April 2022 Healthy News from Young Chiropractic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why are you asking me all these questions, doctor?”
Our Easley chiropractic patients are central to our practice. Young Chiropractic wants to understand each of our patients and your pain experience well, treat you well, and ensure that you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That’s why we have you to explain your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in a variety of different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” is “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s true! Researchers studied just what these different words mean to patients. An example with regards to the description of “feeling”: pain signified sharp/shooting, discomfort was dull/tingling, stiffness signified tight/restricted. (1) It is important for us to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach expectations and enhance satisfaction with care. Patients who went to an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) as well as indicated multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very common of rationales patients pursue chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2) Young Chiropractic knows our patients value - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Easley CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Standing Exercise for Multifidus Muscle Strengthening Works
Back pain. It’s a simple description that may stem from many factors including the muscles of the spine, those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, deep, smaller muscles that run parallel to the spine from the cervical spine to the sacrum. These muscles assist movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers suggested that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are found to be stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which incorporates the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus well enough which may prevent low back pain produced by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported as equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That’s great news! Easley back pain sufferers can do easy, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidi benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she details the value of improving muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Young Chiropractic
Schedule your next Easley chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Young Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you are encouraged to ask Young Chiropractic questions, too!