Back to Basics

Hello
An article from the National Post seems of interest. Have a read through it was called, "back to basics"

"After 25 years of treating sore, aching bodies, the team at Concordia Sports Medicine know a thing or two about back pain. So does Stuart McGill, a researcher and expert in spine bio mechanics from the University of Waterloo.

In what seems to be the perfect marriage between science and practice, here is the latest lowdown about what to do when back pain hits.

Find out why it hurts

"Identify what causes your back pain and solve it," McGill said.

Sounds easy enough, but chances are you need some expert guidance on pinpointing and solving the problem. That's where someone like osteopath and athletic therapist Paul Evans from Concordia Sports Medicine can help. His evaluation isn't limited to the spine, but includes a look at how well your hips, shoulders and other core muscles and movements function. It's that kind of whole body approach that can make the difference between finding relief and not.

As for trying to isolate your problem to one particular event like bending over to tie your shoe, don't even try.

"Back pain is usually caused by the things you've done and not done," Evans said. "Unless your back pain is related to a specific injury, chances are your back health has been deteriorating slowly and steadily over time. And, since damage to your back accumulates, you're adding to the problem every day you don't do something to solve it.

McGill says that most people between the ages of 20 and 55 sit too much, which puts them at risk for disc problems. Evans agrees. He has patients who sit all day at a desk and then sit all night gaming on their computer. It's no surprise, then, when they show up at his office complaining of a sore back.

But sitting isn't the only culprit. Poor posture, overuse and poor movement patterns all contribute to back pain, yet most of these potential problems are ignored until the back starts to protest.

Treating the pain

Gone are the days when bed rest and a batch of anti-inflammatory drugs were the only option for a sore back. For many, the combination of manual therapy and exercise works best to relieve pain.

A word of caution here, however: Not all back pain is the result of the same set of circumstances, and not all back pain warrants the same treatment. In fact, tailoring treatment to your specific problem can mean the difference between success and failure. McGill suggested that finding out what postures hurt and don't hurt, what movements cause pain and what movements don't and how much load the spine can and can't bear are all key elements in designing a treatment plan.

Until you can get a back care specialist to look at your back, ice it and don't do anything that makes the pain worse. If that means laying low a couple of days, do it. But you can't get away with more than a couple of days of taking it easy. Activity, albeit light activity, not rest, is what your back needs.

The role of exercise

While it's true that exercise is an instrumental part of the treatment plan, don't think that you can download a series of back exercises off the Internet and consider yourself good to go. There's nothing generic about back pain, so it's rare that a one-size-fits-all exercise program will work for you. Nor will a couple of well-chosen exercises do it all.
McGill prescribes a series of individually targeted corrective exercises that improve movement patterns before moving onto traditional exercises like the plank or the bird dog. The idea is get the body moving in a back-friendly way before prescribing exercises, which, combined with improved everyday movement, contribute to improving back health.

And that brings about the next point. Exercising your back should become a daily event. We're not talking anything fancy here. A simple walk is a good place to start. And if you can walk only for 100 feet until the pain kicks in, stop just short of the pain mark and try it again tomorrow or later that same day. Take that walk every day until you find yourself travelling with ease.

When getting your back in shape, it's best to keep it light. Lots of repetitions of exercises that aren't too taxing on your back is the best way to start. As the health and endurance of your back improves, so should the intensity of the exercises. Adequate back health means being able to move pain-free, not just in everyday life but in an athletic setting as well. Don't consider your back healthy until you can move it pain-free with some measure of speed and mobility.

As to how long it takes to get relief, Evans said that most of his patients begin to see a return on their investment in five or six visits. If you don't, discuss your treatment plan with your back specialist and consider making some changes. Getting rid of back pain is not only possible, with the right approach, it can happen sooner than you think.

jbarker@videotron.ca "


I do hope this was of value.
If anyone reading this has ideas or needs information, please let me know. Till then, bye for now.
Paul
For information on exercise and back pain goto: www.backpainloss.com now