Back pain is not a lot of fun, but it seems to happen to an awful lot of people.

Which is probably one of the reasons this week – Oct. 23-29 – has been designated “National Save Your Back Week.”

Then again, it could have something to do with the fact that practically everybody has a “National Whatever It Is They’re Interested In Week,” and orthopedic surgeons and chiropractors are no different.

But it does seem like a lot of folks complain about back pain.

Just about any American male older than, say, elementary school-age, has a back pain story.

“It’s usually guys, I’ve noticed,” said Cole Sharkey, who has a theory as to why that seems to be the case. “I’ve been there, done that – every guy wants to look big and strong and carry whatever needs carrying. Next thing you know, you’ve pulled something, and your back hurts so bad you can’t even pull your woman back to the cave by her hair.”

Not that Sharkey pulls women around by their hair, but his point seemed to be that guys have probably been throwing out their backs since the caveman days, trying to lug that huge mastodon leg back to the family.

“My most painful back problem was a sciatic nerve [caused by] lifting weights, doing squats,” he said. “It was more pain than I ever thought back pain would be. I couldn’t even sleep.”

Jim Lindsey is the staff engineer at the Tahlequah Public Works Authority, where quite a few of the fellows on various crews have suffered back problems.

Here’s his own back pain story:

“We were hauling wood one day, and I pushed a big cedar limb. My back went out and hasn’t been the same since.”

Medical attention – a chiropractor and some pills – did help minimize the pain, but as he said, “All it takes is once to mess it up.”

That’s why proper back care is one of the topics covered in TPWA’s safety meetings.

“We cover things like how to lift with your legs and such,” he said, and then read a few prophetic words from his safety brochure.

“It’s not a question of strength,” Lindsey recited. “It’s one of sensibility and longevity.”