Archive for Back Pain
Why Go Barefoot ? Advice For Barefoot Runner’s
Barefoot running is a great way to go for the long term health of your body. But the first question people always ask is “Don’t I need an arch support ?”
The whole idea of barefoot running is to avoid an arch support. Shoes effectively splint the foot and prevent it from its natural range of movement. As a result, the arch becomes weak and collapsed since muscles are no longer exercised. Once you start wearing shoes with arch support your feet get weaker. You will always need arch supports and eventually you will de-condition to the point where you will get an injury.
No one I know of can start running barefoot immediately. You have to wear a minimalist shoe like a Vibram Five Finger or VivoBarefoot. This will protect the skin on the bottom of your foot and give you some slight cushioning until your foot gets into shape.
Here’s how to transition into barefoot/minimalist shoe running:
- Your feet will need time to adjust, be prepared to take several months to make the switch.
- Do not rush into doing heavy exercise in VivoBarefoot. You should start with short distances. Sometimes only 200 yards.
- Listen to your body. If your feet start to hurt, stop. You will often find that your feet will hurt when you start to fatigue. The fatigue changes your running form and you start to hit harder with your heel.
- Concentrate on landing lightly. You can’t use your old sloppy “pound the ground form” that you used when you wore shoes.
If you are having foot issues, log on to www.stopyourfootpain.com for more information.
Back Pain and Barefoot Running
I was running on the treadmill at the YMCA the other day, and I couldn’t help but be distracted by the “slam, slam, slam” noise of the guy running two machines down.
By contrast, I hardly made any noise at all. I run in Vibram Five Finger Shoes which simulate barefoot running. The guy down the way was running in shoes. We were both running at the same pace, but he was just pounding away.
All that pounding has to go somewhere. It goes into the joints of the feet, knees, hips and back. The common thinking is that the cushions in the shoes absorb the shock. And it does to a certain extent. The problem is this: Because the shoes provide cushioning, your foot can’t feel the ground. So you end up having to pound at the ground in order for your foot to feel what is going on, and maintain your balance.
In a barefoot situation, you run lighter. Your feet feel what is going on and you don’t pound. You land lightly and push the pavement (or treadmill in my case), behind you. It is a very gentile movement and your muscles absorb any shock.
The first thing I noticed when I started to run barefoot, is that my form totally changed. I stood taller and I didn’t bounce. The effect lasted after I ran. My posture was taller and easier to maintain.
I now wear, flat thin soled, flexible shoes everywhere I go. I feel better and stand taller than I ever have.
For more information on back pain, foot pain and other health topics, check out all the reports and blogs on www.painfree-greatposture.com.
Chiropractic-Fast Relief For Back Pain
Chiropractors have been treating back pain for over 100 years. The profession has been growing and helping millions of patients.
If you are looking for a chiropractor, you should know that they aren’t all alike. Chiropractors vary in their technique depending on where they went to school, what they studied, the conditions they like to treat, or their own physical characteristics. Some use their hands to align spines, some use instruments.
The bottom line is this: Chiropractic should give you relief from your back pain. If you aren’t feeling better, you might not be seeing the right chiropractor.
After your treatment, you should feel relief of pain, improved movement and better posture. If you don’t, the treatment is not right for you, plain and simple.
You probably won’t get better in one treatment. It usually takes a course of treatments for you to get long lasting relief. But you should feel improvement after each visit.
Here are some examples of what your body should look like after it is re-aligned. All these before and after pictures, are of people standing relaxed on the same day. Notice how they stand straighter. They are doing this without effort!
For more information on how we treat back pain, log on to: www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com
Is Yoga Good For Your Spine?
I am often asked if Yoga is beneficial to the spine. Its one of those questions where I have to be the bearer of bad news.
Yoga is not good for the spine. It causes many injuries and it is particularly injurious to the lower neck.
When I tell patients this, they are very surprised or skeptical. Everyone says that Yoga is good for you. Well, take a look at this article by a Yogi fromIndia. He tells many people not to do Yoga. He says that Yoga is meant for people with healthy joints, not as a means for unhealthy people to get healthier. That’s how I feel as well.
Also, the light-headed feeling you get after doing the spine stretches, that some Yoga instructors say is the “chakras” opening up, isn’t that at all. It is an effect of having the spinal cord stretched. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t always clear up on its own and can leave you with dizziness and balance problems. Take a look at the article for more in depth information.
If you are suffering from injuries that you think might be related to Yoga, the good news is, you can be helped. Call Pat or Karen at our office today and set up a free no obligation consultation. Call 262-251-8306.
Low Back Pain and Your Wallet
If you are one of many men who carries his wallet in his back pocket, you are most likely feeling the negative effects in your lower back.
By leaving your wallet in your back pocket, you lift one hip higher than the other. This makes your spine off balance, negatively affecting your posture. Many cases of back pain are caused this way. Here are some suggestions if you suspect your wallet is giving you problems.
Try putting your wallet in your front pocket, or switch it to a front pocket before you sit down.
If you still want to put your wallet in your back pocket, thin it out. If it is over ½ inch thick it is going to be too high.
Try putting it in the other side. If your wallet is bothering you, try putting it on the other side. If it feels better, it may actually be helping your spine maintain leverage. So keep it on that side. If it doesn’t feel better, you are going to have to take it out of your back pocket all together.
Always take your wallet out, if you are going to be sitting for a long period of time, like a car trip or a long session at the computer.
For more information on how I treat back pain, log on to: www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com
Physical Therapy for Back Pain- Debunking the Top Ten Myths
Many people seek out physical therapy for their spine care. Some of the care is good, some of it not so good, some of it is down right detrimental. Here are some ideas physical therapists use when treating you, that will get you into trouble. I call these the top ten myths.
- Muscles stabilize joints- muscles only stabilize joints when they are in a pathological state. In the spine, if a vertebra is misaligned because of a sprain, the muscles surrounding the area tighten up. The tight muscles stabilize the joint until it heals. If it heals properly, the muscles will relax. If someone does procedures to loosen the joint before it heals, the bones will tend to move further out of alignment. In the spine, the bones can contact nerve tissue and cause bad, bad problems.
- Posture is held in place by muscles- your body is held upright by muscles when bones are misaligned in a way the body cannot self correct. When bones are not misaligned the body remains upright without muscular effort. Strengthening muscles to try and correct posture only makes the body tighter.
- Weak muscles cause bad posture- weak muscles don’t help posture, but they aren’t always the cause. Strengthening muscles around the spine is only a tiny part of what is necessary to correct posture.
- Strong muscles cause good posture- If this were true, body builders and swimmers would have great posture. 95% of them don’t.
- Back pain comes from weak muscles- Weak muscles don’t help, but it is a tiny part of the puzzle. The research on back pain points to discs, ligaments and nerves as the primary tissues involved in back pain. Treating the muscles does not treat the cause.
- Exercise helps pain- Exercise only helps when the exercises are given at the right time and in the right way. Exercising during the acute (early) phase of an injury only aggravates it.
- Stretching is good for you- This one blows people away. Google search “stretching and athletic performance “ Try and find an research article that says stretching enhances athletic performance. You can’t. They all say it doesn’t help. In fact, most say it is detrimental to athletic performance. But, here’s the kicker, all of them say, you should do it any way ! Yikes. Stretching may give temporary relief to a tight muscle, but the question you should ask yourself is “why is that muscle tight ?” If you fix the reason the muscle is tight, the muscle loosens up on its own.
- Bending forward to stretch your back muscles- Bending forward does stretch the muscles along side the spine. It may feel temporarily better, but the tightness will come right back. The question is “why are those muscles tight ?” If those muscles are tight because they are protecting the L5 vertebra from sliding forward and coming into contact with nerve tissue, stretching is going to be harmful. In fact, I have seen many, many cases of sciatica aggravated by forward bending exercises given to patients in PT.
- Heat, diathermy and ultrasound help back pain. The scientific literature on back pain is pretty clear. Inflammation of the ligaments and discs are the primary cause of back pain. Why on Earth PT’s use therapies on back pain patients that increase heat (inflammation), I have no idea. Yet I see it done on PT patients every day and the results aren’t pretty. Heating modalities are a quick way to make someone incapacitated by extreme pain. Always use ice.
- Chiropractic doesn’t help. The research is filling up with articles showing the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic spinal manipulation. It helps when other therapies fail. Physical therapists that say chiropractic is ineffective or dangerous are uninformed. Usually these statements are made to try and convince the patient to stay in PT instead of going to a chiropractor. Sad but true. I hear it all the time.
For more information on how I treat back pain, log on to: www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com
Scoliosis and Chiropractic Care
The average reduction of thoraco-lumbar scoliosis was 17.2° and was maintained for 24 months.
Function improved 70% and pain was reduced by 60%.
According to the Mayo Clinic (2009), ” Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but severe scoliosis can be disabling. An especially severe spinal curve can reduce the amount of space within the chest, making it difficult for the lungs to function properly. Children who have mild scoliosis are monitored closely, usually with X-rays, to see if the curve is getting worse. In many cases, no treatment is necessary. Some children will need to wear a brace to stop the curve from worsening. Others may need surgery to straighten severe cases of scoliosis” (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scoliosis/DS00194). They go on to say that signs and symptoms of scoliosis may include, uneven shoulders, “Signs and symptoms of scoliosis may include: uneven shoulders, one shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other, uneven waist, [and] one hip higher than the other” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2009, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scoliosis/DS00194/ DSECTION=symptoms).
“If a scoliosis curve gets worse, the spine will also rotate or twist, in addition to curving side to side. This causes the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than on the other side. Severe scoliosis can cause back pain and difficulty breathing. Go to your doctor if you notice signs or symptoms of scoliosis in your child. Mild curves can develop without the parent or child knowing it because they appear gradually and usually don’t cause pain” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2009, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ scoliosis/DS00194/ DSECTION=symptoms).
According to Lou et al. in 2010, three-dimensional lateral curvatures of the spine affect 2-3% of the adolescent population. According to ACT Youth who utilizes the 2000 US Census Bureau statistics, the number of adolescents in the United States is 41,747, 962. Averaging 2.5% of all adolescents having scoliosis equates to 1,043, 699 children facing issues as result of scoliosis. Lou et al. (2010) continue, “Brace (orthotic) treatment is recommended for growing children with curves of 25–45°. Surgery is the final treatment option for curves greater than 45° and its goals are to obtain safe correction, to produce a solid spinal fusion of the curve region, and to bring the spine and body into a more balanced position (p. 292). However, they conclude, ” Although brace treatment for scoliosis has been used for more than fifty years, its effectiveness is still debatable… Most studies used the amount of curve progression (as measured by the Cobb angle) to determine the effectiveness of brace treatment. Some defined success as 5° or less curve progression” (Lou et al., 2010, p. 292).
While allopathic medicine is still entrenched in the debatable practice of bracing and eventually surgery with the eventual progression of scoliosis, there are proven solutions. A study performed in 2011 concluded that as a result of chiropractic spinal manipulation, a thoracolumbar curvature (scoliosis) averaged a 17.2° reduction that was maintained for 24 months. (The length of the study) Across all spinal groups, an average of 10° reduction was obtained that persisted for 24 months. (The length of the study) It also concluded that pain scales reduced by 60% at 24 months and function improved by 70% while respiratory capacity increased 7%. Although this was a limited study with 28 patients, it is the first scientific conclusion that documents and reflects the results of what chiropractors have been realizing in their offices for over a 100 years.
The real issue is that if adolescents have their curvatures reduced by 10°-17.2°, then bracing and surgery are not an option because they will not be indicated. As bracing has been deemed “highly questionable” in the literature and now the literature reflects chiropractic as a highly effective modality, the standard of care across professions should be chiropractic care for scoliosis as first line treatment and should be standardized in every discipline.
For a Free No Obligation, Scoliosis Correction Without Bracing or Surgery, Consultation, Call Jennifer or Pat at 262-251-8306.
Log on to www.Painfree-Greatposture.com for more helpful information.
REFERENCES
1. Retrieved fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scoliosis/DS00194
2. Retrieved fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scoliosis/DS00194/DSECTION=symptoms
3. Lou, E., Hill, D., Hedden, D., Mahood, J., Moreau, M., Raso, J., (2010). An objective measurement of brace usage for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Medical Engineering and Physics, 33(3), 290-294.
4. Retrieved from http://www.actforyouth.net/health_sexuality/demographics/
5. Morningstar, M. (2011). Outcomes for adult scoliosis patients receiving chiropractic rehabilitation: A 24-month retrospective analysis. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 10(3), 179-184.
Pain Relief During Pregnancy
If you are pregnant and suffering from back pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, sciatica or other pain, you are limited in what can be done. You can not take drugs because they can adversely affect your child.
However, you can get a tremendous amount of relief pain with the ABC style of anterior spinal manipulation. This type of chiropractic is gentle to have done and provides immediate relief of pain. You also will notice how much easier it is to get up out of a chair and walk. The body functions better and the results happen immediately, not sometime later.
To find out how it is done, watch this video:
Then call Jennifer or Pat and set up an appointment for a free consultation where you can find out how this new type of treatment can help. Call 262-251-8306.
Acid Reflux and Posture
A study published this month showed a relationship between postural balance and reflux gastroesophagitis. ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21971878 )
The study involved a fifteen year old girl with a severe spinal deformity that pushed her shoulders forward and to the side. She had symptoms of positional imbalance, intermittent respiratory infections, gastrointestinal discomfort, trouble swallowing and heartburn for several years.
She had her spinal deformity surgically corrected and her symptoms went away.
This is an interesting report because in raises a number of questions. Can other types of misalignment in the spine cause gastrointestinal problems? Do these problems have to be severe before you get symptoms? If you want to avoid drugs and surgery, can chiropractic fix these problems?
Based on my clinical experience, the answer to the above questions is yes!
To find out more about how I treat posture problems, log on to: www.painfree-greatposture.com
Chiropractic vs. Physical Therapy for Back Injuries
Patients with back injuries often don’t know who to see to get treatment. Often, they will go to a physical therapist over a chiropractor because their medical doctor will recommend PT. But, is that really in your best interest ?
A study compiling data from Worker’s Compensation cases in Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Texas and Wisconsin involving 894 cases filing claims in 2006 revealed lower disability recurrence for patients under chiropractic care compared to patients treated by physical therapists and medical doctors. In fact, patients under physical therapy treatment were twice as likely to have recurrent disability as a patient under chiropractic care.
Chiropractic was also cheaper than physical therapy by $122 per week.
Physical therapy has its place. For post operative rehabilitation, severe trauma, neurological disorders, and the like, physical therapy can be tremendously beneficial. But for most back injuries, physical therapy is not the best choice of treatment. In fact, the authors acknowledged that part of chiropractic’s benefit is that it keeps patients from using other treatments that slow recovery.
Chiropractic is the best option for back injuries and has been confirmed in numerous studies. For more information on how I treat back injuries log on to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.
