Relief For Back Pain

In my last year of medical school, I was briefly incapacitated for back pain while I was rotating in the Department of Surgery.  I could not bend forward, lift my knees nor sit for long periods.  Initially I thought it was just because I was helping lift patients and going up and down the stairs all the time, but when it did not go away after 2 weeks, I got worried.
Although the pain was bearable, my limited knowledge and subsequent research scared me enough to seek consultation.  My doctor did not find anything physically wrong with me being young and relatively healthy, instead he laughingly advised me to lose some weight (I was about 15 lbs overweight) which I did not find amusing at that time.  I guess he was right though, because when I stopped eating pizza and hamburgers during my 24 hour duties, my back pain went away.  My mother on the other hand is suffering from osteoarthritis and deals with pain everyday.  She has tried all kinds of pain medications with minimal relief.  She bought an orthopedic bed which has helped her sleep better. Up until recently, she also undergoes regular physical therapy and daily range of motion exercises. She has warned me to start exercising now since osteoarthritis is also considered a hereditary disease.  Medical evidence tells us that back pain and all other joint pains that may occur in one's future can be avoided by proper nutrition and exercise, weight loss if one is overweight, and good health habits.  But once joint problems set in, experiencing pain will be inevitable.  Still, suffering from pain is no longer a life sentence because the good news is, there are now many pain management therapies, products and technologies available in the market. 

As for me...I better get on that stationary bicycle soon, if I want to be able to do this...

  or this... haha!