Q. I am suffering from back ache which travels to my right leg. I also experience less sensation in my right foot. I am having this problem from 6 months. Please advise how I can get rid of this problem. Shashi, 35 years.

Ans. With your type of pain which you say is radiating to your right lower limb and which is accompanied with numbness, the cause may be a disc prolapse. The other most common type of pain is mechanical or functional back ache. A detailed clinical examination will help in establishing the diagnosis. In acute stage, rest with muscle relaxants will help. You are not supposed to lift any kind of weights, not to bend and work. Avoid sitting for long periods of time.once the pain subsides to a considerable extent. You are supposed to do back strengthening exercises to strengthen your back. Once the muscles are strengthened, the recurrence can be avoided. Maintain proper posture.

Q. I spend a lot of time in front of the computer for the past 6 years. Nowadays, my neck is giving a lot of trouble. Morning when I get up it is stiff and later in the day I experience pain and discomfort which passes on up to my shoulder and back. Please advice. Kiran 32 years.

Ans. Because of your computer usage for a long time, you must be having spasm of the paraspinal muscles in the cervical region along with trapezitis.This is because of the wrong posture, lack of exercising, absence of micro and macro breaks during your working hours. You definitely need to do neck exercises, which are simple to do and could be done anywhere. I am sure you will improve a lot if you follow the exercises.

Q. My right elbow hurts. I am unable to lift anything with my right hand. My doctor has diagnosed it as tennis elbow. I do not play tennis, so how can I get tennis elbow. Rekha 45 years.

Ans. Lateral epicondylitis is also sometimes known as tennis elbow. You need not be a tennis player to get this condition. Activities which involve rotation of the forearm or repetitive forcible movement of the forearm like dusting, or activities like squeezing and wringing can give rise to this condition. The best thing to do is to avoid these activities. A short course of anti inflammatory tabs along with some warm water fomentation will help. You can wear the tennis elbow support. But the most important thing is to avoid certain elbow and the forearm movements, which are painful.