A Modest Proposal for Curing Back Pain

Pajamas Media ^ | Jan. 24 | Theodore Dalrymple

[AJKauf]

The latest research from Germany shows that people who are highly indebted are eleven times more likely than others to suffer from low back pain. This is so even when other factors are taken into account and controlled for.

Rarely does medical research have such obvious policy implications. As everyone knows, low back pain is enormously damaging to the economy: it has been estimated that it costs the American economy $100 billion per year in lost production. Even in these days when you have to talk in trillions to get anyone’s attention, $100 billion is not trivial: it is, after all, a tenth of a trillion.

Of the personal suffering caused by low back pain I do not need to speak. Anyone who has sat at a computer all day knows all about it.

Since indebtedness has undoubtedly increased of late, it follows that low back pain must also have increased (assuming, of course, that German research is as reliable as their cars). The loss to the economy must also be increasing, therefore.

How can we deal with the looming low back pain crisis? The answer, surely, is obvious. ....

[jwparkerjr]

re: costs the American economy $100 billion per year

Might be cheaper to just pay off the heavy debts of all those are having back pain because of them.

Hmmm, I just noticed my back is hurting.

[muir_redwoods]

If your back is bothering you, check your gut. Weak, out of shape abdominal muscles provide very little support for the lower back.

[Eagle Eye]

Any stress increases the susceptibility to lower back pain.

[Erasmus]

I’m disappointed. I was sure that Dr Dalrymple was going to propose back-pain panels.