Men too often suffer persistent back pain

About 2.3 million Australian men suffer from persistent back pain and nearly half of them have never had it diagnosed, new research shows.

One in four fathers with persistent back pain are unable to play with their kids and one in five are unable to pick up their children, according to research by Arthritis Australia.

President of the Australian Rheumatology Association, Dr Louis McGuigan, says the pain for many Australian men could be much more than just a 'bad back'.

"This new review suggests men with spinal pain are being hit hard - and in the prime of their lives - with their pain first being felt at the age of 29 on average," he said on Thursday.

"Despite enduring their spinal pain for an average of 10 years, it is astounding to discover that almost half (45 per cent) have not visited a healthcare professional (about it)."

The research showed 41 per cent of men with persistent back pain admitted to keeping silent about it and 51 per cent had difficulty exercising.

Anyone with persistent back pain should see their GP and ask if they need a referral to a rheumatologist, Dr McGuigan said.

Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater joined the call for men to get their spine checked, saying his visit to a doctor led to a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

It causes inflammation and pain in the spine and other joints and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent stiffening of the spine.

"For 20 years I've lived with intense back pain which at times felt like a knife was being run down my spine - it nearly cost me my cricketing career," Slater said.

"If I didn't get the right help all those years ago, my condition would have fused my spine together and who knows where I would be today."

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