5 FACTS ON THE BACK
84% of people will experience back pain at some point of life. Sadly, folks are typically confused as to what treatment avenue is best because of the vast diversity in procedures used. I do my best to combine traditional chiropractic care with modern practice guidelines founded on research. In some cases if your pain is excruciating, (legitimately the worst pain you’ve ever had, and you can hardly move) you are probably better off consulting your primary care provider for a type of anti-inflammatory med before tackling rehab.
Chiropractors are no longer taught to adjust/manipulate joints based off x-ray; at least the research does not show this to be an effective treatment protocol. Actually it is detrimental to the patient, by exposing them to unnecessary radiation. Imaging is rightfully used in 1% of cases (I.e. infection, cancer). Otherwise, if your chiropractor is using your x-rays to scare you into prolonged care, you should find another provider. 99.99% of the time, a chiropractor would not change the treatment protocols used even after taking x-rays. At this moment in chiropractic healthcare, x-rays are primarily used as a marketing strategy, or in the very best scenario a screen for clinical red flags.
Okay, yes there are traumatic events that can damage the spine, but regularly back pain is due to overuse or repetitive mechanisms. There is no perfect posture that you should be aiming toward, John’s perfect posture Is different from what Jane’s perfect posture is. When you are experiencing pain in your back, it’s not because something is out. NOTHING IS OUT. Rarely is there a quick fix, the bone out of place model was theorized nearly 50 years ago, please don’t adapt this ancient pain model. It is unrealistic, and yields poor patient outcomes due to improper beliefs and understandings.
Rest is associated with higher levels of pain and disability. After injuring your back you should do your best to self-asses your current situation (I.e. what hurts, what doesn’t) you should continue to do what doesn’t hurt and slowly reintroduce the movement that does hurt. Resting for prolonged durations after injury leads to dysfunction and disability, yes it sucks, but laying there won’t fix anything. I refer back and forth with medial doctors frequently when treating musculoskeletal conditions, but the research shows surgery is no more effective than a non-surgical approach to treating back pain.
What did you use to enjoy? Shooting hoops, kicking a soccer ball, playing tennis, jumping rope, swimming, lifting, running, it doesn’t matter! Exercise is one of the best treatments available for treating back pain…and it’s free. Exercise is associated with pain relief, decreased body fat percentage, higher levels of self-esteem, decreased stress, and so much more. The biggest deterrent to starting exercise is the time commitment and discomfort associated with it at the program’s beginnings, but you simply cannot afford to omit this habit if you’re interested in the longevity of your health.