are over 65, who are vulnerable to falls, drug interactions, and hospitalization due to preexisting conditions.
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Physical therapy, posture correction, and OTC pain relievers (e.g., ibuprofen) are safer and address root causes of pain.
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Muscle relaxants offer temporary relief but ignore underlying issues like poor ergonomics or muscle atrophy, leading to dependency.
Prolonged sitting from office hours of 9 to 5 can result in back pain from poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of physical activity. For normal veinous circulation, skeletal muscle contraction is essential to ensure blood flow and prevent venous stasis. Therefore, prolonged sitting and poor circulation can be hazardous for the muscles in our extremities resulting in back pain, joint pain, osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, bone pain, cervical radicular pain, and sciatica.
Rising Use of Muscle Relaxants for Back Pain
Back Pain
Americans are plagued with back pain as more and more people shift from jobs requiring physical labor to office jobs. Physicians are doling out muscle relaxants to an increasing number of patients complaining of joint and back pain. In addition, prescriptions for opioid painkillers are also increasing leading to serious drug addictions.
Muscle relaxants such as Baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine, and carisoprodol are being increasingly prescribed for short-term relief of back pain. However, patients are abusing muscle relaxants by chronically using them for longer than the prescribed time. The successful management of back pain is with physical therapy and maintaining a proper posture when forced to sit for prolonged durations.
Study on Long-Term Use of Muscle Relaxants
A study on the number of muscle relaxants prescribed between 2005 and 2016 increased by three-fold in just a decade. Most of the prescriptions were for patients with chief complaints of back and muscle pain.
Data also indicated that more than 70% of patients with back pain were also prescribed opioid pain-relieving medications such as Oxycodone together with muscle relaxants. Combination treatment worsens the risk of side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache, constipation, urinary frequency, and fatigue. Chronic use can even be potentially fatal due to respiratory or cardiovascular depression, seizures, etc.
It has been hypothesized that physicians prescribe skeletal muscle relaxants to ward off the use of opioids for back pain. However, it has been shown that people who are prescribed muscle relaxants continue to use these medications to get relief from their pain instead of going through physical therapy sessions.
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Risks of Muscle Relaxants in Older Adults
Muscle relaxants have been found to significantly increase risk factors in older people above age 65. Despite this, 25% of the prescriptions for muscle relaxants were for seniors complaining of muscle, joint, and back pain. Elderly people are often taking a variety of medications for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disorders, atherosclerosis, and so on increasing the risk of cross-reaction between these drugs.
Over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen and acetaminophen in combination with physical therapy and proper posture are advised for back pain which not only has minimal adverse effects but is also more beneficial in altogether curing the pain.
Safer Alternatives for Back Pain Management
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and CDC guidelines, the first-line treatment for back pain should include:
- Over the counter medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which have fewer side effects compared to muscle relaxants.
- Physical therapy and exercise to strengthen muscles and improve mobility.
- Proper posture and ergonomic adjustments to reduce strain on the back.
These approaches not only have minimal adverse effects but also help prevent recurring pain and improve long-term outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do muscle relaxants worsen back pain long-term?
They relax muscles temporarily but don’t strengthen core stability or correct posture. Overuse leads to dependency, delaying critical therapies like physical rehab.
How can office workers reduce back pain without pills?
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Ergonomic Upgrades: Use lumbar-support chairs and adjustable desks.
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Movement Breaks: Stand/stretch every 30 minutes to boost circulation.
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Targeted Exercises: Planks, bridges, and yoga to strengthen core muscles.
Are opioids ever safe for chronic back pain?
Rarely. The CDC warns opioids should only be a last resort due to high addiction rates. Non-pharmacological treatments are safer and more effective.
Why are seniors disproportionately affected?
Aging slows metabolism, increasing drug toxicity. Many also manage multiple chronic illnesses, raising interaction risks.
Can poor posture really cause permanent damage?
Yes. Slouching strains ligaments and unevenly compresses discs, accelerating wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis).
References
Soprano, S. E., Hennessy, S., Bilker, W. B., & Leonard, C. E. (2020). Assessment of physician prescribing of muscle relaxants in the United States, 2005–2016. JAMA Network Open, 3(6), e207664. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.7664
