We as humans are actually made in such a way to encourage back pain. First, since our eyes and hands are in front of our bodies practically every movement we ever make puts our spine in a bent forward position. This bent forward position is called flexion. Because of this our backs rarely, if ever, get an opportunity to bend the other way into extension. This also causes back muscle to become overused and weak. Secondly, our spines are constantly being compressed by gravity. These two forces will over time cause the discs in our spine to either degenerate and collapse down on a nerve OR herniate into a nerve. This is why your back hurts.
 Constant Bending (Flexion) = Herniated Discs, Weak Back Muscles, and Poor Posture
 Constant Compression = Degenerative Disc Disease.
 Both lead to muscle pain, nerve pain and inflammation.
Back and neck pain can be effectively, safely and comfortably treated by reversing the negative effects of compression and bending as mentioned above. The first step is to relieve the pain before we begin corrective strengthening. Pain is taken away first by addressing the two components of your pain; MUSCLE PAIN AND NERVE PAIN. Muscles become weak and overused, and respond with inflammation and pain. Nerves cause pain when the collapsed or herniated disc presses on them.
To treat muscle pain we use electrical stimulation and ice to quickly relax muscles that have been overworked and inflamed. We also ask you to decrease your activity level during treatment and do frequent icing at home.
I address nerve pain with spinal decompression. Spinal decompression is delivered by the Accu-Spina device. It safely, comfortably, and effectively “opens up” the space that has the nerve pinched. Lastly, I place an ice pack on the low back or neck as I discuss your “homework”. The homework is my instructions to you about how to limit your activity and how to begin some activities at home to allow you the ability to independently address and manage your pain.
We also have massage therapists on staff that can address the muscle pain with special techniques designed to encourage tissue healing and to restore function in muscles. Once you are out of pain we begin the strengthening process
Take pain away first. (Also, remember to use ice only, NO HEAT)
Slowly, gently and consistently strengthen your back.
Learn work strategies for lifting and maintaining a good posture.
Once your pain has subsided sufficiently, we will slowly begin introducing dynamic exercises to strengthen your weak back muscles. I use exercise balls to strengthen back and neck muscles effectively and efficiently. If you are willing to do just ten minutes of exercises per day you will begin a process of permanently strengthening your back in a way that will allow you to be active without the worry of debilitating back pain. In the first paragraph I explained that since our eyes and hands are in front of our bodies we tend to constantly bend forward. This constant bending decade after decade ruins our posture. Your posture can easily be corrected and maintained by strengthening the core postural muscles in our bodies.
Once these are strong, they naturally and without effort keep us upright and aligned. So…once you have “graduated” from The Healthy Back Clinic you will be out of pain and knowledgeable about all necessary exercises. However, you will need to give yourself four to six weeks of strengthening on your exercise ball before attempting to return to any strenuous activity. Giving yourself permission to heal and take the time to strengthen will be time well spent, because if you consistently do your exercises everyday for ten minutes you will slowly get better and better instead of worse and worse.
Consistency with exercises is the key to long term pain relief
By strengthening your postural muscles you will correct the muscle imbalance that led to your pain.
A strong posture is good health.
 Begin walking program. |
