Often the L4/5 or L5/S1 disc is involved and is likely to be suffering instability from the repetitive loading. A disc protrusion is more common in the bricklayers in their 20’s and 30’s whereas those tradesmen/women who are older tend to suffer facet joint arthritis and degeneration or sacroiliac joint dysfunction. In addition, if they experience low back pain at work they don’t, or can’t (due to their employment status) take the day off work, so they just carry on working.
I was intrigued as to why the pain is experienced mostly on one side.
It appears that, during the repetitive motion of laying bricks, all right-handed brickies will hold the brick in the left hand and use the trowel in the right.
Now, here’s the interesting bit, have a look at the image below and you will see that the bricklayer is leaning to his right and weight bearing at least two thirds of his weight on the right leg. This, I am sure will contribute significantly to the cause of asymmetric back pain.
One way of avoiding this postural asymmetry may be to use the ‘mortar pistol’ described at https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12717353-200-technology-pistol-takes-the-backache-out-of-bricklaying/
Other back problems are caused by the multitude of other jobs involved in a construction worker’s day, such as using a wheelbarrow and loading (and unloading) bricks. Some useful tips can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtun4JxSm6g
If these pains are not responding to the usual therapies then at our Blackberry Clinics we have a range of interventions from steroid injections, facet joint injections, or epidural injections to prolotherapy injections (ligament strengthening injections) and radiofrequency denervation. Any of these could be helpful depending on the findings after an extensive examination in the clinic. Please do have a look at our testimonials page from patients who have benefited from these types of treatments.
More information of these procedures can be found on www.blackberryclinic.co.uk
Dr Simon Petrides
Musculoskeletal Medicine, Sports Injury and Pain Management
Blackberry Clinic
