The Queen has been forced to miss the National Service of Remembrance at Whitehall for the first time in years after suffering a sprained back. Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty would no longer attend the event just hours before it was due to go ahead. Her absence comes a month after doctors first advised her to rest and has raised fresh concerns about The Queen’s health.
A back sprain is a fairly common condition and affects women more than men. It indicates that a muscle, tendon or ligament supporting the spine has been twisted or pulled.
First signs of a back sprain include pain which remains localised and doesn’t spread to the legs. People might also experience muscle cramps or spasms while mobility is often affected with sufferers having difficulty walking and bending forwards or sideways as well as problems in standing up straight.
A sprained back can be an acute condition, meaning it’s been caused suddenly by a single event like picking up a heavy object. It can also be chronic, brought on by issues like sustained overuse of muscles or continued poor posture. Sprained backs are sometimes brought on after a period of sedentary lifestyle and they are more common among people who curve their lower back excessively or who have weak back or abdominal muscles.
Doctors diagnose according to medical history and any obvious indications of sudden injury. If there are concerns over weakness or loss of function, they will use x-rays to rule out any further issues such as slipped discs. There is no indication, in The Queen’s case, that any such concerns were raised.
Back sprains always need some form of rest to heal. In the initial stages of treatment, patients are told to rest as much as possible and to use ice to help reduce any swelling. Non steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, are also used to bring down pain and swelling. This stage of treatment lasts between 24 and 48 hours after the initial diagnosis after which patients are advised to start resuming day to day activities as much as possible as prolonged rest can make the condition worse. This could indicate that The Queen’s back sprain is a relatively new condition.
Back sprains usually heal within two weeks. If symptoms remain after a fortnight, further investigations are undertaken and other treatments may be required.
Buckingham Palace has given no further details of The Queen’s back issues. In a statement, royal officials said she was disappointed to miss the ceremony at the Cenotaph. Her last absence at the National Service of Remembrance was over twenty years ago when she was on an overseas tour.
Her Majesty is currently only undertaking ”light, desk based” duties on medical advice. In October, her doctors said she should rest and she also spent a night in hospital for what were later described as ”preliminary investigations”. At the end of October it was announced that although she would not attend the Festival of Remembrance, it was her ”firm intention” to be present at the Cenotaph. In recent days, it has also been confirmed that she will no longer attend the General Synod of the Church of England in the coming days.
