Stability for a Healthy Lower Back

 

Core Stabilization for a Healthy Lower Back.

While specific programs that are individualized and tailor made for each patient gets betters results, there are certainly some repetitive generic points that can be used for patients undergoing spinal rehabilitation and stabilization.

·         Exercise in moderation is better than in excess. Take it slow and steady and monitor the progress. Exercises such as bending forward and touching the toes should be avoided at this time because it can damage the discs of the lower back.

·         Ideally one should balance both flexibility of the spine and its stability. Increased flexibility to a joint actually reduces its stability factor. As such moderation is a term to be kept in mind when performing spinal exercises.

·         It has been documented that the spinal discs lose fluid during the day and re-hydrate during the night and rest times. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid make any harsh quick movements on waking up early or excessively straining the back.

·         While weight lifting is a good way to build core strength, doing so while being seated is very detrimental. Other exercises such as pull ups and machine based systems for such activity are alright. Endurance building is recommended over quick sprint sets i.e. a little each day rather than a long session two to three days a week.

·         Flow with the natural curve of the spine. It is better advised to maintain a natural neutral lumbar curve while going about daily exercises and routine rather than bending or flexing it forward. 

·         Aerobic exercises are well recommended for preventing lower back pains with emphasis on brisk walking. Additionally exercises like swimming, deep water running, climbing stairs etc help with maintain both stability and flexibility of the spine.

 

Ref: yourbetterback.com

Musculoskeletal Myth

 

             Musculoskeletal Myth

 

#1: Lower back pain – self healing problem: While some experience the occasional lower back pain, most people with recurrent issues must consider visiting their practitioner to understand and treat the root cause. Alternate medicine provides a variety of treatments such as Acupuncture to help reduce such problems. The classic adage of “Prevention is better than cure” holds strong in the case of lower back pain and should be treated at an early stage for best results and reversal of the problem.

#2: An X-ray or an MRI can reveal the problems of musculoskeletal problems: Anomalies such as structural evidence of lumbar herniated disc seen in symptomatic patients are often found on asymptomatic X-rays and MRI’s as well. This begs the question of how accurate a reading can be made from just these findings. As a result it can be misconstrued with coincidental findings that an asymptomatic individual can be labeled as having pathology. A more definitive use of such imaging would be ideally suited to cases of tumor, infections, medical disease or fracture etc.

 

#3: All back pain patients are treated same: Treatment and recovery is very specific to each patient and generalization will only mean different results and different time frames of recovery. Each patient with such conditions must be approached clinically and holistically to its defined sub-path thereby accelerating outcome, reduced costs and improved results.

 

#4: Let pain be your guide: Pain as a guide is generally to be noted for traumatic injuries while not so much for chronic persistent repetitive pain. The attitude of the patient and the doctor while addressing the “do’s” and “don’t’s” is of paramount importance particularly as the idea of “being in pain” could cause as much if not more damage than the actuality of experiencing it.  The doctor should advice in such a way that pain-related anxiety is reduced and the patient is able to resume normal activity as much as possible.

 

#5: More is better: Psychologists say that the brain thinks as a whole and in terms of movement and not individual sets of muscles or body parts. Therefore the quality of exercise far out beats the necessity of quantity. In rehabilitation particularly, stability is of more importance than the strength.

 

#6: Deep Muscles like transverse abdominus are key for stability: When an example such as the lumbar spine is considered, it is known that the spine is not stabilized by individual muscles, but by an orchestrated symphony of muscles. Different muscles take on greater or smaller roles depending on the movement challenge.

 

#7: During exercise, we should breathe out with exertion: Every fitness center has stressed on the importance of breathing out with exertion, for example exhaling during a sit-up. Professional sports persons are asked to inhale prior to the squat in order to build up intra-abdominal pressure. Using this, they can light more weight. During low load training, it has been seen that when the spinal stabilization and respiratory challenge is simultaneously encountered, the nervous system naturally chooses maintenance of respiration to spinal stability.

 

#8: No Pain, No Gain: There is a subtle difference between the pain felt from injury and pain felt from a hard work out. Understanding the intrinsic difference between these two could be key in distinguishing a successful athlete from another. Extremities of ignoring pain to either put a full stop to exercising or ignoring the pain and overworking the body is not advisable. Endurance is built by pushing the limits, however while maintain the understanding of the root cause of the pain felt.

 

Ref: journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/jbmt

Lumbar herniated Disc

Approach to lumbar disc

Korean acupuncture and herb Clinic’s lumbar radiculopathy program

normal Lumbar X-ray

Normal Lumbar MRI

 

 

Lumbar Spine is very important for our ordinary life.

Because of the healthy spine, we can run, walk, love, sit, study, etc…

You probably have some concerns that how come acupuncture help lumbar disc?

Let me have some opportunity to explain to you.

 

What do you think of Lumbar disc?

 

Someone thinks that If there is protrusion or buldging on the M.R.I. image. But only image cannot match with the symptom.

Someone Thinks that if there is a symptom of radiculopathy, it could be a lumbar disc. But lumbar radiculopathy can occur when you have a tumor or stenosis. These can make the radiculopathy as well.

 

Lumbar Disc diagnosis must be matched with Image and physical examinations, symptoms and signs. We call it “symptom and sign correlation”

 

There was one study at 2001, Dr. Javic took images of normal people who don’t have any lower back pain. 91%of image was degenerative sign and 64% was buldging, 32% was protrusion, 6% was extrusion!!

 

Consequentially, The image shouldn’t be the priority for the decision to take operation.

Then, What kind of sign or symptom would be the indication of operation?

1. Severe pain isn’t reduced by aggressive treatment such as admission over 1 month

2.Herniated disc compress nerve root excessively, so that muscle weakness and atrophy occurs.

3.Herniated disc compress cauda equina, so there is some problem in urination, defecation. erection

 

How manage Lumbar Disc in Korean Acupuncture and Herb Clinic?

We are using Electro-Acupuncture, cupping, Herbal medications to reduce the pain and inflammation.

And In you place, you are going to have icing on your lower back, and nerve stretching, piriformis muscle compression

Stage1

•     When you have severe pain. And difficulty in ordinary activity

•     ->electro-acupuncture, cupping, herbal medication for inflammation

•     ->bed rest 2-3days

•     ->icing at least 90min. 5times in a day

•     ->nerve mobilization, piriformis muscle compression by tennis ball

Stage 2

When you can sleep without pain relief, and can walk in 5min, slowly

electro-acupuncture, cupping, herbal medication for inflammation

Core strengthening exercise

Icing at least 90min. 3times in a day

Nerve mobilization, piriformis muscle compression and stretching

Stage3

When you can sit over 10min, walk over 20 min. in normal spped

Electro-Acupucnture, cupping, herbal medication for inflammation

Core strengthening exercise

Icing at least 60min. 2-3times in a day

Nerve mobilization, Stretching

Stage4

When you can walk over 40 min in fast speed, or jogging

Acupuncture and cupping-if necessary

Core strengthening exercise

Nerve mobilization- if necessary

Continue rehabilitation exercise for healthy life

 

Our goal is not reducing pain, but, Healthy and happy life

 

 

Shukran.