Back Clinic Lower Back Pain Chiropractic Team. More than 80% of the population suffers from back pain at some point in their lives. Most cases can be linked to the most common causes: muscle strain, injury, or overuse. But it can also be attributed to a specific condition of the spine: Herniated Disc, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, and Osteoarthritis. Less common conditions are sacroiliac joint dysfunction, spinal tumors, fibromyalgia, and piriformis syndrome.
Pain is caused by damage or injury to the muscles and ligaments of the back. Dr. Alex Jimenez compiled articles outline the importance of understanding the causes and effects of this uncomfortable symptom. Chiropractic focuses on restoring a person’s strength and flexibility to help improve symptoms of lower back pain.
Around 70% of America’s workforce sits in an office chair for most of the day. Then we spend extended time sitting down eating, studying, watching T.V., and driving. All of this time spent sitting is taking its toll on our bodies.
Effects of When We Sit Too Long
Sitting places added stress and pressure on the back because it transfers the body’s full weight onto the buttocks and thighs. Sitting for long periods can cause pressure to increase on the discs, which can lead to severe/chronic back pain. Sitting also takes a toll on the lower extremities. As the blood stays�in the legs and feet this creates a sluggish return of blood to the heart.
In addition to sitting proper body mechanics are not implemented. Most of us sit with an improper posture, which can not only cause physical discomfort but also contributes to other health problems, which include:
Abdominal pain
Back pain
Eyestrain
Leg pain
Neck pain
Repetitive movement/motion injuries
Using a well-made ergonomic chair can help reduce fatigue, discomfort, increase blood flow, reduce injury, and increase job productivity.
An Ergonomic Chair
If it is to be used at a computer station or on a factory�machine, it needs to be able to handle the tasks and fit the worker’s size. Here are some recommendations to help you pick a quality chair that will increase comfort and reduce injury.
Casters
Use a chair with casters either in the form of a pivoting roller/with wheels and a 5-point base to make movement easier. There are different types of casters, some for carpet use, and soft wheel casters for hard surfaces like tile and linoleum. Rubber locking casters can help prevent tipping. Also, choose a chair that swivels easily.
Seat Pan
The seat pan supports the majority of your weight. A chair with the cushion made from a dense, foam padding or spring coils is better than a basic cushion that loses its shape and compresses which causes discomfort, imbalance, and hip/back fatigue. The pan should be at least one inch wider than the hips and thighs on each side. The front part of the seat should slope down a little and allow a fist-sized space between the back of your knees and the front edge of the seat pan to reduce pressure on the back of the thighs.
Also, a chair with tilting adjustments allows the individual the ability to a forward working posture or a properly reclined posture. Some seat pans also have a sliding mechanism that can be beneficial. This means small and tall users are able to adjust the distance of the seat pan from the backrest.
The Backrest
Adequate back support is the most essential element of a backrest. Inadequate back support places added pressure on the spine. The backrest should be small enough to fit the small of the back, the pelvis, and back of the rib cage or be curved. Both provide adequate support. A lot of the chairs come with a built-in adjustment, that can be adjusted by turning a knob on one side or under the chair. Chairs with back supports that are large enough to provide mid-back and upper back support are an added bonus.
Armrests
Chairs with adjustable height and width are necessary with a chair with armrests. The armrest should be made of soft comfortable material and be 2 inches wide for adequate surface area.
Seat Height
Pretty much all chairs come with a seat height adjustment. A properly�adjusted�seat means that your feet can rest properly on the floor while the upper body is aligned with the computer, display, and keyboard. Hydraulic adjustments are standard on most chairs, but there are pneumatic adjustments that allow you to adjust the seat height while sitting on the chair. Keep in mind the mechanism to adjust the seat should be easy to reach.
Chair Reclining and Tilt Adjustment
The chair recline/tilt adjustment changes the angle of the entire seat. Like with the backrest angle adjustability, a reclined chair transfers upper body weight to the backrest of the chair. However, locking the backrest in one position is not recommended or beneficial for the back.
Considerations
Footrests
For most a footrest is not necessary. But if additional foot support is necessary, a floor-mounted rest will allow you to rest your feet in a comfortable position.
Fabric Types
Keep in mind the cleaning and maintenance that goes into the chair when choosing which. Upholstery is the most common covering but is not the easiest to keep clean. Vinyl and leather covers are easy to clean but don’t breathe well and can generate heat in the legs.
Safe Sitting
Other than using an ergonomic chair, here are some precautions to minimize discomfort and injury while sitting:
Do not stay in one position for a long time.
Change postures often.
Shift between sitting and standing, 20 minutes of standing then 20 of sitting.
Try to keep your feet flat on the floor.
Sit with proper posture upright with your back and shoulders against the backrest.
Do not use the armrests to slouch.
Elbows and arms should rest lightly to promote circulation.
Make sure the shoulders are relaxed and slightly dropped when on the keyboard.
�Stay In a Neutral Posture
With the back supported and straight
The hips slightly higher than the knees
Keep between 2-4 inches of the chair edge and behind the knees
Maintain an equal balance of weight on the seat
Most Important
Take frequent breaks
Stand up and move around
Stretch
Be aware of your posture while your sitting
Correct yourself if you are slouching or moving out of the proper posture
Take deep breaths
This will increase blood flow and reduce fatigue.�Small changes will go a long way and keep you comfortable and healthy.
Work smarter not harder
Because we spend so much time in a chair we need to have the right one that will protect our spines. Think of the chair as a piece of�work�equipment to optimize productivity. Ergonomics utilized to the fullest means less back pain and better focus.
When your body is truly healthy, you will arrive at your optimal health and proper physiological state. �We want to help you live a new and improved lifestyle. Over the last two decades, while researching and testing we have learned what works effectively at decreasing pain while increasing human vitality.
Reduce Back Pain With Custom Foot Orthotics El Paso, TX.
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Ergonomic chairs have come a long way, and they do help reduce spine problems, pain, and improve movement.�Improving spinal health and hygiene at work�is as simple as�taking breaks for light stretching,walking around, and utilizing ergonomic office products to stay fit and injury-free. Whatever you choose, understand how your back and neck are moving/functioning during the workday/night by using ergonomic fundamentals that will keep your body/mind healthy and prevent office injuries.
Back/spine injuries now rank either second or third overall for workplace injury/s. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, every year there are over 900,000 cases of back injuries that account for 1 in 4 non-fatal job-related injuries that involve work days missed.�
Backcare & Standing Work
Back injuries can be painful, debilitating, and life-changing. 8 out of 10 people will experience a back/spine injury that can lead to chronic pain and health conditions. We all need to know, especially those of us that work standing up is firsthand knowledge of how important it is learning how to improve spine health and take steps to prevent back injury.
In order to prevent low back disorders means that there needs to be an understanding�of the spine when working along with knowledge of back injury risk factors.
Back/Spine Basics
The spine is a flexible structure that consists of 24 bones that move, shift, and contort, called vertebrae. There are:
7 in the neck
12 in the chest
5 in the low back
These are connected by ligaments and separated by pads of cartilage, called intervertebral discs. These are the shock absorbers that allow the flexible movement of the spine, specifically at the neck and the low back.
When we stand, the spine naturally curves inwards and outwards. The inward curve is called lordosis, and curves towards the front of the body at the lower back and neck area. The outward curve is called kyphosis, and curves towards the back of the body around the chest area. When we bend over the vertebrae of the lower back change position and shift from being in lordosis to kyphosis when completely bent over and then back again when upright. With this information, it is easy to see how much we move around, bend, stretch and reach during a regular day. The lower back gets used the most, which is why low back pain and injury/s and disorders are the most common.
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health concluded: �muscle strain is the most common type of work or nonwork back pain� (Bernard, 1997). This is good news for chiropractors and ergonomists because it means that we can find ways to reduce/change the way we work and the effort involved to minimize injury risks.
Keeping the intervertebral discs healthy plays an extremely significant role in preventing back/spine injuries. If these discs get damaged and start to degenerate,�flexibility begins to fade away, stiffness and soreness sets in and the ability to absorb the daily pressure/forces that comes with standing, moving and working.
There is not a normal blood supply to the intervertebral discs. Instead, as the discs change shape when we move around, the nutrients that they need are absorbed into the discs as the waste products are pumped out. This is why moving the body and staying active is very important. Because as you move you are literally feeding your spine and expelling the bad stuff. Intermittently changing postures and positions helps change the force and weight on the discs so that not all one area is taking the brunt of the force. Remember to move around and keep your spine as healthy as possible.
Risk factors
Major risk factors for back injuries include:
Awkward postures
Bending
Twisting�
Heavy physical tasks
Lifting
Forceful movements
Whole-body vibration aka W.B.V.
Static or unmoving work postures
These risks can happen separately or could be a combination of them all, and if these risks are taking place at any one time the higher probability of an injury/s.
Standing Work
When we stand, the pressure on the�lower back discs is relatively low. Not that there is pressure but it is much lower than when seated with an unsupported backrest like bleachers for example. Standing up uses 20% more energy than sitting does. When we need to bend down to pick up objects or reach to get overhead objects there is an increase in the forces and pressure on the lower back, and this is when an injury is likely to happen.
Tips to Minimize Injury
Here are some tips to help minimize your risks of back/spine injury when you are doing standing work:
Moving around is important to keep the spine healthy. Moving will help improve circulation and reduce muscle fatigue.
Taking consistent short breaks will help reduce fatigue, discomfort and work other muscles.
Gentle stretching during some of these breaks helps to ease muscle tension and gets circulation pumping.
Pay attention to your posture and the way you stand as you work.
Lean on a solid support to help reduce fatigue when you are standing with a support that you can put your back up against, lean against sideways, lean forwards against and to hold on to will increase safety.
Keep your back strong and try to do exercises that will strengthen the back muscles. Activities, like Yoga, Crossfit, HITT or workouts focused on the spine for flexibility are the way to go.
Maintain a stable posture with your feet on a firm surface.
Avoid twisting the lower back around to reach for things.
Move your feet so that your whole body changes position.
Minimize bending, but when you have to, bend for objects in front of you and bend at the knees instead of the back. When bending for objects that are to the side of you change your stance so you are facing the object, and then bend down at the knees.
Don’t overreach but if you have to reach up to a high area to get something use a step-ladder.
Don’t reach over objects and move the obstruction or change your position before reaching for whatever it is.
Low Back Pain? Fix it with *FOOT ORTHOTICS* | El Paso, Tx
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The one size fits all method just doesn�t cut it. A more focused approach for every individual leads to better results. Patients find that placing their bodies in certain positions and certain physical activities can:
Activate
Aggravate
Deactivate�their back pain.
Patients also find the pain being either better or worse. Understanding why sitting, standing, and walking can change the severity of low back pain can be helpful in diagnosis. These are important cues that help to diagnose and treat low back pain. People sit, stand, and walk all day. This is why so much research has been conducted on how these specific positions and activities contribute to low back pain.
Inversion tables and inversion treatment/therapy could help with low back/leg pain and sciatica. It�s non-surgical and an option your doctor, or chiropractor could recommend to you before looking into more invasive options. Individuals with low back pain, sciatica or both found inversion therapy with an inversion table provided relief from symptoms, and continued use has kept them and their spines healthy.
With an inversion table, you don�t have to use gravity boots or completely hanging upside down. There are inversion boots and hanging racks that also offer inversion therapy, this type is not for beginners. With experience, you can move on to this type but for now, leave it to individuals in top health and athletic condition. This type of inversion table therapy is an alternative that doesn’t require being completely upside down.
An Ancient Therapy Brought Back
Inversion therapy is nothing new. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, saw what inversion therapy could do and the benefits around 400 BC. The goal is to use gravity to release compression in the spine. The downward force pulls everything toward the earth’s center.
How It Works
Inversion therapy works in a way like spinal traction.
For example, when we stand and sit gravity pulls the spine downward and this is what compresses the discs, vertebral bodies, nerves, and other spinal structures. The physical dynamics along with gravity helps relieve spinal compression. As the spine is stretched out the pressure on your back is reduced.
The theory behind inversion therapy sounds like a fantastic non-surgical option to back pain. However, the research going into inversion therapy is a bit more mixed. One study found that almost 77% of patients that were candidates for surgery no longer needed the surgery after using inversion therapy. For patients that didn�t use inversion therapy, only 23% avoided surgery.
But like all back pain/sciatica treatment plans, it’s what works for you. Ask your doctor/chiropractor about the pros and cons of this type of treatment as it relates to your condition to make an informed decision.
Other Benefits
Many patients report that inversion therapy is a great way to:
Stretch the muscles and ligaments
Reduce muscle spasms
Improve circulation
Stretching stimulates the lymph glands which increases the flow of lymphatic fluids, that are part of the body’s waste disposal. Cellular health depends on healthy blood circulation to be delivered, to nourish and remove waste.
The therapy also helped to relieve motion sickness and stress. This is because the body is more aware of its spatial orientation along with balance as the inner ear gets stimulated while inverted. As stated earlier it is not necessary to be positioned completely upside down to benefit from this therapy. Inversion tables are adjustable and offer the flexibility to find the best angle.
Discuss Inversion Therapy with A Doctor
Before you start using an inversion table�talk to your doctor. Certain medications and health conditions could make using an inversion table unsafe.
It could be recommended against inversion table therapy if you have:
There could be other medical conditions that are not listed but could interfere with inversion therapy, so make sure your doctor knows all your medical history/conditions and current health state before beginning.
Starting Inversion Therapy
How to start an inversion therapy program? Take it very slow, easy, taking your time and have someone there to help and assist until you are comfortable doing it on your own.�The tables can be set at different angles and it is recommended you start at the first and work your way to the last. At the 15-degree angle, your body will feel a stretch along with the benefits of increased blood circulation.
Most people don’t have to go beyond 60-degrees, as the spine decompresses at this angle. But you might want to completely invert yourself as you work through the different degrees and go for the full inversion. But don’t overdo it and listen to what your body tells you.
The tables come in a variety of styles, so be sure to research the different brands. Some tables can include a sliding backrest and foot lock that lets you work in gentle stretching exercises during inversion. This could include head movements from side-to-side, stretching the arms overhead, and doing abdominal sit-ups or crunches.
But first, find out from your doctor how often you should invert and the kinds of movements that will help with your condition and enhance your inversion program. Inversion therapy is another option for a back, sciatic pain treatment plan. For the different forms of spine pain, a doctor will try several non-surgical treatment options before discussing surgery. Inversion therapy could be part of a conservative treatment plan and could help prevent the need for spine surgery.
*Effective Treatment* for Sciatic Nerve Pain| El Paso, Tx
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The spine is the primary support for the body. When it breaks down, the body suffers. Regular chiropractic treatment ensures that the spinal column remains in proper alignment which, in turn, keeps the body in proper alignment. It helps with joint health as well as the health of the related muscles and ligaments.
Your chiropractor can also recommend stretching and strength-building exercises to help keep your spine healthy and supple. Chiropractic helps to keep the back flexible which aids in preventing injury. A healthy spine is also less likely to become misaligned or experience pain. It can significantly improve your quality of life as you are more flexible and mobile.
Musculoskeletal health is one of the highest costs in healthcare today.
There are 1 in 2 Americans that have a musculoskeletal condition. And the need for support along with body alignment is at an all-time high.
In today’s world surveys found that Americans wear two to three pairs of shoes during the week.
However, these shoes are not made to support:
The body
Fit the feet
And can be dangerous to general musculoskeletal health
Health and freedom from pain are important factors in a healthy quality of life. But it starts with proper support for the body that begins from the ground up.
Many believe that to get proper support all you need is to buy top shoes that are optimized with athletic properties. While athletic shoes are definitely more comfortable they do not provide adequate support for the body and can affect posture and the body’s alignment.
The shoes out on the market today, whether athletic or dress are more about fashion than function. These shoes are designed based on sample sizes. Shoe companies use for men a size ten and for women a size eight for their sample. Then material is�added or subtracted to create the larger or smaller sizes.
The resultant shoes are designed to fit and provide optimum performance but are not customized to conform to each individual’s unique feet.�
Shoes are designed to protect feet from the elements and adapt to various activities.
They are not designed to handle the additional forces necessary to support the body.
Take a look at the extensive wear patterns on your shoes and see if there are imbalances in the feet. If there are areas that are really worn/flattened out then there can be severe pronation taking place. This is one serious reason to look into foot orthotics,
Not to worry, as excessive foot pronation affects everyone.
While at school, work or conducting daily chores is when individuals pronate and while wearing shoes with no arch/spine support.
Pronation in the feet combined with shoes that don’t fit with no support has a negative impact on posture and alignment.
With no sufficient support, the body reverts to the imbalanced state. With continued use and not addressed will cause pain in the:
Knees
Hips
Back
Neck
And unfortunately, most of us ignore and even power through the pain caused by the poor fit and lack of support from these shoes.
Reasons to Use Custom Orthotics
The feet make up the body�s foundation. Just like a house, problems with the foundation will create problems throughout the structure over time. Therefore if the foundation is remedied properly then the other issues remedy themselves or are easier to treat because the feet are already taken care of.
Feet problems/issues create back problems. Fixing foot problems will make a difference with the back pain treatment plan.
Individuals think their feet are just fine. However, they don’t know what problems are in the background waiting for the worst moment to present. Imbalance/dysfunction is a silent issue that can ripple into many problems along with pain in the spine.
Feet are as unique as fingerprints. Custom orthotics will make a vast difference between the right and left foot and accommodate the body to achieve its full potential.
Custom orthotics are built just for you. Based on a high-resolution 3D scan of your feet, that is sent to a Foot Levelers� team of technicians, who create your 100% unique, tailored foot orthotic/s.
Don�t be fooled by over-the-counter knock offs. These are mass-produced insoles that can worsen pain. And while most cases of back pain respond well with Chiropractic care, adding custom foot orthotics will enhance the effectiveness of the treatment with no need for surgery or side effects from medications.
Your feet and your body will thank you and will improve health by maintaining proper posture, combined with full-body support to achieve optimal quality of life.
How to eliminate Back Pain naturally | (2020) Foot Levelers |El Paso, Tx
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When there are problems with the feet, it can cause problems through the legs and all the way to the spine. This can cause the ankle to pronate, meaning it rolls inward. This alters the way the�bones of the foot�line up which extends through the tibia, or shin bone.
This can cause a condition called knock knees and it can change the way the entire body is aligned. This puts the body out of balance, destabilizing the spine, and can even cause the pelvis to tilt to one side or the other. When you are walking or standing, the stress caused by the misalignment can create a domino effect, causing or contributing to low back pain.
Being pregnant is one of life’s many joys, however, with the added weight comes normal back pain that can lead to severe back pain that can lead to sciatica.
Expecting mothers have much to look forward to but when back pain and sciatica take hold, it can be exhausting, frustrating, and extremely painful. Women experiencing pregnancyback pain varies from woman to woman. To help prevent and alleviate back pain/sciatica, here are some answers as to how and why symptoms develop and what to do to make the pregnancy a joyful occasion.
Pregnancy Back Pain and Sciatica
Changes to the body throughout pregnancy affect more than its physical appearance.
The most common change is weight gain. Increased body weight, especially when bending puts pressure on the spinal discs. The most pressure is placed on the low back. Back, leg pain, and sciatica are common complaints.
Weight gain can cause piriformis syndrome and sciatica. The piriformis muscles help with thigh movement. Piriformis syndrome can develop if the muscle compresses the sciatic nerve, which causes a pinching or electrical shock feeling in the buttocks and back of the leg.
What some might not know is that as the uterus grows, the body’s center of gravity gets thrown off. What happens is the uterus expands inside the pelvis, and the spinal nerves in the low back that flow into the sciatic nerve gets compressed and irritated.
Hormones like relaxin, which is a hormone that relaxes the pelvic ligaments and helps prepare the mother’s body for birth. Relaxin loosens the ligaments in the other areas of the body, but primarily the joints in the pelvis, low back, and knees. When exercising or lifting objects it is easy to strain these relaxed areas. Therefore, move slowly, and avoid any sudden movements.
What Steps To Take
Work with a:
Doctor
Chiropractor
Midwife
Health care provider to keep body weight in check
Take note of posture:
Stand up straight
Shoulders back
Avoid leaning backward
Try a pillow:
A standard-sized pillow
Body pillow to help make sleeping comfortable
A pillow can be positioned between the knees and under the abdomen for support.
Prenatal yoga helps:
Stretch and tone muscles
Maintain flexibility
Improve balance and circulation
Relieves tension
Deep breathing plays a major role in yoga and is an added benefit as it can help expecting mothers relax during labor.
Simple cardiovascular exercises like walking or swimming can help keep weight under control and the body in shape. Ask a doctor or chiropractor if these types of exercises are right for you.
Prenatal massage is another option to help relieve pain and tension.
This type of massage eases:
Anxiety by stabilizing hormone levels
Back pain
Pelvic pain
Hip pain
Improves circulation and digestion
Helps reduce fatigue
A warm shower or bath can helps ease back pain.
Expectant mothers should avoid aromatic oils or aromatherapy candles like:
Basil
Juniper
Peppermint
Rosemary
Star anise
Some of these oils can cause contractions.
Acupuncture is another form of alternative therapy that can treat back pain and sciatica. Sterile, millimeter thin disposable needles are inserted into points on the body that are known as energy channels. The needles help to restore the balance of energy in the body. However, expectant mothers need to be past six months to receive this type of treatment as the energy flow can cause contractions.
Ergonomics At Work & Home
Expectant mothers should avoid:
Awkward postures
Over-exercising
Heavy lifting
Repetitive work
Especially during the third trimester.
The low back and leg muscles have to work harder to keep the body balanced. Just basic standing or walking can be a challenge. Swelling is common. Make sure to take constant breaks and full-body rest combined with elevating the feet can be very helpful.
Adding an ergonomic and adjustable chair with a lumbar support backrest and footrest is worth the investment. A chair like this can helps take the pressure off of the spine and working at a desk much more comfortable. It benefits to frequently stand and sit continually changing the body’s posture and working the various muscles, joints, and ligaments to keep the body loose. And it can be a form of exercise.
Light walking also helps to reduce any swelling through increased circulation.
Hopefully, you will not have to go through any kind of back pain or sciatica. But if pregnancy back pain and sciatica start to creep in, talk to your doctor, chiropractor, midwife, or health care professional first.
When your body is truly healthy, you will arrive at your optimal fitness level proper physiological fitness state. We want to help you live a new and improved lifestyle. Over the last two decades, while researching and testing methods with thousands of patients, we have learned what works effectively at decreasing pain while increasing human vitality.
We focus on what works for you. We also strive to create fitness and better the body through researched methods and total wellness programs. These programs are natural and use the body’s own ability to achieve goals of improvement.
Back Pain During Pregnancy Treatment El Paso, TX Chiropractor
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Keeping the body, including the spine, in proper alignment is vital to mobility, flexibility, and overall wellness of the body even when it is not pregnant. However, pregnancy puts specific stress on the body, creating certain needs that chiropractic care can meet. It is safe, it is effective, it is fast, and it works.
Lower back pain is a condition that pretty much affects most of us at some point in our lives. Some find:
Sitting
Standing
Walking
can be painfully difficult or helpful, depending on the position or the activity they’re involved in.
Low back pain varies from person to person, yet there remains no consensus on the optimal way to diagnose and treat patients.
Lower back pain can be caused by a multitude of factors and can be difficult to diagnose the exact cause. However, there is an advanced method of diagnosing and treating individuals with musculoskeletal conditions/injuries.
TENS, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Physical Therapy. Therapist Positioning Electrodes onto Patient’s Lower Back
Successful treatment
Dividing patients with lower back pain into more similar groups based on the same factors that aggravate and alleviate the pain means that a more custom based treatment plan can be created.
The one size fits all method just doesn’t cut it. A more focused approach for every individual leads to better results.
Patients find that placing their bodies in certain positions and certain physical activities can:
Activate
Aggravate
Deactivate their back pain.
Patients also find the pain being either better or worse.
Understanding why sitting, standing, and walking can change the severity of low back pain can be helpful in diagnosis.
These are important cues that help to diagnose and treat low back pain.
People sit, stand, and walk all day. This is why so much research has been conducted on how these specific positions and activities contribute to low back pain.
Spine Anatomy
The alignment of the spinal column, from the skull to the pelvis, is S-shaped.
The cervical and lumbar spinal segments curve towards the front of the body, and so are lordotic,�while the thoracic spine curves towards the back of the body and is kyphotic.
The amount of curvature does not stay in one place and changes based on body position.
Compared to standing, sitting decreases lumbar lordosis by about 50%.
Changes in lumbar lordosis can relieve pain from certain forms of back pain but can aggravate others.
Picture The Spine Bending
Imagine you are holding a garden hose. Holding it vertically in front of you. The hollow part of the tube represents the spinal canal, the part of the hose facing you is the posterior spinal column, and the part of the hose facing away from you is the anterior spinal column.
Bend the hose in half. The hose on the outward-facing side of the curve will stretch out, while the hose on the inward-facing side of the tube will be compressed.
This exercise helps visualize that an object being bent will experience two forces, either:
Compression
Tension
Increasing lumbar curvature will compress the posterior column�and stretch out the anterior column vertebrae and discs.
Decreasing lumbar curvature will�stretch out�the posterior column and�compress�the anterior column. This is the basis of why certain body positions can relieve back pain symptoms for some people and make it worse for others.
Prolonged sitting, and especially if poor posture is involved, can cause overstretching of spinal muscles.
Arthritis can affect the joints.
The facet joints are posterior based structures and can become compressed with increased curvature. When the facet joints are the primary cause of back pain, patients usually find that sitting improves the pain, while standing and walking make it worse.
When the discs are the pain generator, sitting seems to aggravate the pain as there is more compression in the tissue.
With certain types of disc herniations, sitting can compress the disc to the point that the herniated tissue starts to press against a nerve root causing radicular pain or pain that radiates out to another area of the body like the legs. In this case, walking seems to alleviate the pain.
Spinal Conditions
Various spinal conditions definitely contribute to back pain and have the same presentations and alleviations.
Spinal Stenosis which means the narrowing of the spinal canal. Patients with this type of spine pain improve with leaning forward sitting. This is because the posture increases/opens the size of the canal�and decreases the nerve root compression.
Spondylolisthesis is when one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra right underneath. This is more commonly known as a slipped disc. There are various forms of this condition. But the pain occurs immediately when sitting, bending or walking and is usually relieved when standing still or in a neutral position for short periods.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction comes from the sacroiliac joint becoming inflamed. Pain is usually aggravated when sitting or about to sit. especially when there is added weight on the affected side. This can be difficult to diagnose because of trying to figure out if it’s the hip or low back causing the pain.
Locating the Pain Generator
Sitting, standing, walking low back pain causes are different for everyone. But finding the root cause helps to prescribe the best treatment possible. A chiropractor uses many different techniques to relieve pain. These include:
Applied pressure
Massage
Hands-on manipulation (adjustments)
X-rays
MRI’s
Lab work
Health coaching
Chiropractors don�t prescribe medications, but they do recommend therapeutic, rehabilitative exercises and nutritional lifestyle counseling to help the body heal itself.
Low Back Pain Treatment El Paso, Texas
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A chiropractor sets up treatment approaches based on the individual. This begins with the natural, non-invasive treatments before moving on to more aggressive techniques. And as an added bonus patient�s who have received chiropractic treatment have experienced improvements to their digestive health and have reported better and deeper sleep after a chiropractic visit.
Q: Dr. Jimenez, I read one of your articles about physical therapy and spinal stenosis exercises that focus on stretches for relieving pain. I was wondering if it was also possible to do aerobic exercise with a spinal condition and can you recommend a safe cardiovascular program?
I’m a 65-year-old with spinal stenosis, and I want to stay in shape. I try to ride a stationary bike for 20 minutes at least 2 times a week, but with my low back pain, I don’t always finish the workout.
How else can I stay in shape
A: I do recommend aerobic exercise for everyone, but especially for people with spinal conditions.
Aerobic exercise increases the blood flow to the body’s tissues, and people with high levels of cardiovascular fitness generally do better dealing with spinal problems.
However, before anyone with a spine condition or any medical condition for that matter, starts a wellness and fitness program, they should check with their primary caregiver, to clear the individual as fit to exercise.
Example: Someone with cardiovascular (heart problems) can have restrictions when it comes to certain types of exercise.
A physical exam will make sure your body is ready for exercise.
Physiotherapist assisting a senior woman with exercise ball at a chiropractic rehabilitation clinic
Low-impact aerobic exercise is recommended�
Walking
Swimming
These are excellent examples of low-impact aerobic exercise. They increase heart rate and are easy on the body.
Riding a stationary bike is another recommended form of low-impact aerobic exercise.
It can be tiring, but if recommended by a caregiver/therapist, then realize they did so for a reason/s to get you healthy.
By biking, you are building up endurance, and that is exactly what you want, as it speeds up recovery.
Walking is a great exercise for spinal conditions. It is low-impact, and you can control the pace to fit your needs.��
Daily walks after lunch or after getting home are a great way to exercise.
If exercise does begin to increase back pain or another type of pain, tell your caregiver or physical therapist right away.
The phrase, no pain, no gain does not apply when there are spinal conditions. So do not try to push through the pain or think that the hurt is good.
Also, do not try to do take on too much right away. Even if you feel good, follow the fitness plan.
But if you want to mix it up, discuss with your chiropractor/physical therapist if adding walking and swimming to the plan will be beneficial, as well.
It can be tempting to not exercise with a spinal condition. But remember that if there is no movement at all, you could make the pain worse. Knowing what your body can handle and sticking to a workable schedule, these healthy steps will relieve you and help with your low back pain.
Chiropractic Care Sports Injury Rehabilitation El Paso, TX
Daniel Alvarado, the owner of Push-as-RX Fitness, discusses how he carries out his PUSHasRx Functional Fitness Workouts personal injury rehabilitation and athletic training program as a part of Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chiropractic rehabilitation plan.
Physical therapy (PT), also referred to as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions which, by utilizing mechanical force and motions (bio-mechanics or kinesiology), manual therapy, exercise therapy, and electrotherapy, remediates impairments and promotes mobility and purpose.
Physical therapy is used to enhance a patient’s quality of life through:
Examination
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Physical intervention
NCBI Resources
Exercise is an essential part of good health. It can help with weight loss and plays a crucial role in preventing many chronic health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Regular exercise has also been shown to help with depression and anxiety. It is what nature intended; as humans, we are supposed to be active. The more active you are, the better you will look and feel � and the healthier you will be.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
